Settle Down // Irwin

43

Ashton was being unusually quiet. Jade nudges his foot under the table to get him to look up at her. He does and gives her a small little smile before looking over the menu again. They were currently at the beach hut and Ashton was taking ages to even order a drink. Jade definitely knew something was up and was just trying to work out what it was.

"Hey," She says, placing her hand over his. "Are you okay?"

Ashton slowly looks up at her. "Yeah, I'm fine, why?"

"Just..." Jade sighs. "You just seem a bit distant, that's all."

"Oh." Ashton bites his lip. "I don't mean to be."

"I know."

"Good."

And that was that conversation over.

Jade instantly thought it was something she did. The first thing that came to mind was that Ashto had found out Jade lied to him about her virginity. It was such a stupid thing to lie about. Who even lies about that?Jade does, and she knows she is a bitch for doing it. Ashton was so sweet and so careful with her and Jade loved it. She loved being there with him and feeling his body against hers, the music in the background, their lips ghosting over each others bodies. It was just amazing. It was something Jade had never experienced before. So... maybe it was okay that she said it was her first time.

No.

She couldn't even convince herself of that. It wasn't okay. And it will never be okay.

"I think I can order now." Ashton nods and Jade smile.

"Oh okay. Good." She simply says and they both go silent. Just as Jade is about to speak Ashton does.

"When are you going to Boston?" He asks.

Jade wasn't really expecting that. "Oh, um, I'm not sure."

"Okay," Ashton leans forward in his chair. "Because obviously I'm worried about you going." He says. "But I'm also thinking we could have the entire summer together, and then I mean it's college so there'll be, you know, more free time and stuff to visit each other."

Jade didn't want to say that there probably won't be because it's college and there will be more work and she really wants Ashton to focus on getting picked up by a team and helping out Harry and Lauren rather than visiting Jade.

"That's true." Jade then hesitates before she says the rest. "Did I tell you that other schools accepted me?"

"No?" Ashton shakes his head, trying to work out what Jade is talking about.

"Stanford." Jade says. "They accepted me."

"Stanford?" Ashton repeats. "As in the one that's like only six hours away for UCLA?"

"Five and a half, actually." Jade says timidly. "They accepted me and I got thinking and-"

"No." Ashton says bluntly.

"What?" Jade says, surprised by his tone.

"You are not changing to a different school." Ashton tells Jade.

"Yeah," Jade says quickly. "But just think about-"

"You've already told Harvard you are going." He says. "So you are going."

"But Ash-"

Ashton interrupts again. "You're not changing schools just because of me."

"Well maybe I'm not changing because of you." Jade says.

Ashton scoffs. "Really?"

"Maybe." Jade shrugs.

"Then why?" Ashton asks, leaning back in his chair.