november 2014
houston tx
"I can't believe he's finally taking you on a date," Gracie comments, just loud enough for Awsten to hear, as he makes his way downstairs.
"Huh?" He looks between Ashley and Gracie as he joins them in the kitchen.
"Ashley's going on a date," Gracie tells him.
"Wow," Awsten wears a shocked expression, yet somehow still with an unimpressed tone, as he avoids Ashley's eye contact. "Where's he taking you?"
"Don't know yet," she shrugs. "Says it's a surprise."
Awsten only raises his eyebrows in response, taking his bottle of orange juice from the fridge.
"Is he picking you up from here?" Gracie questions.
"Yeah, I thought it'd just be easier," Ashley nods, glancing at the time. "He should be here any minute," she adds, right before there's a knock at the door.
Gracie shoots off down the hall before Ashley even gets a chance to, so she decides against fighting it, and remains in the kitchen with Awsten.
"Nervous?" He asks her, more sincerely.
"A little," Ashley mumbles. "I've never been on an actual date before."
Awsten's expression softens as she looks down at her hands.
"Hey, you'll be fine—"
"Hey!" Jake beams, unknowingly cutting Awsten off, but it still bothers him.
He wraps his arms around Ashley, and Awsten turns his face away as Jake leans in to kiss her; he doesn't know why, but it's an automatic reaction— he just doesn't want to see it.
"You ready to go?" Jake questions.
"Uh, yeah, I just need to grab some things from Gracie's room," Ashley stands from her seat, taking Gracie's hand, "I'll be two minutes," she adds, before the two of them disappear upstairs.
At first, Awsten internally curses the two of them for leaving him alone with Jake, but then he realises it gives him the opportunity to ask him a couple things.
"So, where are you taking her?" He inquires, hoping he doesn't seem too bothered. "Ash said it's a surprise."
"Oh, yeah," Jake nods, eagerly. "I'm taking her out to eat," he begins, talking lowly. "This burger joint. It's my favourite, and I want to share that with her."
Awsten makes a face, a subtle mixture of disgust and disappointment. "You're taking Ashley out to eat on a first date?" He relays, slowly, earning another nod in confirmation. "She hates eating out at restaurants," Awsten says, flatly.
He's not trying to come across like a dick, but he knows this is a bad idea.
It's come up in conversations many times before; Ashley has to be really comfortable with someone to go out to eat with them, or else she hates the whole experience and barely ends up eating anything.
She only ever goes to restaurants with her own family, or Awsten's family — and he doubts that she's at that level yet with Jake.
