Honey // A.I (completed)

fifteen

**tw: mentions of sexual assault **

< Friday 23d, 2021 >

{ Ashton }

Nikki got here yesterday and it's been interesting. She's hardly talked to Holland and I. But today, it's just me and Nikki since Holland was working. I'm hoping to try and connect with her since she will be my family soon. She's going to be my sister-in-law and I would like to have a good relationship with her.

Holland has already left for the day and I was just waiting around for Nikki to get up. I was waiting to make breakfast until she woke up.

Finally she emerged from the room she was staying in,

"Good morning" I smiled but all I got was a stare back, "I'm gonna make breakfast. How does french toast sound?"

"Okay" she mumbled. I sighed but nodded and handed her the tv remote and walked to the kitchen area. She turned the channel to ESPN as I started getting stuff out to make breakfast.

"Hey, do you want coffee?" I asked,

"I only drink iced coffee" she told me without turning around,

"We have iced coffee" I told her. I watched her get up and come over to where I was,

"You're sister is an iced coffee addict so we have everything you can think of" I chuckled but didn't get a reaction, "The coffee is in the fridge with creamer. It's the Starbucks one. Then cabinet above the coffee maker has other coffee stuff in it"

Nikki nodded and moved around the kitchen, getting what she needed.

I sighed and finished up breakfast and put it on plates before sitting with Nikki at the table,

"So, your sister and I got tickets for us three to go to the LA Galaxy game tomorrow" I tried making conversation. We got the tickets in hope it'd help us with Nikki considering the Galaxy is her favorite team,

"Cool" she hummed. I sighed again,

"Alright can we talk?" I finally gave up,

"About?" She questioned with a very sassy shake of the head,

"Why don't you like me?" I asked,

"You ruined my sister. She's not the same person I grew up with" she spit,

"I ruined her? How did I ruin her?" I furrowed my eyebrows,

"Because of you she officially moved to Los Angeles. Because of you, she gave up all our Catholic beliefs. She lives with you before you are married. I'm sure you all have sex all the time and you're not married. She doesn't go to church and my god, she doesn't even want to get married in the church. I know that's all you because Holland would have never done that"

This was a lot about religion. I knew Holland's family was religious. Holland's believes in God and stuff, but she doesn't really do much with religion anymore. She was like that before she met me. And yes, she doesn't go to church anymore and obviously her family doesn't know the reason,

"One, she told me she was living here because she managed to secure a job. Two, I didn't force her into anything. I didn't force her to move in with me and I didn't force her to have sex with me. Those were her choices. I know your religious background and I was willing to wait and follow what you all believe for Holland. But Holland doesn't believe in those rules and she made her choices. I didn't make them for her" I spoke, "And no, Holland doesn't go to church anymore. Do you even know the true reason why?"

"Please enlighten me" Nikki rolled her eyes,

"Because she was sexually assaulted by the priest at your church" I spit out, then wanted to crawl in a hole for telling Holland's secret,

"No she wasn't. She made that up. She lied to you"

"No she didn't. You know that priest that recently got fired and sent to jail for sexual assault?" I asked and she nodded, "Yeah, one of those sexual assault charges was your sister"

Nikki didn't seem to believe me,

"Talk to your sister about it if you don't believe me. But I want you to know, I have never and will never never force your sister into doing something"

****

{ Holland }

I had barely pulled into the driveway when Ashton came running out of the house and jumped in my passenger seat,

"What's up?" I asked nervously,

"I accidentally told your sister about the incident with the priest back home" he spilt. My eyes widened but I slowly nodded,

"Can you give me some context?"

"I asked her what her problem with me was and she listed reasons. Most of them were about religion and you not going to church anymore. Then I spilt it while telling her I didn't force you into not going to church"

I nodded,

"I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to" he panicked,

"Ash, babe, relax. It's okay. I'm not mad at you" I assured. I really wasn't. I knew Nikki would know eventually,

"I-I just, it wasn't my place to tell and I did and I'm sorry" he rambled but I cut him off by kissing his lips,

"It's okay"

He sighed but nodded and we got out of the car and headed inside where it seemed as if my sister was waiting for me,

"Want to talk?" I asked. Nikki nodded and I led us to the back balcony where we took a seat on the outdoor couch Ashton and I had put out there,

"Did the priest really hurt you?" Nikki asked right away,

"He did" I sighed,

"When?"

"When I was getting ready to be a server at mass"

Nikki nodded,

"Is that really why you don't go to church anymore?" She asked,

"Yeah. I stopped going when I started college here. I just couldn't go back. It was too much" I explained, "Is the reason your so harsh to Ashton really because of religion? There's more to a person than just that. And Ashton may not be religious but he's overall the best person I've met"

"I just didn't like him because you changed when you met him. You were suddenly going out every night and having fun. You were sleeping over with him and having sex and shit.  I also didn't like seeing you so happy"

"I did start doing a lot of that. But, it was because I wanted to. I was also growing up and learning and seeing and doing new things. That's what happens when you're growing up and getting in big relationships"

Nikki nodded,

"I'm sorry" she whispered,

"It's okay" I assured, "Can you please try and be nice to Ashton? He really has never done anything wrong to you"

"I'll try" she nodded, "I'm sorry I was so mean to you and him. I just didn't like seeing you move away from everything we were taught"

"It's okay" I smiled, "Now that we kinda understand each other, we okay?"

Nikki nodded then spoke,

"Is the maid of honor spot still open?"

"Always for you"