The Tale of Your Ordinary Girl

Chapter 17- Luciana

~Four months later~

Jonathan and his girlfriend are so cute together. It's so adorable. But Jonathan and I don't really talk anymore. She's not a fan of how close the two of us are, so we don't hang out as much as I would like. I still see him on Sunday mornings and when we help on Friday nights with the kids. But aside from that, I never see him. Ashton's gotten better about being human. Not some kind of rebel idiot. I'm being forced to go out and be social. We'll see how it goes.

​"You never said anything about being late." Ashton tells me as I make my way to him in the midnight blue dress my mother picked out for me.

"I also never said anything about coming either." I point out.

"Fair point." Ashton agrees.

"Thought so." I joke with him feeling kinda awkward not sure what to do.

"I'm glad you did come." Ashton says smiling at me.

"We'll see how long it lasts." I tell him

"Lets," He challenges. We stand in a silence as everyone else goes about their own thing.

"What am I supposed to do?" I ask him.

"Why not try socializing." Ashton says.

"Anything more original?" I ask him, he knows how I feel about strangers.

"Dance with me." He says I wasn't sure if I'd heard him right.

"I'm sorry?" I ask him to get him to repeat what he'd said.

"I said, 'Dance with me.' We're at a dance, you might as well. I mean why not right?"

"I said I'd come. I never agreed to dance." I tell him backing away from him, "And I only agreed because my mother thought it would be good for me to get out of the house."

"She told you she'd ground you." Ashton concludes.

"Take away my books, but it's basically the same thing." I answer.

"We need to build you a social life." Ashton comes to another one of his famous conclusions.

"Excuse me, but I happen to like my social life." I argue he mumbles something under his breath, probably along the lines of 'What social life?'

"Because everyone is happy having three friends, or now I guess I should say two." Ouch, like I needed reminding that Jonathan and I can't hang out anymore. "One who gallivants across campus shimmering in the spotlight and glowing in the background." He retorts, ouch, that hurts, "I thought you were shy."

"I am," I answer, is this guy stupid? That's a dumb question, most guys are. But this one seems slower than the rest. "Being friends with Cassidy has it's downsides, but it's mostly good." I defend my friend, "Jonathan's stuck. And don't even get me started on you. You of all people."

"Me!" Ashton asks in surprise, "What did I do?"

"More than you think and less than you know."

"One dance. We'll discuss my bad behavior on the dance floor." Ashton bargains. He holds out his hand for me to take.

"Fine, but only this once," I sigh, "I'm not really up for staying in the spotlight."

"I know." Ashton says rolling his eyes, "Every time attention comes your way you duck out and behind something else."

"I didn't when your family came to dinner." I counter, "Surprised us all at that dinner."

I finally let him pull me onto the dance floor, only to stop when a familiar melody began to play. I try to pull back and head to the table we'd been standing by, Ashton stops me. He places both his hands on my waist leaving me no choice but to put mine around his neck and follow his lead.