Ash's Darling | ✔

Chapter 44

~Esther~

I went straight to my room after getting home from school the next day, not wanting to see my mother. I had stayed the night with Ash since he didn't want me going home but after almost all day of arguing with him between classes, I finally convinced him I would be fine to go home with Josie after school. He still didn't like my decision but he reluctantly let me go when I promised, again, that I would call him if anything happened.

Josie stayed downstairs in the living room while I went to my room, shutting the door behind me and throwing my books onto my desk. I picked up the book I was currently in the middle of and laid down on my bed, deciding to do my homework later.

I could only read the first sentence before Josie walked through my door and threw herself on my floor. "Our mother is downstairs acting like our family is perfectly fine and if I have to be near her any longer I'm going to throat punch her." She huffed out, throwing an arm over her eyes to cover them from the ceiling light in my room.

"So don't go downstairs," I noted. "got it." Josie let out a breathy laugh before flipping onto her stomach and facing me.

"Have you told Ash yet?"

I nodded. "I told him last night. He-" My phone buzzed in my lap and I looked down to see his contact name appear. "Speak of the devil."

I picked up the phone and unlocked it, reading his text message. 'I'm at my office, can you come? We need to talk.' The small smile that had previously been on my face, the smile that appeared any time he texted me, immediately fell as I expected the worst.

What if he wants to break up with me now that he realizes my family is too messy? Why else would he want to talk to me? Nobody words a text like that unless they're getting ready to break up with someone.

"Is everything okay, Es?" Josie asked, seeing the look on my face. She stood up and sat next to me on the bed when I moved over, giving her more room.

"I don't know." I showed her the text, still unsure what to make of it.

Josie read the text before looking back up at me, worry in her eyes. "I know what you're thinking but you should talk to him first, don't just assume." She tried to assure me. "I'm sure it's nothing bad."

I tore my eyes off the screen and looked back at Josie. "You can't read that and tell me that doesn't sound like he's about to break up with me." I pointed out. "He'd have good reason too. I'm too messy for him, he doesn't need all of this extra drama in his life, Jos."

She thought for a moment as if she was thinking something over. "Then prove me wrong." She shrugged. "Go to his office, talk to him and prove me wrong. I don't believe that he'll break up with you."

I knew what she was doing, she knew me almost as well as Indi and myself which meant she knew I wouldn't leave this bed unless she motivated me. One way to do that was to challenge me to prove her wrong. I'm not going to lie, it did work.

'I'll be there soon.' I responded, standing up from my bed and throwing on one of my jackets. I almost put on Ash's sweatshirt but after remembering why I'm going to see him, I decided against it. I'd feel awkward if he really was going to break up with me, meanwhile I'm standing in his sweatshirt.

I slipped my phone into the back pocket of my jeans, not trusting my sweatshirt pouch to hold it in before turning back to Josie. "Are you just going to stay in my room?" I asked after not seeing her move off my bed.

She lifted her head to look at me as she answered. "Yes. My room is boring and unless you want to find our mother on the kitchen floor when you come home, your room is the safest option for me.

I lightly laughed and shook my head while I walked out of my room and down the stairs. I ignored my mother's weak attempt of calling after me and walked out the door, not even looking back at her. I knew I was going to pay for that disrespect later but I didn't care, I needed to figure out what Ash wanted to talk about before I did anything else.

I quickly walked the short distance to Ash's building and went straight to his office, not stopping to say hello to the other guys like I normally did. I paused a moment before knocking on Ash's door and walking in after hearing a muffled 'come in'.

I opened the door and slowly stepped in, shutting the door behind me. I looked up at him as I played with my hands nervously. Ash looked back up at me and softly smiled but it dropped when he saw my face. "Come here." He spoke softly.

He turned his chair away from his desk and spread his legs for me to stand between while I walked over to him like he wanted. I studied his face worriedly, trying to find any signs that he wasn't happy with us and was about to end things. Pity, remorse, maybe even a little sadness. I saw none.

Ash softly grabbed my hands and held them in his as he looked back up at me. "Darling, what's wrong?"

I was puzzled at his question for a second and I just stared at him. Did he really expect me not to be sad? "You know why." My voice was so quiet I could barely hear it so I was surprised when Ash heard me.

"Is it your mom again?" His eyes flashed with anger when he spoke about my mother.

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion before I shook my head. "No, it's not her."

He looked back and I could see his confusion mirroring mine. "Then what's wrong, Mae? You have to tell me so I can fix it."

I sighed and decided to ignore his question. "What did you want to talk about?" He wasn't having it.

"No, Mae. I want an answer to my question first."

I knew he wouldn't give up and I didn't want to waste my energy arguing, I would need it all later when I cry my eyes out, so I gave in. "I'm literally here so you can break up with me, Ash. Did you really think I wouldn't be sad?"

I watched his face turn from concern to shock to denial in only a few seconds. He shook his head as he spoke up, still a little shocked. "What? Mae, no. Why would I ever break up with you?"

I furrowed my eyebrows as I processed his answer. "But your text- I thought you w- You said you wanted to talk." I stuttered out, not being able to form words with the relief now flooding my body.

He got out his phone and reread the text he sent me before a look of realization covered his face. "Mae." He breathed, pulling me down on his lap. "I'm sorry. That's not what I meant by that text. I was talking to Tim as I was texting you and I guess I wasn't paying attention to how I worded it." He explained.

"Are you sure?" I asked, wanting to make sure this wasn't something like he wanted to break up with me but then he felt bad so he backed out at the last second and came up with some stupid lie.

"Esther." He started and just by that name, my name, I knew he was serious. "I can't focus without you near me. I can't sleep with you next to me. I never stop thinking about you and I worry about you every time you leave my damn sight. Do you really think I would break up with you? I can't function correctly without you, Mae."

I leaned my forehead on his and we sat in silence for a few seconds, soaking in each other's company until I lifted my head off his and asked the question I still wanted an answer to. "If you don't want to break up then what did you want to talk about?"

He looked at me in silence for a while as he lifted his hand to cup the side of my face. It worried me that he wasn't speaking, he was just staring at me and holding my face gently as he seemed to be contemplating something. Until he spoke.

"I want you to move in with me."

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Author notes:

So, for those of you I haven't told already, I totally forgot that yesterday was Wednesday which is why there wasn't a chapter uploaded. To those of you who messaged me to make sure I was alright, I promise I'm good I just have a horrible memory some days haha. Thank you all for your concern, I love you guys.

Also, sorry about the relatively short chapter, I just wanted to give y'all a little cliffhanger. <3

xoxo ~ Alex