Joyride

Chapter Seventeen

My entire body relaxes when I see Ashton and the questioning look on his face. Stephanie shoots a glare over her shoulder at Ashton before rolling her eyes with utter disdain.

'Why are you here again?' she spits. 'You know you don't have to be friends with Billie just to be nice.'

The girls giggle.

'Is that what you're doing?' Ashton's eyes cloud over, dark, as he glares down at Stephanie. 'Being friends with Billie just to be... nice?'

Stephanie's nostrils flare and she waves her hand. 'Whatever.'

'Come on,' Ashton nods at me. 'I need to talk to you.'

'Wha— Ashton, what's going on?' I stumble to my feet and follow close behind as Ashton leads us away. Sparing a glance over my shoulder, Stephanie pouts, her arms crossed. The table looks dead silent now, devoid of any of the animus glee they had earlier been consumed by.

Ashton doesn't say anything, just leads me down a narrow walkway between two buildings out of sight from any other students or teachers. He halts to a stop so abruptly I almost run into him.

'What's going on?' he asks, still facing away.

'What are you talking about?' I'm playing dumb.

Ashton shoots a glare over his shoulder at me. My stomach clenches. I've never seen Ashton angry before. His warm brown eyes are usually light and open, but now they're piercing and dark.

'My pride is wounded,' he crosses his arms and turns to face me.

'Wounded?' I stifle a laugh.

'I told you to sit with us today. With me. Yet you seem to prefer Stephanie's company over mine.'

I bite my lip. Stephanie's comments and jabs have grown in their ferocity lately, and I'd almost considered sitting in the bathroom for the rest of lunch.

'She treats you like shit!' he exclaims, throwing his hands up. My fingers find the hem of my school shirt.

'She– she's not always like that—'

'Bullshit,' Ashton interrupts, his jaw tight. My eyes widen. After a tense moment, his face softens.

'Please just... stop sitting with her.' his eyeline drops, watching my fidgeting hands.

'...why?' my voice drops to a whisper. His eyes flash dark again, and he reaches out, grabbing my hands and pulling them towards him. My heart races, his warm hands feeling fiery against my cold skin.

Ashton takes a step towards me, and I shuffle backwards, into the brick wall behind me. He releases my hands, but then slaps them against the wall on either side of me. Stephanie's linen cupboard flashes across my mind, Ashton towering over me, the proximity of our bodies... a blush creeps up my neck and across my face.

'I can't watch her talk to you like that. Not for another minute.' he leans in close and I freeze, my stomach twisting in knots.

'We'll treat you good,' he murmurs. 'Just promise me you won't go back to them.'

My heart stumbles in my chest, pounding erratically. Ashton's breath warms my ear, sending a shudder through my chest.

'Promise. Me,' he grounds out, pulling back. His eyes are dark again and I look away, unable to meet his raw gaze.

'Billie, please,' his voice grows hoarse, and I finally glance back up at him to see a raw, tender expression on his face, contorted in agony.

'...okay, fine,' I mumble, breathless.

He heaves a sigh of relief and drops his head onto my shoulder.

'Um... Ashton?'

'Don't move.' His arms drop from the wall to grip my forearms.

'Ashton!'

'Just a little longer,' he sighs, squeezing my arms.

'Someone could walk through here at any moment!'

With noticeable restraint and reluctance, Ashton draws back, sighing and releasing my arms and straightening up.

'Sorry,' he mumbles. His eyes are downcast, and his hands now shoved into his pockets as if attempting to physically restrain himself. 'I just—'

'Ashton!'

We both turn our heads and spot Melody and Tiffany standing at the end of the narrow walkway.

'And Billie!' Melody exclaims, hurrying towards us, Tiffany close behind her.

My face returns the glee Melody sends me, and she launches into a deep discussion on an essay I helped her write. Before I've even realised it, the girls lead me over to their usual table out in the fields. I spare a glance back at Ashton, following along, but he doesn't meet my eyes, choosing to feign interest in the basketball games across the courtyard.

⦓✦⦔

I end up sitting with Ashton and his friends for the next few days. To their credit, they accept me into the group easily. I surprise myself with how much I enjoy being around them. After sitting with Stephanie and her scathing remarks for so long, I'd grown antisocial and usually withdrew when I was forced to talk to others. But after only a few days here, I catch myself raising my voice and talking over the others just to be heard.

After a handful of days, I'm on my way back from the bathroom when I cross paths with Melody and Tiffany in a deep discussion.

'But didn't you see what they were doing? They were so close.'

My heart lurches and I take a sharp turn into the nearest classroom, holding my breath as they both walk past. I don't want to eavesdrop on their conversation, but I can still hear it from inside the classroom.

'Their faces were so close,' Tiffany drawls.

'He must've been able to smell her garlic breath,' Melody cackles, and they both launch into giggles.

My face flushes hot. There's no doubt in my mind that they're talking about me and Ashton, pressed against each other in the walkway they other day, before they ran into us. My eyes squeeze shut in disappointment and I squat down, curling into a ball of anxiety. I haven't anticipated Melody and Tiffany to be anything like Stephanie. I've honestly found them to be different. Kind, even. This is my own fault for getting my hopes up and letting my guard down. Growing comfortable. Their voices now long gone, I peek out of the classroom, double checking they're gone, before relaxing and melting onto the floor.

It's far too late for me to return to Stephanie. But I know now that I'll have to put up a wall to keep my distance from Melody and Tiffany. And probably the rest of the group too. I have to protect myself, and be careful. Mum's wedding invitation flashes through my mind again. Very careful.