Just A Friend?

[56]: Finally Found What I've Been Looking For

I was speechless.

As soon as I switched the lights on, all of Ash's back garden lit up with hundreds and hundreds of fairy lights. They were all strung up in the trees, wrapped around the decking and on the fences. And there at the bottom of his garden was a tent, covered in fairy lights wedged between two of the trees.

Then I saw Ash walking towards me with a huge grin on his face. "Hey."

"Hey. What is all this?" I ask as he reaches me, snaking his arms around my waist as mine wrap around his neck.

"Just thought I'd do something different and a little bit special for our first date. What you think?"

"I loved it, thank you. It was so much fun." I reply, then stand on my tip toes and kiss him. I can't describe the feeling that overcame my body at this moment; I'm so happy and so in love.

"It's not over yet." He smiles linking his fingers through mine and walking me down the decking steps and onto the grass.

"What's brought all this on?" I ask, "Not that I'm complaining one bit."

"I just figured you deserved something more from me than going out for dinner and a movie after everything we've been through this last couple of months." He says stopping in front of the tent. "I'm sorry it took me so long to realise that I had feelings for you Lou. I was confusing them with...well with my protectiveness of you and being your best friend. Never in a million years did I ever think you'd like me like this but I guess you do huh." He says and I nod, a huge happy smile taking over my face.

Oh he had no idea.

"Oh I definitely like you Ash." I reply softly. My heart going ten to the dozen under my ribs.

"Well I'm sorry it took me so long to realise that it meant more and I'm so sorry that I've hurt you with some of my actions lately." He whispers. "But you need to know I'm so into you and I really want this to work between us. I'm so scared that I'm going to do something stupid and ruin us. I really really like you Lou."

I could feel a tear slide down my cheek as I looked up at him. "You have no idea how strong my feelings are for you Ash." I reply to him. "And as for everything that's happened lately, it's all okay now. Everything we've been through has brought us to this moment right here, and I wouldn't take any of this back for the world. You make me so happy Ash and I'm so glad that we're finally together. This just feels right."

"Yea it does." He replies staring down at me, before flashing me one of his heart stoppingly gorgeous rare smiles.

His hands grip my cheeks as his lips meet mine once again. My arms wrap under his armpits and attach themselves to his shoulders as our kiss begins to deepen. He pulls away before kissing my nose gently.

"Go make yourself comfy, I'm gona go see if the pizza's here." He smiles before walking back inside.

I turn and make my way into the tent. Looks like we're going to be comfy tonight, he'd brought a mattress for us to sleep on in here. The floor was covered in a huge quilt, loads of pillows and blankets. I slipped my boots off leaving them by the door entrance before climbing under all the blankets and quilt, I could see Ash's laptop resting against the side of the tent next to the pouches that you can place stuff in. I was about to check what he'd brought in with him when Ash ducked into the tent.

"Hey you, no peaking." He grinned plonking himself down next to me holding our food.

"I'm just being nosy." I chuckle as he sorts himself out.

He quickly pulls his shoes off leaving them next to mine and passes me the food so that he can slip under the blankets with me. Ash turns on his laptop and puts on Friends for us to watch whilst we eat. It just happened to be one of my favourite episodes, VEGAS!