Serendipitу || afi

23 | Frustration

I let out a frustrated groan, throwing the sundress I just tried on into a eater fast growing pile on my bedroom floor. How come I always had nice clothes until I really needed it?

The events with Ashton from yesterday played back in my mind over and over again, like a broken record on repeat.

"I have a girlfriend anyways."

"Wait...a girlfriend?" I looked up with a puzzled expression. Ashton had to be kidding, he couldn't drop me that easily.

Ashton looked at me with a smirk, "Yeah. Courtney Wild. I think I told you about how we became friends when we first met. Well, now we're dating."

My stomach dropped. Courtney Wild? She was kind, put together, outgoing, and ultimately gorgeous- everything I was not. Why would Ashton want me back if he had her?

"But hey, I was wondering if you're free tomorrow?" Ashton broke me out of my thoughts and I looked over, surprised.

"Yeah, why?" I asked.

"Well my parents are out, and Im having Courtney over to have dinner, but since we're cool again I was wondering if you wanted to bring Luke in kind of like a double date?"

I shrugged, nodding, knowing there was no other option to take other than just saying yes, "Sure, but Luke and I aren't dating-"

"Then like a date and friends with benefits." Ashton chuckled at the term he used for Luke and I.

"That's not it either-"

"Whatever it is. Don't worry, it'll be fun." By the way Ashton was grinning, I knew it wasn't. He was going to try to make me as jealous as possible, just to amuse himself, and I basically just walked into an open fire.

~

So here I was, ten minutes before Ashton was going to pick me up to go to his house, clueless with what I was going to wear.

Ashton said it was a double date, so I probably had to dress fancy, but since it was at his house, maybe not too fancy? On the other hand, Ashton's house was very fancy so maybe I did have to dress nice?

Sighing, I decided on a white blouse and a high waisted black leather skater skirt. I walked over to the mirror and studied how I looked closely. With my hair curled and a ring set on my hand, I didn't look too bad. I hoped Ashton would like it.

Checking my phone, I realized Ashton would be here any minute, so I quickly slipped on my black boots. Immediately after I finished tying my second shoe, the doorbell rang loudly.

"Mother, I'm going to my photography partner's house!" I yelled, running down my stairs to the door.

"Okay hunny, have fun!" My mom called back, probably not even hearing a word I said. My mom cares about me, but she trusted me a little too much. I could say I was going to a party with alcohol in the middle of the night and she wouldn't second guess it. I'm not completely sure what it had to do with, but it all started when I spent 2 years begging my mother to let me hang out with Luke again, and eventually she did. Maybe that was the time she realized that at one point she had to let me go do my own thing.

I opened the door, revealing Ashton with a grin on his lips. He took a moment as I watched his eyes drag slowly up my body to my eyes, "You look nice."

"Thanks," I chuckled, biting my lip. I shut the door behind me and Ashton led me to his truck. "Oh, and thanks for picking me up as well." I said as I slipped into the passengers seat I had sat a few times before.

"It's no problem, really," he smirked, his tongue flicking over his lips. He started the car and started driving. "So you got Luke to come?"

I nodded, "He said he was going to be a little late though, something about a doctor's appointment?" Ashton hummed in response and I heard his fingers drum on the steering wheel.
"Hows your girlfriend getting here?"

"She wanted to walk, her house is about a block away from mine." He stated simply. He did say anything else, just continued drumming. I tried to take my eyes off of him to not come off as creepy, but I just couldn't help it.

His features encapsulated me. His golden locks fell perfectly around his face, giving a soft mix to the calming hazel of his eyes. I let out a small sigh at the sight. Unfortunately, I must have been too loud because Ashton looked over at me immediately after. I reverted my eyes to my lap, but I saw a smirk on Ashton's face out of the corner of my eye.

I didn't know what to say, but it was perfect timing because Ashton pulled into his drive way not a moment later.

"Casey should be over in a little bit, and I assume Luke should be too, so for now do you wanna help me finish cooking?" Ashton looked over at me casually.

I nodded, but frowned in confusion, "You cook?"

A small grin slid onto Ashton's face, "Sometimes." His eyes bore into mine and I was beginning to wish he gave me a break or at least some time to breathe before I became insane.

"I can help, but I'm not very good at cooking." I chuckled, looking at my hands folded in my lap.

"I'm sure you're better than you think, Leah. Come on." He hopped out of the car and helped me out, leading us into his house. It still never failed to amaze me, even though I've already seen it a couple times.

The house smelled amazing, so I assumed Ashton had been cooking this meal for awhile. "What are you making?" I asked finally as we walked into the kitchen and he quickly walked to the stove.

"Coconut chicken curry." He replied, opening the pot and stirring slowly.

"It smells amazing." I smiled, leaning against the counter. Ashton closed the pot and turned around, grinning.

"It'll taste amazing too." Our eyes locked and he bit his lip softly. He walked over to me, placing his hands on the counter on either side of me.
I want to kiss you so bad right now.

"You want to kiss me?" Ashton smirked, our faces so close our noses almost touching. My stomach dropped.

"Did I say that out loud?"

"You did." Ashton chuckled, his eyes squinting in the way I missed so much, so close to me, "But I would have known it anyway."

"Do you want to kiss me?"

"I can't."

"I didn't ask if you could. I asked if you wanted to."

Ashton didn't reply, only leaned in closer. Right as his lips barely ghosted over mine, the door bell broke rang out through the house, breaking us apart.