Ashton's PoV:
The sound of my phone buzzing in my pocket had me reaching for it quickly, sliding my thumb across the screen and reading over the text Carter had sent me.
'On my way to the animal shelter, Ender's going to freak out!'
I couldn't help the smile that crossed my face and began to reply.
'He's going to be so excited, you need to send me pics and videos!!!'
I typed back and slid my phone back in my pocket as I opened the door to the dressing room and plopped down on one of the black leather couches next to Calum.
Michael was across from me on the other sofa with his newly dyed black hair and Luke was next to him.
My phone dinged again signalling another text from Carter and I grabbed it quickly, grinning like a schoolboy at the selfie she sent me of her and a puppy.
"Oh my god stop being so happy it makes me want to throw up." Calum groaned next to me and I rolled my eyes before kicking his shin.
"Shut up."
"What's Carter up to?" Luke asked.
"She's picking out a puppy for Ender's birthday gift." I couldn't help but smile.
"That's nice, I'm going to assume you haven't told her yet." Michael said snidely and I rolled my eyes again, tossing my phone to the side, my good mood diminishing immediately. He didn't even try to evade the subject.
"No." I grumbled and ran a hand through my hair. "I don't know how to tell her."
"What do you mean you don't know how to tell her?" Calum asked, turning his attention toward me alongside Luke.
"I mean I can't just be like "Hey Carter what's up? Oh by the way I've been lying to you for the last four months."" I mocked my own self and sighed at the end.
"Well don't say it like that." Michael shrugged and I groaned.
"I feel like if I tell her now she's going to hate me."
"Well she's going to hate you even more if you don't tell her." Calum added.
"I mean I've just lied so much to her. She thinks I'm in freaking Sydney right now for gods sake." I gestured in a frustrated manner.
"Mate, you've gotta stop lying to her, it's only going to make it worse." Luke ran a hand through his hair and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees.
"I know, it makes me sick every time I have to tell her I'm somewhere I'm not, or I have to avoid a topic so she doesn't find out."
"What would really be the harm in telling her, I don't know why you didn't do it in the first place, we all told you to." Michael shifted, leaving into the conversation.
"Because when I met her we were supposed to be having a normal vacation where no one knew who we were and we didn't have to worry about people following us and I thought that keeping that part of my life a secret would be better." I tried to explain but listening to my pathetic excuses made me hate myself even more.
"And now you're scared that if you tell her she will hate you but if you don't tell her you'll hate yourself and eventually she'll find out and hate you still." Luke practically took the words from my mouth.
"Yes." I dropped my face into my hands.
"You love her don't you?" Calum said after a unusually quiet moment.
"Yes." I whispered again.
"Have you told her you love her?" He asked, his voice perceptive.
"No. It might be too soon for her, I don't want to freak her out." I moved my hands up to cradle my forehead.
"Do you think she loves you?" Michael asked next and my heart lurched forward in my chest, the thought making me ecstatic and terrified at the same time.
"I hope so." Was my only answer.
The room was silent from our voices which never happened but the sounds of some rock music was playing in the background.
"Why don't you do some like over the top romantic gesture, tell her you love her and tell her the truth at the same time and she'll forget about the lies and focus on the love part." Luke suggested and I almost laughed at his ridiculous idea.
"See Luke, that's why you don't have a girlfriend." Michael reached over and hit the back of Luke's head.
"I know I have to tell her, just let me find the right time." I decided and hoped the subject would drop because it was making me more depressed.
All I wanted to do was be back with Carter, holding her while watching some shitty movie on the television and kissing her every time Ender wasn't looking; or going out to dinner with them, watching her and Ender play fight as they walked down the sidewalk, giggling and laughing hysterically as one of them ran into a mailbox or got really dizzy.
My phone buzzed again beside me and my heart beat heavily when I saw a text notification from 'Halle Carter Chase' with a red heart and a sea shell emoji after her name.
If she saw her full name in my phone as my contact she would just roll her eyes at me since she liked being called Carter or Car but I loved her full name, just like I loved everything else about her.
I quickly looked at the message telling me that she had adopted a two year old Australian Shepard from the shelter and was on her way to surprise Ender.
I reminded her to send me videos even though I would rather be there myself but I had already taken too much time off and my manager was already annoyed with me about asking for more breaks.
Suddenly a call request appeared on my screen and so did my contact picture of Car, one of my favourites of her that I sneakily took the day she had a fever and was cuddled up to me on the sofa.
I had said something funny to distract her and she looked up at me while I balanced my phone on my upright knee and snapped the photo. Her hands had created little sweater paws on with the white sweater and her stormy eyes were gazing up at me while my hazel ones were looking lovingly into hers as I grinned.
I accepted the call and walked into the private bathroom so the boys weren't in my way.
"Hey, baby." I smiled into the receiver.
"Hi!" She giggled. "Did you get the picture?"
"Yes, he's so cute! What's his name?" I asked.
"I'm going to let Ender pick, I'm on my way to pick him up from school now and then go back to the shelter.
"Okay, well I want to see his face when he sees the dog." I laughed.
"Me too, he's going to be so happy and surprised." She sighed happily. "Okay well I just got to the school, so I'll send you the video."
"Alright! I'll FaceTime later tonight. I miss you." I said, wishing so desperately I could be there.
"I miss you too, talk to you later!" She hung up after that and I smiled, putting up my phone and walking back into the main room.
"Time for soundcheck, boys." A man came into the room wearing a black polo with a red lanyard around it that said 'Crew, Wembley Arena'.
I nodded, pushing back my hair and plastering a smile across my face, forcing myself to take my mind off my troubles, even if just for a little bit.
--
yayayayay
a lot was revealed in this short chapter but I feel like now you know a bit more from Ashton's perspective. I'll be doing s few more chapters sporadically throughout the rest of the story!
hope everyone enjoyed the chapter and don't forget to comment and vote!
much love and happy holidays! -m
YOU ARE READING
Haven Harbor • a.i. •
Fanfiction"Being in love with Carter was the most beautiful and horrible thing at the same time; because I knew if I told her I loved her, then I would have to tell her all of the secrets I had been hiding from her. That's why I was waiting to tell her, becau...
