Runaway - Ashton Irwin *completed*

thirty-two

"Taylor?" I woke up to Luke poking his head in my door. I sat up and rubbed my sore eyes.

He stepped into my room and brought me a cup of something and I took a sip and recognized it was tea. Chloe moved from her place sleeping at the foot of my bed to come lay in my lap and purred as she laid her head on my leg.

He sat on my bed with me and brushed my hair off of my face. "How are you feeling?"

"Not good." My heart sank as I remembered the events from the night before. I knew we were bound to have our first fight at some point but I never expected it to be as bad as this one. I cried the entire way home in the car and when I got out Luke had to hug me and rub my back for a few minutes before we could even get in the elevator. When we finally got inside I sat on the couch and cried even more. I couldn't remember the last time I cried that much in one night. I finally told Luke what happened and he helped me wash my makeup off in the bathroom and tucked me into my bed to sleep, where I was now sitting with Luke still not feeling great.

"He hasn't even tried to call me." I looked at my phone, which had nothing in the recents for missed calls or messages. He probably hated me, getting sick of all the times I'd just run away from my problems and not fix them. Didn't I just tell him a couple weeks ago that I wouldn't run away from him even if I wanted to?

But there was no getting around it. That's what I do. When things go wrong I run away. And I wouldn't be surprised if Ashton was done chasing me.

"Why don't you get up and take a shower?" Luke said, holding my hand as I stared at the blanket in front of me. "You'll feel better."

I nodded, though I knew it wouldn't help much. I didn't even realize how strong my feelings were for Ashton until I was pretty sure I ruined what meant most to me right now.

The water was practically scalding me because it was so hot. I got out and dried my hair, the shower finally washing off all my dried tears and smeared mascara from the night before. I did feel a little better, but not much.

I stepped out into the hallway in my sweats. I'm assuming Luke heard the door open and called me out into the living room.

"Luke, I'm sorry but I just really want to go back to bed." I rubbed my eyes as I walked in, then stopped and stood a bit shocked to see that Ashton was sitting on the couch.

"Taylor," he stood and approached me, and Luke left the room.

"Hi Ashton." I looked down from his intense gaze, afraid of what he might have to say.

"Please look at me," he said. "I don't want you to be afraid of me. I'd never want to hurt you."

I looked back up at him and he stared down at me and gently took my face in his hand. I let his thumb caress my cheek.

"I'm not afraid of you Ashton," I said. "I'm just afraid of losing you."

I sat down on the couch next to him and placed my hands in my lap, waiting for what he had to say.

"I'm so sorry about last night," he said. "I don't know what I was thinking. I was so angry that someone would try to take advantage of you when I left for less than 5 minutes and I guess you were just the easiest person to take it out on. You didn't deserve that, and I know that you were just trying to get away from him. I hurt you when you were already weak and I feel so horrible."

"Ashton, I'm sorry too," I said. "I shouldn't have ran away from you and I shouldn't have flinched at you. I was just so distraught and I didn't know, because you were scaring me the way you were yelling at me. I've never seen you angry before last night."

"And you should never be scared of me, even when I'm angry," he said. "I would never hit you. I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you."

"I know," I said. "I forgive you as long as you forgive me."

"Of course I forgive you. I would have ran away too," he said. "I'm so sorry."

I reached for his hand and he pulled me into his arms. I sighed in relief, so thankful I didn't lose him over something like this.

Luke walked into the room and sat down with us on the couch.

"And Luke, I'm sorry for ruining your night," Ashton said. "I know you're the one who always takes care of Taylor when she's upset."

"It's no big deal, really," Luke said. "I've been through worse."

"I want to take you both to breakfast to make up for it," Ashton said. "I was a total dick last night and I want to do something for you guys."

"It's okay, Ashton we don't have to go out--"

"I insist," he interrupted. "Go get dressed."

I stood from the couch without another word, knowing he wasn't going to take no for an answer. I brushed out my hair again and pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt with a sweatshirt. I went out into the living room again and put my shoes on, waiting for Luke to come back out.

Ashton walked up to me after I'd tied my shoes and wrapped his arms around me. "You know I really am sorry."

"I know, Ashton." I laid my head against his chest. "Can we try to forget about last night? I don't want it to drag us down anymore."

Ashton kissed my head as Luke entered the room finally, sitting down to put his shoes on.

"You really don't have to do this, Ashton, but I'm hungry and I am not the type to pass up a nice meal first thing in the morning," he said as he finished tying his second lace and stood up with us.

-

After going to iHop for pancakes and arguing on what we should do for the day, we ended up going to a trail a short ways away to go for a "nature walk." Luke was fine with third wheeling all day and I was having fun with the two of them, every last bit of tension from the night before seeming to dissolve more with every minute we all spent together.

Eventually we decided to head back home and I made lunch for Luke and Ashton before Ashton left to go back home and Luke and I sat on the couch watching TV.

"I'm glad that worked itself out," Luke said. "Ashton really is a good guy."

"He is." I leaned over on Luke as he flipped through the channels.

"I'm so glad you gave him a chance Taylor," he said. "You're a lot happier with him. Everyone can tell."

"I know," I said. "Even I can tell."

After a little bit, Luke slouched down further on the couch and decided on a movie that was playing on TV.

"Luke, can I tell you something?" I said.

"Yeah, of course you can," he said, looking up at me, still sitting up on the couch.

"I feel something really deep and strong for Ashton," I said. "and it honestly scares me a little bit. What if I think he's perfect for me and then it turns out he's not?"

"Don't we always take that risk in a relationship?" He said. "A lot of people feel that way when they start falling head over heels for someone."

I sat and let his words sink in. Was I head over heels for Ashton? Oh beyond the shadow of a doubt. I loved everything about him. His curly hair, his eyes, his slightly crooked smile, his nerdy laugh and his dorky ways. The way he holds himself to a high standard but is actually a big goofball. The way being in his arms made you feel like cuddling a giant teddy bear. The way he always showed me how he cared for me with everything he did, from his "text me when you get home" to the gentle touch he always had and the little kisses he would always plant on my forehead or my cheek. You're never bored with him because he always has something interesting to talk about that makes you wonder how his brain works. He was so intriguing and I was cast under a spell so powerful even the strongest voodoo witch to ever exist couldn't reverse it.

I was in love with Ashton Irwin.