On The Line (Ashton Irwin)

Chapter 7- Then

Chapter 7- Then

-Madison's POV-

Of all the places I could've used to get ready for homecoming, I never pictured I would've gone here..

Yep, I went to Ashton's.

I mean, my parents were working all day, and his mum offered to do my hair for me, so I said why not? I came over earlier this morning, and here I sat now, Mrs. Irwin curling my dark hair so it fell around my shoulders, while at the same time she was teaching Lauren how to curl hair.

"Maddy, you're so pretty," Lauren said, smiling up at me from her spot as she sat cross-legged on the floor.

"Aw, thanks Lauren." I told the younger girl. "I think you're pretty too."

"Thanks!" she giggled.

"Alright Maddy, we're almost done," Mrs. Irwin said.

"Thanks, Mrs. Irwin." I told her as she curled the last strand of hair and I stood up, smiling at her.

"Maddy, we've been over this," she smiled. "Please, just call me Anne,"

"Alright," I said, still smiling.

"Okay," she said, setting down the curling iron. "Next up, Maddy, let's do your makeup, and then we'll get your dress on and you'll be all set."

"Can I come out yet?" Ashton called from behind the closed door in his room upstairs.

"No Ash!" Lauren yelled to him. "We're not ready yet!"

Lauren and Anne refused to let Ashton see me until I was ready, and I wasn't allowed to see him, so while he was upstairs in his room getting ready with Harry, I was down here getting ready with Lauren and Anne.

"When will you be ready?" he yelled. "I'm hungry!"

"Lauren, dear, go run a snack up to your brother will you?" Anne asked, and Lauren nodded, getting up and running into the kitchen.

"So, makeup?" she asked me, and proceeded to do my eye makeup as silver eyeshadow along with mascara and eyeliner. For the rest of my makeup it was simple; just foundation with a bit of blush.

"There we go," she said. "Now why don't you go get your dress on, and then we'll call Ashton down in time for us to get pictures and you two to go get something to eat before the dance."

I nodded, running into the bathroom as Anne called Ashton downstairs. Grabbing my dress from where it hung from a rack, and I pulled it on, careful not to smudge my makeup or ruin my hair.

It was strange, really. Before this, I'd never really cared much about my appearance, just wore whatever I liked and what felt comfortable, but now dressing up today felt like one of the most important things in the world to me.

Was it Ashton? My best friend, who's brightened up every day ever since I'd met him. Was I maybe becoming... attracted to him?

"Hey Mad, you ready?" Ashton asked from outside the bathroom door, and I looked at the wooden door for a second before going back to my reflection in the mirror.

"Y-yeah Ash, I'm ready." I said, opening up the bathroom door to see him standing there in a black shirt and pants, his smile growing once he saw me. "Please don't laugh."

"Why would I laugh?" he asked, frowning slightly.

"Because I don't look.. you know... me?" I asked.

He shrugged. "You look beautiful, Maddy."

"Thanks," I smiled nervously.

"Alright guys, pictures!" Anne exclaimed, holding up her camera.

"Coming Mum," Ashton said, and I trailed after him towards the fireplace, where we stood, Ashton shrugging an arm around my shoulders as we smiled for the picture.

After several pictures of me and Ashton, Ashton and his siblings, Ashton and his mother, and me with them as well, before Anne had us leave so Ashton and I would have time to eat beforehand.

"So, you never said how I look," Ashton said as we walked.

"I think you look very handsome." I told him.

"So, on a scale of one to starving, how hungry are you?" Ash asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know, maybe a two?"

"Then what do you say we skip dinner and instead go for banana milkshakes?" he proposed, giving me a cheeky little grin.

"Sure," I said, shrugging. "Why not?"

****

"Alright everybody, grab a partner. We're going to slow things down a bit." the DJ said as he put on the song Fall For You by Secondhand Serenade.

"I love this song," I smiled, looking at Ashton.

"Wanna dance?" he asked.

"Sure," I said, taking his hand as we walked towards the dance floor, him wrapping his arms around my waist and me wrapping mine around his neck.

"People are staring,"  I whispered, looking around at everyone watching Ashton and I dancing.

"Yeah, but after all this time you get used to it." he said, shrugging, and said, "So I can't go to homecoming with my best friend?"

"Would you have gone otherwise?" I asked him, and he shrugged again.

"Probably not," he said.

"Exactly," I told him.

"Do you wanna get out of here?" he asked, "Grab some coffee and rent a movie, just hang out?"

"Ash, we've been here a total of ten minutes." I pointed out.

"So?" he asked. "Come on, we'll make a mad dash for it."

After a seconds, I nodded, him releasing me and grabbing my hand in his, pulling me out of the gym, and then the school building.

****    

  "Isn't this better than homecoming?" Ashton asked, hitting play on the remote so the opening credits to Clash of the Titans started.

"I will admit, it probably is." I said, taking a sip of the iced coffee in my hand.

We were still dressed up for homecoming, Ashton in his shirt and pants and me still in my dress, but I didn't mind. We sat on the couch, his arm around my shoulders and my head on his shoulder as we watched the movie, and though it was still early, I started to drift off, the sounds of swords clanking on the TV and Ashton's breathing the only audible sound.

****

"Ashton?" I asked groggily, poking him to wake up. "Ash, wake up."

"What time is it?" he asked, and I grabbed my phone from its spot on the couch next to us, checking the time.

"Past one in the morning," I told him. "I should get going, my parents are going to kill me."

"Just stay here," he said, standing up and stretching. "And go home in the morning. You can borrow a shirt and shorts from me, and we'll be fine."

"Alright," I sighed, standing up. "I'll just, um, sleep on the couch then."

"No, come with me." he said, and I trailed after him towards his room. "You're my best friend, you can stay in here with me. I don't bite!"

"Alright," I said as he pulled a gray New South Wales t-shirt and a black pair of basketball shorts out of his dresser, handing them to me.

"Turn around," I instructed, and he did so as I changed quickly, and then retreated to the bathroom to remove my makeup.

When I came back, Ashton was in a red pair of basketball shorts, his chest bare. He was laying down on his bed, and patted next to him for me to join him.

And now I know that with my previous questions, my answer's revealed. I am falling for Ashton.