Apartment No.4

Part 9: Just Friends?

Hello everyone! Another chapter for you all! I hope you're enjoying! I certainly am :)

Thank you so much to @ivythestarr for the wonderful cover!

"This isn't my fault!" I yelled above the roar of the engine.

"Well it's not mine!" Mason shouted through his helmet.

"You were the one who got us kicked out!"

After Mason had bashed the guy, security came in and escorted everyone. I'd managed to give Mel a quick hug before Mason dragged me off to his motorbike and forced me to get on despite my protests.

His back and shoulders were so tense you could break a brick.

"I was defending you!"

"I didn't ask you to!"

We drove the rest of the way, weaving in and out of traffic, in silence. I wanted him to concentrate and hopefully get us back in one piece so I figured not talking would be the most likely chance of that happening.

When we made it through the door, he threw his keys onto the counter and shrugged out of his leather jacket. He examined his hand. It was red and slowly becoming a purple around the knuckles.

"You didn't have to punch him." I said.

"Okay, next time some douche is insulting you and making cracks about you, I'll just let it pass." He waved is other hand in the air dismissing his words sarcastically, scrunching his nose in frustration.

"I'm not saying I'm not thankful-"

"It sure sounds like it."

"Well I'm not. Now you're being a douche." I groaned, running my hand through my hair.

"Well sor-ry for wanting to defend you, cause you were doing nothing while those guys were talking shit about you." His gaze was heated and he was breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

"Having you there was enough, I don't think they would've actually done anything cause you were there." I emphasised. I too was getting angry, staring him down as he did the same to me.

"Well what do you want me to do, Ashley? Pretend to be your boyfriend but not stick up for you when a dick calls you a slut? Really, Ash? Really?"

"I never asked you to! Why are you being so sensitive!?"

"I'm not being sensitive! I was just trying to be a good friend!" His voice had raised and he was all but screaming at me, as his wands wove through his hair, tugging at the roots.

"Then talk to me like you're my friend! Don't treat me like a child! You think that's the first time a guy has made remarks about me? Every girl has to deal with it!"

His fists were balled at his side and after a moment of silence I sighed heavily before walking over to him and lifting his hand to examine his knuckles. I pulled him by the arm to the kitchen and he resisted before giving in and following me through.

He sat on the counter while I bent down to get frozen peas from the freezer. I wrapped the bag of peas in a cloth and placed his hand in my palm, pressing the peas onto it.

He hissed as the cold touched his bruised skin and his hand squeezed mine slightly.

"Thank you." I said softly, my attention on his hand. I could feel his eyes burning into the top of my head as I lifted the cloth to look at his now slightly swollen knuckles.

"Well, you know," he scratched the back of his neck. "I only did it for you... not for me obviously." He joked, looking pointedly at his hand.

"I still think you didn't need to punch him." I muttered, replacing the peas.

"But then you wouldn't be able to play nurse." He winked causing me to laugh.

"Something tells me that this won't be the last time." I said, still holding his hand but looking up into his eyes.

"I hope it won't." He whispered in a husky voice, leaning in the lifting my chin with his free hand to gently press his lips to mine.

I was shocked at first but I eventuallymelted into his touch, moving the cloth to the counter and reaching up to tangle my hands into his hair as I stood between his legs. His hand moved cup my jaw while the injured hand wrapped around my waist pulling me closer as he ran his tongue over my bottom lip asking for entrance.

He moaned as I opened my mouth and his tongue danced with mine as he pulled me impossibly closer, tilting my neck to he side before running his lips down my neck hungrily, sucking the skin and no doubt leaving a mark.

I groaned as he nibbled on the skin at my neck before tugging his hair and returning him to my lips.

We pulled away and he rested his forehead against mine as we both returned our breathing back to normal.

"This has been a very eventful day." He sighed and I giggled, leaning back to get the peas to ice his hand again.

"Look, I think your hand is fine considering what you were just doing." I smirked at him and he looked sheepish.

We relocated to the living room where we put on a movie and tried to keep our glances at each other unnoticed.
Eventually we switched off the Tv and spent the rest of the night talking.

It wasn't until I felt the sun touch my closed eyes that I realised I'd fallen asleep. Only now, instead of being curled up on the couch, I was tucked in bed still in yesterday's clothes.

I stretched and smiled after remembering what had happened last night. I got up and changed into fresh clothes walking out into the living room, peering into Masons room to see his door open and bed empty.

I strolled into the kitchen and found Mason standing at the sink shirtless just staring outside through the window at the morning sun. I smiled to myself and walked up behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist. He surprised me by tensing.

"Morning." I said cheerily.

"Morning." He replied, tapping my hands so I would let go and he walked into the living room.

I padded behind him a little confused, watching him as he lowered onto the couch and turned the Tv on.

"Mason?"

"Yeah?" He didn't look at me, but kept flicking through the channels.

"You okay?" I asked, staying about ten feet away.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" He asked, turning his attention to me, his brows furrowed.

"Well, I just though that, you know, after last night-"

"What, us kissing?" He asked, turning his attention back to the Tv.

"Well, yeah." I said slowly, looking at him cautiously. For a moment I thought he'd forgotten.

"It was just a kiss, Ash. No big deal." He said, shrugging his shoulders. I was taken aback, just a kiss? Surely he'd thought more of it than just a kiss.

"Just a kiss?" I repeated, feeling a part of me shrinking in embarrassment and shame.

"Yeah just a kiss. It meant nothing." He continued, not looking at me.

"It meant nothing?" I repeated, sounding stupid.

"Yeah, Ash. Do you need me to spell it out?" He asked chuckling. I straightened and made a B-lineto my room to gather my school books.

"No, I'm perfectly fine. Thanks." I spat and left the apartment. Jogging to my car in the garage and driving to the library.

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