Nicotine | Ashton Irwin ✔

3.3

Ara was sound asleep, comfy in her bed, when she heard her bedroom door open and close rather loudly, before someone proceeded to jump on her bed. "Ara! Get your lazy ass out of bed!" Teddy shouted.

"Fuck off." She groaned, rolling over onto her stomach.

"But it's Christmas!" Teddy gasped. "You're so getting coal this year."

"I will turn you into a lump of coal of you don't get the fuck out of my room." She threatened.

"Sure." Ara sat up and grabbed Teddy's leg quicker than you could say ABC and pulled him close.

"Wanna bet?" She growled.

"Someone's grumpy." He said in a singsong voice.

"I will murder you."

"Okay! I'm going! But don't take too long. Because presents Ara," he said, leaving her room.

"Suck a fucking child." She mumbled.

Ara dressed in a comfy sweater and some sweats before heading downstairs. Teddy was sprawled out on the couch, and seated next to him was none other than,

"Sam!" Ara smiled as she spotted her purple haired friend sitting on the ground.

"Well hello to you to." Sam giggled. She bounded down the rest of the stairs and gave her a hug.

"What are you doing here? Not that I don't appreciate your company or anything." Ara said.

"Teddy invited me." She replied.

"Good. That means I don't have to wait till we go back to school to give you your present." Ara smiled.

"You actually bought me something?" Sam asked, surprised.

"Yes." She replied. "I even bought for Mikey, Luke and Calum. Mike was easy. Video games and hair dye. Ashton helped with Luke and Calum."

"Just get Calum a beanie. He's obsessed." Sam sighed.

"Wow."

"I know."

"Okay, this one . . . is for you," Ara said, handing Sam a medium sized package wrapped in colourful paper.

"Thank you." She took the gift and began tearing off the paper, struggling a bit. Teddy laughed. "Shut up Theodora."

"Hey!"

"Good one," Ara laughed, high fiving her.

"Oh my god!" Sam stared down at the books in her hand. "Where did you find these?"

"Way back in the back of a book store."

"Thanks. These are great." Sam replied. She leaned over and gave Ara a hug.

"No problem darling."

"What are they?" Teddy asked, peering over Sam's shoulder.

"Poetry books." She explained. "By hella good authors."

After pigging out on food, binge watching Christmas films and lying around, Ara had one more gift for Sam. She dragged the girl upstairs and into the bathroom. "Okay, what are we doing?" Sam asked.

"A little birdie may have told me that Calum's favourite colour was a dark red so," Ara gestured to the hair dye on the counter. "We're going to dye your hair." Sam laughed.

"Seriously?"

"Yes. So go change." She tossed a pair of old clothes her way.

"Yes ma'am."

When Sam had returned, Ara had set everything up. She made Sam sit in a chair, and she began applying the dye to her hair. "You know, I'll miss the purple." Ara said.

"This was your idea." She countered.

"Yes, and it's for your benefit, but I will miss it."

"Oh hush." Sam bit her lip. "Do you think it will work?" She asked. "Dying my hair this colour?"

"Who knows." Ara said. "Maybe it will, maybe it won't, but one thing we do know."

"What's that?"

"You're going to look great."

Teddy carefully wrapped the clean bandaged around Ara's arm later that evening. The wound looked unaffected for the most part and she had no serious pain in her arm. Thankfully, the bleeding had finally stopped too.

Ara gave herself a once over in the mirror. She wore a pair of high waisted jeans and a plain black tank top. Ashton told her she didn't have to dress formal for the night, so she opted for casual but not as comfy as she'd like. "You look beautiful." Teddy said from his spot on her bed. "Like mum." Ara turned around and opened her arms. He smiled, standing and hugging her.

"I miss her."

"I know you do." He whispered. "But we'll go see her tomorrow."

"Is it okay if Ashton joins?" She asked. "He asked me about it at one point."

"Yeah, why not." Teddy replied. The doorbell rang signalling Ashton's arrival. "Here. So that you don't get cold." Teddy passed her an old, burgundy university sweater. She smiled softly.

"Thanks Teddy."

"Go on now. Have fun."

"I will. Bye!"

Ashton held her hand as they walked down the street. He couldn't help but love the way her hand fit in his. Like they were made for each other, as cliché as it sounded. He leaned into her a bit, kissing her forehead. She laughed. "I like your sweater." He said, looking at it. He watched as her expression changed to a soft smile, but he could see the sadness behind it.

"It was my mother's. She used to wear it all the time. I used to wear it when I was sick. So that I always felt like I was being hugged by my mother no matter where she was."

"That's sweet." He replied. Ara laughed. "I mean it. I- I'm not the best at expressing emotion, but it's sweet, how you view it like that. It's like always having a part of her present with you."

"You surprise me everyday Ashton." She said, looking at him. She stopped walking, and just wrapped her arms around his waist, breathing in his scent. He wrapped his arms around her neck, holding her gently.

"How so?" He asked.

"I don't know, you just do. Don't ever change Ashton. Please." She whispered the last part. He cupped her face and leaned down to kiss her softly.

"I promise." He mumbled against her lips, kissing her again, a little harder this time.

"Good." She replied with a smile. She placed a delicate kiss to his nose, and then kissed him. "I love you." She said, quietly, as if they were in a crowd and she only wanted him to hear.

"I love you to Princess." He replied. "So so much."