Nicotine | Ashton Irwin ✔

3.6

Ara enjoyed spending time with Ashton. She enjoyed the time she spent at his house, with his siblings. She loved being around Anne. In some ways, the woman reminded her of her own mother. It was comforting.

Lauren loved having the company of an older girl and would often steal her away from Ashton. Not that Ara minded. She liked spending time with her. It was like having a younger sister. Ara's favourite thing to do was braid Lauren's hair. She used to braid her mother's hair all the time before she cut it. Lauren didn't care. She'd sit down and just talk with Ara.

Even Harry spent some quality time with Ara. They spent an entire afternoon watching Grey's Anatomy.

Ara would spend time with Anne in the kitchen, helping her cook meals. Ara had taken a liking to Anne, seeing her as another mother figure. They'd swap stories, mainly Ara telling her stories about Teddy. She'd promise to bring him around next time. And Liam if he wasn't working.

"My family seems to really like you." Ashton said one night. By this point, Ara had been with them for three days, Teddy calling ever other hour or so. Ara was set to go home tomorrow, four days before was to start up again. Ashton was going to miss her.

"I really like your family." She responded, leaning into him. He draped and arm over her waist.

"My mum especially. She adores you. A lot. Wants you to stay with us forever." Ara laughed.

"What can I say? I'm loveable."

"You are." He smiled.

"Now if only we could get your friends to like me."

"What are you talking about?"

"Michael, Calum, Luke . . . I don't think they like me.

"Not true." Ashton said. "Michael really likes you. He thinks you're funny."

"Yeah?" Ashton nodded.

"Heck, he's liked you since you commented on his hair."

"Oh. Well, that's reassuring. One down, two to go."

"Luke likes you to. But you scare him." Ashton explained.

"I scare him?!" She laughed, sitting up a bit.

"Yeah. He's scared of you. Remember when you hit Clint?"

"Yep. I hate his guts."

"Well ever since that day, he's been afraid of you. Thinks that if he does one wrong this you might sack him." Ashton snickered.

"I would never hit Luke. He's to precious." Ara said. "And Calum?" She asked.

"Cal's jealous." Ashton stated.

"Sounds like someone has a crush on you." She smirked.

"Not me," he scoffed, hitting her playfully. She laughed. "He's jealous because of how easily Sam let you in."

"He's mad because Sam and I are friends?" She asked.

"Yeah. Calum told us not to long ago that he's been crushing on her for years. But she's so shy, and she's always avoiding us. And whenever he says something, they always end up fighting. He gets frustrated."

"Wow."

"I know."

"Wait till I tell her. This is going to be great." Ara smiled.

"You can't. Calum would kill me."

"Oh it won't be bad. She likes him too." Ara said, sitting all the way up.

"Wait, really?"

"Yep. Why do you think she gets all quiet around you guys. She's shy."

"You know what we should do?" Ashton said, glancing at her.

"What?"

"Lock them in a room until they admit that they like each other."

"That's so mean!" She said, shoving him back onto the bed. She crawled on top. "We should totally do it." Ashton laughed.

"What would I do without you?" He asked.

"You seemed to be doing fine before I showed up." She said.

"Seriously though."

"You'd probably be dead." She stated. "Because you're stupid and reckless sometimes." Ashton just stared at her.

"I feel like there's more to this sentence." He laughed nervously.

"You're my stupid and reckless boy." She said, kissing him. "My idiotic, blonde, and fucking adorable boy."

"Do I get to say mean but playful things to you now?" He asked.

"If you want to die." She smiled sweetly.

"If you're face is the last thing I see then so be it." He remarked, looking at her.

"You're cheesy. Do the boys know about you're cheesy side?" She asked.

"No. I have to maintain my image." She scoffed.

"You have no image babe. Unless you just think that you're hot, because I don't think anything could break that image."

"Shut up."

"I'm being serious. Mother Nature did something good to you." She laughed.

"Ara," he whined.

"Ashton." She mocked.

"Why do you hate me?"

"I don't hate you, I love you. There's a difference."

"I love you to." He replied.

Ara fell back onto her own bed, staring blankly up at the ceiling. After spending so much time with her boyfriend, she found it strange being back home. She rolled over onto her stomach and shoved her face into her pillow, groaning.

"Wow, someone definitely missed me." Teddy leaned against the doorframe of her room.

"I did miss you, it's just- it's really quiet." She mumbled. "Ashton's house is so loud and all."

Teddy approached his sister, lying down next to her. "Quiet was never a good thing Ara." He explained softly.

"Yeah," she muttered. "I know. Did Ashton, uh, did he tell you about the car being outside his house?"

"He did," Teddy replied. "Why?"

"Did he tell you about the man?" Teddy propped himself up on his elbows.

"What man?"

"Someone got out of the car, and no, I didn't see his face. It was too dark. He was tall though."

"Fuck." He muttered.

"Did anything strange happen here while I was gone?"

"No." Teddy said. "Not that I know of. Kept all the doors and windows locked. Spent all my time in the house. Slept in the living room with a baseball bat. Liam thinks I'm fucking crazy."

"You haven't told him anything?"

"No, but I think he suspects something."

"How long do you think we can hide this?"

"I don't know Ara, I really don't. I thought all of this was behind us."

"Me too Teddy." She sighed, laid her head on the pillow. "Let's give it a week." She said. "If nothing happens, we'll leave it. Never speak of it again."

"And if . . . something does happen?" He asked nervously.

"Then we scream for help and pray someone answers us."