The Chase ▹ Ashton Irwin

CHAPTER NINETY TWO

AN: so even though I should be a little bit better with California because I live in this state, I don't think I described some of the places accurately. My mistake! If anything is wrong please let me know :)

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"Again!" Ashton cheered.

"We've played it over eight times!" I laughed, leaning back in my seat.

"I know," Ashton said, looking over to me. "But I'm just so good at making mix tapes!" The late afternoon sun flashed through the window, casting a firey glow over us as we pulled off the freeway. We've been driving for maybe about 5 hours, replaying Ashton's road trip mix over and over again. To sum this afternoon up, it would be as follows: speeding down the freeway, blasting good music, talking and laughing on and on about the stupidest things, spending a full 45 minutes in a random Jack n the Box, and stopping maybe 10 times because Ashton had to pee.

As we pulled off the freeway, I couldn't help the feeling of nostalgia that came over me. We drove west, towards a familiar little coastal town.

"Where the hell are we, even?" Ashton asked.

"This," I said, looking out the window at the upcoming shops and cafe's. "Is Orange County."

"Orange County-" Ashton said, but his words were stopped when a look of realization as plastered onto his face. He looked over to me, a huge smile on his face. "Oh this is where you used to live!"

I nodded, followed by a laugh. "Exactly," I said. "Now. Keep going West until I tell you where to go next."

"Why?" He asked.

"Because it's a suprise." I winked at him, my lips still curled into a grin.

"Well alrighty," Ashton shrugged; his dimples have been on his cheeks for this whole time. As we kept driving down the little streets, it felt weird. I can remember so many times when my friends and I would come down here and just hang out or go to the beach...or sometimes I would come down here by myself to shop for art supplies or study in the bunches of coffee shops that were here. It seemed like so long ago, but it really wasn't long ago at all.

"I wish I could move back here," I spoke up. "And take you with me."

Ashton and I looked over at each other, and we both smiled. "That'd be great." He said.

"It would!" I exclaimed. My eyes shot over to the left side of the intersection that we were stopped at, and it took me a couple seconds to recognize what part of this area we were in.

"Turn here babe." I said. Ashton nodded, and tapped his fingers against the steering wheel to the song that was playing. As we go closer and closer to the actual beach, I wondered whens the last time Ashton's seen the ocean or even touched sand. As the ocean came into view, I looked over to Ashton. His mouth was slightly open and his eyes were wide behind his sunglasses as he stared at the shimmering water. We came to a stop at the end of the street, and I made no hesitation to get out and take Ashton's hand in mine.

I gazed down the almost empty stretch of clean sand, and over to the ocean that sparkled with every waved that moved across, the almost setting sun making it contrast against the red and pink in the sky. We came to the curb, which separated the cement from the sand.

"Hey Ashton?" I asked.

"Yeah?" He replied.

"When's the last time you've been to the beach?"

"Eleven years ago," He said. He looked over to me, and began to chuckle. "That's quite a long time, isn't it?"

I nodded, and pecked his cheek before realizing its been a pretty long time since I've been to the beach as well. I stepped down, and an obvious smile spread on my face. I turned to face Ashton who stood still, and I couldn't help but laugh.