Back Into Your Arms

Chapter 15 : Tickles (MAPS)

But I wonder, where were you?
When I was at my worst
Down on my knees
And you said you had my back
So I wonder, where were you?
All the roads you took came back to me
So I'm following the map that leads to you 
Maps,  Maroon 5
(I'm hooked on to this like my ears depend on it :3)

Present
The umbrella immediately fell down from my hands. My eyes widened and my trembling hands went to cover my mouth that was holding back a laugh so hard.
God knew how long I wanted to do this to him. But the situations in which this happened, made it double times funny.
He slowly looked up at me and his eyes darkened a bit.
Either that, or it just got too dim here.
He opened his mouth to say something but I beat him to it.
" Look!  Pigeons! " ,I said pointing towards something at his back.
I tried to get away from the situation and place and hurried back to the bedroom. Key word,  tried.

Large hands grabbed me from behind and my back pushed into Liam's chest.
" So you think you can just hit me and then run away, kitten? ", he whispered
into my ears.

I slipped down from his hold and faced him,  " Look, I can explain, okay? It was a sheer case of misunderstanding. If I knew it was you, why would I hit you?  I mean, come on,  I need to be back home and without your private jet... " ,I trailed off with a nervous laugh trying to reason out. I already had seen the wrath of his once in the afternoon. I didn't want a repeat telecast again.

" Oh please Ashley, cut the shit out. We both know there possibly can't be a misun-" , he abruptly stopped and held his head and hissed.
" Dammit ,it hurts. " ,he murmured.
I grabbed his hand and made him sit on the bed. Getting an ice pack from the fridge I went back to him.

" Here. Move your hands. Let me see. ", I said.

" No thanks. Who knows, you might hit me with the ice pack as well?", he stated.
I rolled my eyes, " Seriously Liam , I thought you had tiny brains. But today you proved it. Job well done, mate. " , I said sarcastically and forcefully pulled down his hands from his head. He gave a glare but I brushed it off.
Slowly putting the ice on his head and messaged the place. He hissed, " Stop touching it. "

" Oops sorry princess, but in order for it to heal, I need to touch it. "

" What did I tell you about calling me 'princess '?" , he gritted his teeth.

"Later, Liam. We can bicker about that after I'm done with your head. ",I said holding his head firmly. He hissed in pain.

" Shit, sorry. ", I murmured.
I went on with my work. I could feel a bump gradually building up on the side of his head that was hit. I could feel his eyes on me too. But I was too scared to stare back, afraid to what it might lead to or look awkward and stuff. I shifted under his gaze. My eyes fell on his for once and he didn't even avert his gaze. Jerk. Couldn't be understand I'm uncomfortable?

" Stop... looking like that. " , I said, more like whispered.
"Why? ", he breathed out. A shiver ran down my spine and I was feeling things I shouldn't feel.
" C-cause I said s-so. " , I stuttered. Shit Ashley get a hold of yourself.
" Or? ", he dragged and I felt something brush my thighs.
HOLY COW I was still wearing the loose tee. And by that I mean,  JUST the loose tee.
I felt my ears burn in embarrassment and quickly moved away.
" Your head seems alright. If you want you can apply the ice bag . Here. ", I said it all in a breath and hurried to the door.
"It was just my hand, you know....", he said before I opened the door,
"..... but it could've been something's else like-" , before he could say it, I closed the door with a bang and went to the living room. 

Turning on the TV I tried calming down and regularize my breathing. Some show was going on in the native language so I changed the channel.

Finally I got some good movie to see.
The Best Of Me , I tried to see it when it released, but unfortunately I never could make out time. It was released like, 3 or 4 years ago. Eventually I forgot about it. I remember Miranda talking on and on and crying too while speaking of the movie. It was just starting so I chose to see the movie. Finally.

Getting inside the kitchen I found a packet of popcorn. These hotels literally keep everything handy. It two me two minutes to finally make the popcorn and I sat down on the sofa, forgetting  about Liam.

*****
" Noooooo..", I looked shocked at the screen in front of me. Seriously?  This is how it ends?! Come on!  Tears pooled my eyes . Here comes the water works.  Nicholas Sparks, you're one bad torturer to your own characters.
The names finally displayed and the Lady Antebellum song came on play. The door of the bedroom opened but I was too sad and still struck by the ending. Tears streamed down my eyes as I played with  last tiny dusts on the popcorn bowl.
I then heard a sound. Like a shutter click. Looking up I saw Liam holding his phone's camera towards me and grinning like a mad man.
" Gotcha ", he said  with a smirk.
My sadness washed away and I was filled with rage. I didn't like getting myself photographed, let alone such a bad candid where I was crying like a baby.
"Liam Anderson, give that to me, this instant. ", I shouted.
" Nope. " ,he said popping the 'p'.
I threw away the bowl and ran towards him. As he realised that I got up, he too dashed away in the opposite direction.
" Liaaammmmmmm!!!" , I screamed.
We were just circling around the bed, neither of us wanting to give up.
I finally planned my strategy and sat down on the bed.
" Okay. You know what, have it. I don't care. ", I said.
He stopped jumping around and said, " You sure?",  and took the phone closer to my face which displayed the picture but not too close.
Grabbing the opportunity, I quickly pulled his hand and he landed on the bed with a thud. I sat on top of him to get better access to the phone in his hand. But his hold was too tight.

I  narrowed my eyes and started tickling him.
" Shit Ash-Ashley. Sttooppp. ", he breathed in between laughs.
" Delete the picture. I'll stop. " , I said.
" Okay. Okay. Stop. I'm giving. Here ,take it. " ,he said.
Good boy. But as I approached the phone he swirled me around and now he was on top of me.
" We can go all night, kitten. " ,he whispered .
Our faces were just inches apart and the feeling that I was feeling was all too familiar. The familiar minty breath, the brown eyes, and my stupid self to be daydreaming about Liam.

Ashley! Stop! 

Shaking my head I pushed him away from him.
" Whatever Anderson. ", I said giving up. He's such a child.
" Running away from your problems again, Payne? ", he fired back.
" Atleast you accept that you indeed are a problem. " ,I snapped.

******
After dinner we decided that we'd just crash down now. It was 10 already and we had big plans for the next day. Or so,  that's what our 'lovely' parents had planned.

" What are you doing? " ,I asked Liam.
He looked at me as if I'd asked him for his kidneys, " Oh I'm sorry Ashley. I almost forgot you have bird brains. You see after dinner, normally, people go to sleep. And I'm doing that. I'm making my bed. "

" I get that, you moron. ", I gritted, " you're on my bed. "
" Excuse me, Missy?  It's my bed too. "

" My bed! "
"Mine! "
" Shut up jerk. "
" You shut up freak. "
I was so angry that I hadn't even realized that we called each other by names that we used to when we were in a relationship.

" Fine!  We both sleep on the same bed. ", I said  putting pillows between the two sides, " This is the demarcation. Don't. Cross. It. "

He rolled his eyes and lied down. I heard a faint 'as if' before I too fell into deep slumber.

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Chapter 15!!

Okay so a complete random confession : I'm utterly, completely, irrevocably, unconditionally in love with BRENT RIVERA!!

* drools a bucket*

His eye, jawline, voice, vines, acting, EVERYTHING IS SO EFFING FLAWLESS.

If you still haven't checked my second work, make sure you do. ❤
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Candy ❤