Ashton
"Keep your eyes closed." I told Noelle as I led her into the room.
"I smell Olive Garden." She stated, making me laugh. I stopped her and moved in front of her, looking around to make sure everything was perfect.
"Alright, remove your blindfold." I said, standing in the middle of the room with a smile on my face.
"What's going on in here?" She questioned, looking around the room, grinning from ear to ear. I sat her down on the floor in front of one of the canvas's.
"I figured we could spend the night in. So I got us some canvas's, paint, picked up Olive Garden, and your favorite wine." I explained to her, making her squeal with excitement.
"So is this a date?" She teased.
"I wouldn't call it a date. Just two friends painting." I smiled back with a wink.
"How was your date with Hailee?" She asked, sitting her glass of wine back down next to her.
"It went okay. She took me to the restaurant her ex boyfriend works at. That was pretty nice. Oh and then she ended up leaving with him and made me pay." I explained with a laugh.
"Whoa, that definitely tops my date with Ryan." She giggled, getting up to change the song.
"Oh yea you never told me about it." I commented, taking a peek at her painting.
"He took me to McDonald's and allowed me to eat off the dollar menu, which I don't have a problem with but then we went back to his mothers house and I got to watch him smoke weed while he played fortnite with all his 'dope ass friends' as he said." I pursed my lips and nodded.
"You definitely won that one." I told her, nudging her shoulder.
Noelle
"Let me see yours." I stated as Ashton stared at me again.
"No, it's not finished." He said, turning it from me as I tried looking.
"No fair, you've been peeking at mine since we started." I whined as I continued to try to look.
"Just let me finish then you can look, I promise." I stuck my bottom lip out and turned back to my painting. My eyes shot up to my phone as the ringer blared through the speakers.
"Hey Eli, what's up?" I asked, answering the phone to my brother.
"Hey Noe, um Luke just called me. He's drunk out of his mind and he's stuck out at Hillpoint with no ride home." He said tiredly.
"Why are you calling me? That isn't my problem anymore." I said, beginning to clean up the empty olive garden containers.
"He said Avery wont come get him and asked me too but I'm liable to kill him so I figured you would like to know." I sighed loudly and went to grab my shoes, purse and keys.
"Text me where he's at. I'll go get him." I muttered an I love you before hanging up and looked at Ashton.
"I'll be back, you can stay here if you want too and we can finish our 'not date' when I get back or since it's so late, you can go home and I'll see you tomorrow." I explained to Ashton as I pulled on one of my sweaters.
"Where ya going? Can I not come?" he asked, standing up and shoving his hands in his pockets. I shook my head no and looked down at my phone.
"That's probably not a good idea. I'm uh gonna go pick up Luke and take him home. He's drunk and I know I shouldn't but I don't want anything to happen to him. With him being drunk, I don't want you two to get into a fight or something." I looked up at him and he nodded.
"I get it, you're probably a better person than I am because I would've left him out there. I'll see you when you get back. Be safe." He smiled, kissing my forehead.
I pulled up next to Luke as he sat on the curb and got out of the car.
"Why aren't you waiting inside? It's cold." I scolded as I helped him up and over to the passengers seat.
"I got hot in there." He slurred as I buckled him up and shut the door.
"Where's Avery?" I asked, getting back into the car and turning the heat up.
"I dunno. I haven't talked to her in two weeks. She left me for one of the professors she was sleeping with." He continued on. I felt bad that I felt joy in hearing this but I also felt like he deserved it for what he did to me.
"Why did you call my brother?" I asked him quietly.
"Because I knew you would come get me. You always will because you care too much about people. Even though you say you hate me, you really don't. You wont ever." I swallowed hard and cleared my throat.
"I should've left your ass out here to freeze to death. I had company over." I stated angrily, keeping my eyes on the road.
"What did you have Ashton over there. Were you guys cuddling in bed together while he told you he loved you." I looked over at him as he rolled down his window and stuck his head out.
"Roll the window up Luke, the heats on." He moved his head as I rolled it up and put on the window lock. He reached over and shut the heat off, looking at me.
"What?" I asked, looking back at the road.
"I miss you." he slurred, shifting in his seat.
"Yea, well I don't miss you." I pushed my hair out of my face, feeling his gaze still locked on me.
"Yea you do."
"I don't. I'm glad your gone so I don't have to continue wasting my time on someone who wasn't there for me." I yelled at him as I pulled up to his mothers house.
"I was there for you." He mumbled under his breath. I turned the car off and turned, looking at him.
"Why did you continue wasting my time if you were sleeping with Avery. Why didn't you just break up with me?" I asked, finally getting everything off my chest.
"I dunno." He mumbled not looking at me.
"Look at me Luke. Why? Why was I not good enough for you? Why did you waste my time for six years?"
"I don't know."
"You left me heartbroken. I drank every day for two weeks after you left. What did she have that I didn't because I sure as hell gave it to you whenever you wanted. I did everything for you. I gave everything to be with you. Do you know how many jobs I quit? How many friends I stopped talking to? Just because you didn't like them or you didn't like the job I had. So please Luke tell me why you had to go out and fuck my best friend?" I yelled louder.
"Because I didn't know if I loved you anymore. You got annoying to me, you were old news." He yelled back, finally looking at me.
I felt a large lump in my throat and tears fell.
"Come on, lets get you inside." I muttered, wiping my cheek and getting out.
I wrapped my arm around his waist and helped him up his front porch stairs, knocking on the door.
"Oh hey Noelle." His mom cooed as she opened up the door.
"Hello Liz. Luke got a little too drunk tonight and called me to pick him up. Is he staying in his old room?" I asked as she let me in.
"Yes honey. Thank you so much for picking him up." She said as I brought him to his room. I sat him on the bed and opened up his closet, taking out some new clothes.
"Come here." I whispered softly as I grabbed the bottom of his shirt, pulling it off. I helped him put his new shirt on and moved down to take his shoes off and pants. I helped put his sweats on and stood up.
"There, all ready for bed." I mumbled with a weak smile. He reached out to grab my hand and looked at me.
"Hey Noelle, I'm so-" I pulled my hand away and shook my head.
"Luke don't. Please." I sighed, looking around the room. "I gotta go. Goodnight." I leaned down, kissing the top of his head before he laid down and I left, turning the light out.
"Hey Ash, I'm back." I called, making my way back to the room. The light was turned off and I sighed, knowing he went home. I flicked it on to clean up and the painting in the middle of the room caught my attention. The entire room was clean and the only thing in there was a painting of me. I felt my chest get heavy and I smiled, walking over to it. A piece of paper caught my eye on the desk and I reached over, grabbing it.
Hey Noey,
You have to be the most kind hearted, loving person I know. I hope you like the painting. I had to go home and finish packing. I got a trip coming up and I'm gonna be gone a week or so. I planned on telling you tonight but you left. I'll stop by before I leave tomorrow. Sweet dreams pumpkin.
Love,
Ashton
