Settle Down // Irwin

15

Calum: You really think he will show up this time?

Jade: He said he would

Calum: Does that really mean anything?

Jade: Calum!

Jade: If he doesn't I'll tell him I'm cancelling the Saturday sessions.

Calum: Good. He's a dick.

Jade: I know

Ashton still had ten minutes. He still had ten minutes to show up at Jade's house and prove Calum wrong. Calum and Jade had been texting all day. Calum would repeatedly tell Jade that Ashton wouldn't turn up. He would keep texting her all his doubts making her feel some doubts too. She wanted to believe he will show up. She really hoped he would. If he doesn't Jade was serious. She would tell him that she couldn't do a Saturday anymore. She was done with it. She might even suggest the school get another kid to help her out with the in school tutoring so it wasn't guaranteed she would have to deal with Ashton.

Calum: Is he there yet?

Just as Jade reads over the text we doorbell rings. Looking up from her phone she takes a deep breath. He would be ten minutes early if he arrived now, so it probably won't be him.

She was very, very wrong.

He was there. His backpack slung over one shoulder and his hair is curly again. Jade notices that it somehow looks darker. He smiles widely when Jade opens the door. She probably isn't hiding her surprise that well and maybe that's why he looks so smug.

"Ten minutes early." Ashton shows his dimples.

"Uh, yeah." Jade smiles back, her phone still in hand and she can see rapid texts coming in from Calum. She doesn't pay much attention to the texts and just locks the phone as it continues to light up.

"Great!" Ashton sort of cheers. He looks extremely proud of himself then he shuffles on his feet and looks into Jade's house. "Can I come in?" He says almost bashfully.

"Oh yeah." Jade suddenly feels her stomach flip. This is the first time Ashton will be in her house. This will be the first time he will see her home. Thank god he doesn't get to see her room. After their conversation in the car a few days ago she doesn't think he would be too impressed with her CD collection. Actually she didn't really know what music he listened to. He never mentioned it. "Come in."

Jade steps a side and lets Ashton take a step into the house as Jade closes the door. She chews the inside of her cheek nervously as Ashton looks around Jade's hall which, apart from colors, doesn't look that different from hers.

"Your room?" He turns around to face Jade and asks.

"What?" Jade replies, caught off guard. "No." She says quickly and blankly. "Living room." She points through the arch way where the coffee table over spills with lesson plans, notes and other math stuff she needs. It is set up the same way as it was last week and she even managed to get her parents out the house again.

"Ah, okay." Ashton nods going in the direction she pointed. "No parents?" He calls over his shoulder at Jade.

"No," Jade regrets it. "They went out."

"Oh." Ashton nods and takes a seat one Jade's cream leather couch. He puts his backpack down and gets his jotter and textbook out. He also bring out half a dozen pens and pencils. Jade sits across from him on the floor in front of the coffee table.

"So..." Ashton lets his eyes trail around the room and what's in it. A few bookshelves with some law and philosophy books, a cabinet with fine china in it, a relatively big tv on a glass stand. Family photos were also hung up on almost every wall, in the cabinet and on the book shelves. Much to Ashton's annoyance he counts Calum being in about three of them. He doesn't let it show though. Instead he pays his full attention back to Jade.