groupie; afi

thirty six

Ashton's going to ask me out later tonight, that's a fact. I'm still unsure as to what I will say. I have a good idea but I'm restless about it.

If I say yes, Calum is forced to watch his best friend be with the girl he likes.

If I say no, Ashton's heart will probably break and it would've been my fault for giving mixed signals.

I know how my heart feels but my mind wants to wonder about the different outcomes of whatever I say.

For the show tonight, I planned on wearing whatever I was going to wear for our "date." It's something simple but nice enough to go out to dinner with.

*outfit

I went into the venue with Ashton. He looks excited to play tonight. I forget how much I love seeing him in this mood until I do. His smile is the cutest thing about him.

The other boys are already lined up and waiting for Ashton to join them so they can go out on stage.

"Here's a good luck kiss," I say before pecking his lips. Ashton's cheeks blush a light pink when I pull away.

"Thank you love," Ashton says.

Ashton jogs to his friends, the four of them run out as soon as he reaches them. I go up to the balcony to watch them.

The boys seem good on stage. I know they usually have to push through whatever could be on their minds so they can put on a good show for the fans. It's nice how much they care about them. I can tell they truly appreciate every person in the crowd.

Afterwards, Ashton and I take a taxi to the hotel. He takes a quick shower and comes out with a nice outfit. Nothing too fancy but it matches mine perfectly.

Ashton and I decide on a spot not too far from here. It's not a five star restaurant but it isn't a fast food joint either. It's a nice middle ground.

We take a taxi there. I notice Ashton's leg bouncing, probably from nerves. I rest my hand on his knee and smile as a way to say "it'll be okay." He stops bouncing and takes a deep breath in to calm himself down. It worked.

We get to the restaurant and we go in. Ashton makes sure to open every door for me that he can. He's very gentlemanly. We get our table and menus.

*visual of the place

I look around at all the nature-like decor. It's nice and it gives the place a nice floral aroma. The lighting is a nice touch as well.

We order our food, I get pasta while Ashton gets a baked chicken dish. While we wait for the food, Ashton and I chit chat about little things. He showers me in compliments, giving me one every few sentences.

Ashton tells me a few stories about when him and the boys were younger. Apparently, he wore some "stupid" purple shirt and didn't want to play FIFA so he immediately stood out the first time he joined them. But, obviously the boys warmed up to him.

I tell him about how I used to play the bass when I was younger. My brother plays so during his time at the house and his short visits during holidays, he would show me some songs to play. The first song that I ever learned was Ain't No Rest For The Wicked by Cage the Elephant. It was fun to jam around and play with my brother. I should call him sometime.

Our food comes out so we start eating. The food is decent, not anything groundbreaking but still good. I won't complain though. I'm glad Ashton took me here.

Ashton and I continue our banter about things in our life. I forgot how good it felt to be with him. Ashton is great company. He's good at listening and he has the greatest stories to tell.

Suddenly, Ashton gets serious. He seems a little choked up but hesitates before he speak.

He's about to ask.

"Natalie, we've been through a lot. So much as happened during this tour, you know that. I've messed up things between us in the past. But I think we're ready to end the break. I've never felt more loved than when I'm with you. I love all the little details about you. I love you," Ashton's voice is shaky from nerves but soft.

His hazel eyes look into my own. Looking into them feel like home. He takes in a deep breath before continuing.

"Natalie, will you be my girlfriend? I promise I won't mess it up this time," Ashton says.

I hesitate, one last feeling of uncertainty rushing through my head before I answer, but my heart tells me to answer him in the way I feel is just.

Well, let's see how this goes.

_____
authors note
double update 😏

sorry for the cliffhanger, but what do you think natalie is gonna say?

also did you guys get to see the live on insta yesterday? omg they were glowing