Aston’s POV
It was so hard to keep tight-lipped about everything that day at rehearsal. Before it had been easy because I’d been nervous about how the boys would take it that Jess was back in London, back in my life, and living in my flat. I was scared that they would jump to conclusions, argue that we were moving too fast.
But now, I just couldn’t wait for them to know. I was bursting with pride over my gorgeous girl and all that she was achieving. We still hadn’t talked about our relationship, so I wasn’t sure if it was ok to call her my girlfriend, but she pretty much was.
We finished up at the dance studio much earlier than I’d anticipated and I quickly sent Jess a text to give her a heads up just so she wouldn’t be taken by surprise.
As I jumped in my car I agreed to the boys that they could invite their girlfriends round, and then I sped off towards home. When I arrived I found the house empty, Jess must have still been off at the label.
While the boys came by, one by one, I laid out some snacks in the front room and sat chatting away, the entire time keeping my eye on my phone in case I heard from Jess. I was actually a bit nervous that she wasn’t going to show up.
Eventually the boys’ drinks ran out and I ran to the kitchen to get another round. As I bustled around grabbing things I heard a slight commotion coming from the front room, namely Oritse letting out a large, “Whaaaa?” Wanting to know what he was reacting to I entered the room to find five shocked faces.
“What’s going on?” I asked as I handed out drinks, only then noticing Jess stood awkwardly by the door. “Oh hey babe,” I smiled sweetly to her.
I watched her just stand there for a minute, take a deep breath and then turn to dart up the stairs. “I’m just going to go change,” she said before legging it.
I laughed to myself at her expression and then sat down on the couch, looking around the room.
“What?” I said innocently.
“Who is that?” whispered Rochelle loudly. I just shrugged my shoulders.
“That,” said JB indicating upstairs, “Is the infamous Jessica Rego. The only girl in the history of the world to tame this one,” he finished pointing at me.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about man!” I said with a shocked look on my face. All the while wondering what on earth Jess was up to upstairs.
“What’s she doing here?” asked Chloe.
“Long story, but she needed somewhere to stay so I offered her one of my spare rooms.”
“So you’re housemates again?” asked JB.
“Something like that,” I said.
“Are you like together?” asked Chloe.
“Yeah are you? I didn’t even know you still talked to her!” said Oritse. I could see Marvin ready to open his big mouth so I just shot him a glare, willing him not to mention anything about LA.
“Yeah we talk,” I said simply, sitting back into the couch. They continued to grill me for five more minutes while I wondered where Jess was, but then I heard some bustling in the kitchen. “Be right back,” I said getting up.
“Ooohhh,” said nearly everyone in the room.
“I’m just going to get her and drag her out here, think she’s being shy.”
“Riight,” I heard Marvin mumble. I shot him another glare and then wandered off to the kitchen. When I got there I saw Jess standing by the counter in a pair of leggings and a long jumper, digging away in her purse while she waited for water to boil in the kettle.
“What you doing in here?” I asked. Startled she looked up at me and gave me a sheepish smile, shrugging her shoulders. “Don’t tell me you’re being shy…”
“I’m not!” she protested. I raised my eyebrow at her before she continued, “Not really at least.”
“Babe, they love you remember?” I asked.
“Yeah but… it’s been a long time.”
“Doesn’t matter,” I said. “Now are you coming out?”
“Let me finish sorting out my drink,” she said. “Did they give you hell?” she asked after a moment.
“About what?”
“Us…”
“A little, but who cares what they think? We know what we are.”
“What are we Aston?” she asked me pointedly as the kettle finished. “We haven’t even talked about it.”
“I… We are whatever you want us to be,” I replied, moving closer to her.
“So if I call you my boyfriend you’re ok with that?” she whispered quietly.
“More than…” I replied as I backed her into the counter and pressed my lips against hers. Things quickly started to get more and more heated as our tongues began massaging against each other, and I was just about to lift Jess onto the counter when I heard a cough behind us.
“So you’re together then?” asked a voice.
Quickly we pulled apart and I whipped my head around to see Marvin stood in the doorway. I turned back to Jess to see her head buried in my chest, a red twinge on her cheeks.
“Uhhhh yes,” I managed to get out. “Jess is my girlfriend,” I concluded confidently as Marvin stared at the pair of us still wrapped in a tight embrace in my kitchen, finally putting a label on what was going on between Jess and I.
