Connected

Chapter 3 ~ Echo

"It's been hours Echo! We need to take a break! I've counted how many lines are on your celling 3 times, I don't think I can handle a fourth." Ash laughs, half his body hanging off the edge of the bed making his golden curls escape from bandana that now hung loosely from his head.

"It's only been 3 hours Ash." I giggle while crossing off France from the list and the world map that lay between us. Not only had France been crossed off, but in the last 3 hours Spain, Italy, Africa, South America and Russia had also joined the list we had dubbed as 'The list where the woman who will have to put up with Ashton Irwin's childlike tendencies for the rest of her life doesn't live.' It's a working title, but it's getting there.

"Exactly!" He exclaims, sitting up so quick that his bandana drops to the floor along with the majority of writing utensils, making him look around like a lost puppy for a second before turning his attention back to me. "When have you ever known me to sit still for this long?"

"Never, you're like the human equlavent of a crap load of sugar." I laugh, my eyes drifting back to the laptop screen.

"I'll take that as a complement." He smirks. "But just put the laptop down for a second. Take a break Echy please."

I put the laptop on the bedside table, a small grin etching its way onto my lips. "You haven't called me Echy since we were six..."

"But it made you put the laptop down." He states, nodding to the device which was now going into standby mode. I roll my eyes and lie back onto the mountain of red and black pillows that we had created hours earlier. He laughs and nudges me to the left side of the bed, lying next to me, folding his arms behind his head staring up at the celling. "What time is it?"

I glance over to the clock. "11:32" I whisper, a tinge of fear edging into my voice. His head snaps to the side, his eyes meeting mine in a mixture concern and curiosity.

"Are you scared?" He asks, moving his hand to grasp mine. Am I scared? In the lead up to this moment I never thought about the feelings that I would experience. Some nerves maybe, a bit of excitement, but fear? It wasn't a moment that I was supposed to be scared about, so why did it feel like my heart was about to explode from my chest at any moment?

"Me scared? Never..." My voice falters at the end. Ash raises his eyebrows, his golden eyes staring into my green like he's worming his way into mind.

"It's okay to be scared Echo. Remember my breakdown?" I laugh a little, the memory of Ash curled up on his bed over dramatically saying he's going to break the system and become a monk, came to the front of my mind.

"I had to tackle the shaver from you." I smile at the memory. "You were going to shave your head to look the part; you thought they wouldn't take you without you being bald."

He rolls his eyes, but I could see the humour swimming in his irises. "Okay, little miss I remember everything, but the point is, I almost had a mental breakdown and look at me now, I'm fine!"

"Well I wouldn't say fine..." I smirk. He puts his free hand on his heart and a feign look of insult flashes across his face.

"I came here to have a good time and honestly I feel so attacked right now." He pouts withdrawing his hand from mine. I laugh and a grin immediately forms on his face knowing that he's cheered me up.

"Thanks Ash, you're the bestest friend a girl could ask for." I mumble, burying my face into his chest. His arms automatically wrap around me and bring me closer to him.

"Hey I thought we established this? I'm your brother! We were separated at birth in some freak accident that involved a parrot, some carrots, and a dog that wore an eye patch." He proclaims, his voice dripping with sarcasm.