Family Troubles || Redlyn

Waiting

Big Red's POV

"What thing?" I asked Ashlyn, hanging my head off the end of my bed upside down, bored until she called.

"Uh, we were talking about why my parents were fighting and I told you that they talked about us dating and fighting about it and, um, I told you not to worry about it. Well, um—" she rambled nervously.

"Sh- shoot."

"I'm already grounded for yelling and stuff, I don't know how to get around it. I love you." She said. I could sense the hurt in her voice. "We can't... I tried and I'll keep trying, but we can't really be together..."

"I love you too." I subconsciously squeezed my blanket, my grip turning my hand pale. "I can wait."

"I don't know when—"

"I'm waiting." I insisted.

"Okay, but if someone else comes along, don't feel obligated—"

"Ashlyn, I love you. There's no way I'm not waiting."

"I really, really love you." She responded.

"Yeah." I nodded to myself, realizing how hard I was squeezing my hand. I let go, shaking it. "I should probably go for dinner now."

"I'm really sorry."

"I know you are. I am too. I'll see you at school Ash."

"Are you mad?"

"At your parents, I know you do what you can." I assured her.

"Okay, good, goodnight." She sounded a little happier. "Bye. Call me anytime, I'll pretend you're a friends and we aren't literally in love."

"Same to you." I laughed lightly. "Night hon."

"I'm so sorry!" Ashlyn leaped onto me in a hug. We only had a few minutes before class, but she started crying. I hugged her back tightly.

"Hey..." I rubbed her back, lightly kissing her cheek.

"Trust me, I'm just as upset, I'm so mad."

"I know honey, I know. You don't have to apologize. And don't cry. That'll make me cry."

"I love you, I swear I love you, I swear I'm trying." She cried.

"Ash, baby, I know."

"I'm trying so hard and it just won't work!"

"Calm down, it's alright. I told you, I'll wait, I love you, and whenever we can, we'll be right back together so long as that's what you want." I assured her.

"I don't want you to have to wait. I just wanna... hold you."

"I want nothing more than that either, Ashlyn, but I will wait. I promise. We'll do what we have to do, and this seems to be it."

"I don't know how to just... stop." She mumbled. "I can't just stop."

"What?"

"I don't know how to break up with you. We'll still see each other, and I still want to see you, I don't know how to not just... kiss you whenever I can."

"We'll just... try our best to be friends. I'm still here for you." I promised.

"I'm still here for you too." She pulled back from the hug, wiped her eyes, and fixed the squished collar on my shirt. "But we aren't dating."

"Right."

"Right."

"Goodbye." She said.

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye." She repeated, an awkward silence forming.

"Okay, not dating in a minute." I pulled her into a passionate kiss, which she returned. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye." She left to class, letting herself be dragged away by our friends.