Distracted || 5SOS Fanfic

P. 24

The next morning Mikey had band practice and so I thought to call up Kathleen about the news since I had nothing to do that day.

"I'M ENGAGED!" I scream. I was so excited.

"Are you serious?! Congrats! I have to see the ring!"

"Come over," I tell her, "I have no plans for today."

"Okay on my way," she hangs up the phone.

She knocks on my door with champagne bottles.

"Lemme see it!" She sets the bottles on the counter and grabs my hand, "love it!"

I hand model for her, "nice isn't it?"

"I'm glad to see your moving forward," she smile.

I was glad too. Ashton wasn't even in my vocabulary anymore. We were still friends and I saw him and Arielle every now and then at shows and parties, but grew to care less about their relationship.

"Ugh, I've been having major headaches lately. Do you have any Advil?" She rubs her head.

"In my room in the top drawer next to the lamp," I tell her.

As she goes in to find it, I make us something to eat.

She walks out, "what's this?" She held a small red box.

I had forgotten about that thing. I haven't opened it and chose not to.

"Can I see what's in it?" She asks.

"Go ahead," I didn't care.

She opens the box and pulls out a thin rose gold chain necklace with a small heart shaped American flag pendant. There was also a note that was folded up tiny, which read,

"Welcome to Australia! I just wanted to say that I'm glad you're here. I remember the first day I met you, you talked about traveling the world one day. So I got you this necklace to help remind you of home wherever you are. Whenever you get homesick just look at the pendant and know that you'll always have a piece of home with you. Love, Ashton."

Aww, it was such a sweet thought.

Kathleen flips it over, "There's more to the note on the other side." She read it aloud, "here's take two. I've written this letter 83 times and so far that was the best I had done. I want to tell you personally, so Ashton (*note to self) start speaking."

Ashton wasn't here, but I think I knew what he was going to say. He basically said it at the baby shower. But maybe he was going to say something else... It wouldn't hurt to ask. We just friends, everything is cool now.

"Are you going to ask him what he was going to say? It's kinda obvious where this is leading to..." Kathleen looks at me and shrugs.

"This is old," I tell her, "he probably forgot whatever he was going to say. Maybe if it ever comes up, I'll ask. As of right now, it doesn't matter."

I held the necklace in my hand. I really loved it; it was beautiful, but I couldn't wear it.

"Can you put this back in the drawer?" I ask of her.

She knew that there had been something going on between Ashton and I.

"You forgot to tell me something," she squints, "and it has to do with him. I'm supposed to know everything! Spill..."

Well, here comes story time. I explain to her everything from the beginning: the incidents, the problems, the happy times, etc. It made me smile thinking about all the good times, it brought back feelings... But a new feeling grew-- regret.

"So after all of this, you're engaged with Mikey and Ashton is the father of Arielle's baby? Okay... We need a book written about this," she couldn't believe how messed up everything was.

"It's not as bad as you think. It wouldn't make that great of a story," I say sarcastically.

"So how is this story going to end?" She wonders.

"I don't know, probably the way it's heading-- everything just as it is." I shrug. I was fine with everything, but still I felt an emptiness. Something was wrong in the story.

"I still want you to talk to Ashton though. I want to know what he was going to say in the letter though," she demands.

Maybe I will... one day.