The Song

Part Thirteen

FLASHBACK CONT…

“So we’ve got pizza, we’ve got snacks, we’ve got drinks, we’ve got a film…” I listed off, looking at all of the things Aston and I had gathered in our arms from multiple pit stops along my street.

“Yup!”

“Off to mine then!” I grinned, starting off down the street.

After our lunch date we’d seen each other a few more times. He was still popping up unexpectedly for five-minute piano lessons and had managed to talk me into going to dinner and then lunch again. It was weird to think that something was maybe developing between us because he was of course famous, but I was enjoying myself. So much so that I’d invited him over to my place to watch a film and veg out. Why not right?

“So this is mine,” I said as we approached my flat. I put the key in and started up the rickety staircase, “My flatmate is out with some new guy tonight so it’s all ours.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Aston asked with a sly laugh.
“Not what you’re thinking clearly.”

“Hmm…”

I pushed my way into our flat, Aston hot on my heels. Dropping my keys in the bowl by the door I wandered into the main room only to stop dead in my tracks.

“Woahhh Bren!”

“Jess, shit!” she said, pulling her top down. She was in a rather compromising position on the sofa with some guy I’d never seen before.

“Thought you were going out,” I frowned.

“We were, but then…”

“TMI!!”

“Sorry!” she said, not looking that sorry at all.

“We were going to watch a film Bren,” I sighed, nodding over at Aston.

“Can’t you watch in your room?”

“Bren…”

“What? We were here first! You didn’t say before!!” Without much more argument she turned back to the guy she was with, blanking me completely.

“Bitch,” I muttered under my breath, turning to Aston.

“I can go and we can do this another time,” Aston said awkwardly.

“We’ve already go the food, come on,” I sighed.

“You’re sure? I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable.”

“It’s fine,” I replied, shooting daggers at Brenda. We weren’t really friends, just two people who lived together. I’d answered an ad when I’d been looking for a room near the piano shop. We weren’t a horrible match, just not great either.

“So this is your room,” Aston said, setting the pizza on my desk as he looked around.

“It’s nothing much.”
“It’s exactly what I would have expected from you.”

“How do you mean?” I asked.

“It’s very girly,” he said.
“I’m a girl.”

“Yeah, but… you know what I mean. It’s more flowery and all that.”

“Okk…”

He rolled his eyes at me, looking around. “You don’t have a piano here?”

“There’s a keyboard in a case under my bed,” I shrugged, “I tend to do my practicing at school or work.”

“That’s illegal you know, playing at work.”

“Oh well,” I said with a grin, “Lemme go get plates and a bottle opener and we can pop the film in.”

“Sure,” Aston said, perching on the edge of my bed.

I wandered out to the kitchen, purposefully trying to annoy Brenda and her new friend as I did so. I was still a bit annoyed that they’d taken the main room without saying anything. I was positive I’d told her I was having Aston over. Positive.

Back in my room I popped in the DVD we were watching and then served up some food, sitting cross-legged on my bed and eating.

When we were done with our pizza I set the dishes aside, crawling up to the top of my bed and slipping under my covers.

“You can too,” I said to Aston, nodding at the other side of the bed.

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

He slipped in next to me, resting against the pillows on his side. It was kind of an awkward position to be in, laying side by side in my bed, watching a film, and not touching at all. I didn’t know if I should move closer to him or not. We’d been happy enough just hanging out, would pushing things further make this go bad?

As the film went on we both slipped down into the bed so we were lying completely, and I couldn’t help but giggle when I turned to look at Aston after a particularly poignant scene and noticed he was flat out asleep.

Not sure what to do, I left him, finishing the film and then switching it off. I didn’t want to wake him if he was legitimately tired, but I didn’t know if he had places to be or anything.

Deciding to leave him there, I turned away from him and burrowed into the duvet closing my eyes and trying to sleep.

About half an hour later I felt Aston shoot up in bed, “SHIT!” he hissed.

I had to do my best to suppress a giggle as he shuffled around next to me.

“Shit!” he said again.

“Didn’t enjoy the film?” I mumbled.

“Shit, sorry!” he said, “I didn’t mean to fall asleep!”

“It’s ok,” I said, “The ending was stupid.”
“What time is it?”

“I don’t know, one maybe?”

“Shit!”

“It’s fine,” I laughed, turning over to see him sat straight up with his hair sticking up, panic on his face. “What’s your problem?” I asked.

“I didn’t mean to sleep here,” he said.
“Oh.”

“Not in a bad way!” he replied hastily, “I just didn’t think you’d want that…”
“I don’t really care,” I told him.
“Oh, I…”

“Just go back to sleep,” I said, “We can discuss in the morning if this is really something you think we should talk about.”
“I actually uh…” Aston started, laying back down and turning to look at me.

“What?”
“I wanted to ask you if we could be more official…”

“Like a couple?” I asked, actually really shocked by this.
“Yeah.”
“Wow.”
“I know, I mean… If you don’t want to...”
“You’ve never kissed me,” I said, “You want me to be your girlfriend and you’ve never kissed me.”

“Sorry.”
“That’s not a bad thing,” I said, “Just shocking. Most guys would have gone for it by now. I wasn’t sure you were into me that way…”

“Oh, well I am.”

“Ok,” I said, grinning over at him.

“Ok?”
“Ast… I’m telling you I’ll be your girlfriend. And that I really want you to kiss me right now.”
“Oh right,” he grinned, leaning over me gently and staring down at me. He had a smile on his lips and as he pressed them against mine I felt my heartbeat quicken to a point where it was almost out of control. His lips were so soft and fit right against mine, and as he pulled away I couldn’t help but pull him back for more.

Leaning back gently, Aston pushed a strand of hair behind my ear, lying back down.

“Night,” he whispered, allowing his fingers to slither around me and pull me close.

“Night,” I said, not tired in the slightest. His presence was too much. It was too perfect.

I was falling hard and fast.