A Story Come True

#8 Confessions over a seesaw

Ashton let his eyes wander around his room as his brain fought its way through the remnants of his sleepiness.

Ah right it was a dream, Ashton told himself.

He turned to his left, resting his cheek on his left palm and closed his eyes in an attempt to go back to sleep. But he couldn't because his thoughts kept revolving around the dream as he tossed and turned around in his bed.

Giving up on his attempts to go back to sleep, Ashton sat up on his bed and looked to his right where Simon lay fast asleep. Ashton leaned across Simon to grab his phone from where it lay beside Simon's on the nightstand. He turned it on to find two texts from Caramel, as usual.

Probably a goodnight text, he thought with a mental eye roll and didn't bother to check it. Sliding his phone into his pocket he got off his bed and out of the room. He let his legs take him wherever, as multiple thoughts raced each other in his head.

When he stopped, he found himself in front of the kids' park, as usual. Ever since he found out that this place was a kind of peace sanctuary for Cerah, he found himself visiting it more often.

Talk about pathetic.

Ashton pushed open the gate and stepped onto the grass, and to his surprise, Cerah was actually there. She was sitting on the seesaw, her eyes closed, immersed in whatever music she was listening to.

He just stood there for a few seconds, staring at her, before he walked over and sat on the other end of the see-saw. Cerah's eyes flew open in alarm and she grabbed the handrest in front of her as Ashton's weight caused her to lurch forward.

"What the hell, Ruine." Cerah hissed, applying force on her end, making Ashton go up.

"Thought you looked lonely without anyone to play with, Vienna." Said Ashton pushing his side down.

"Didn't peg you for an early riser." Said Cerah pushing her side down.

"Just woke up because of a dream and couldn't go back to sleep. So, what's bothering you?" Asked Ashton pushing his end down.

"Who said anything's bothering me?"

Ashton would've believed her if she hadn't been a tad bit late in pushing her side down.

"Tsk tsk, you'll have to try harder than that to fool me, Vienna," said Ashton holding Cerah's gaze. After a moment's staring contest Cerah looked away, sighing in defeat as she pressed the heel of her palm to her eyes, her elbow on the handrest.

The holding gazes always coaxed the truth out of her, Ashton thought amused.

There was a moment's silence before Cerah looked into Ashton's eyes and said, "I have a date with Jeff coming up."

Now it was Ashton's turn to look away and pause on their little seesaw game.

"Why're you telling me that?" Asked Ashton lowering his side a little too harshly.

"You were the one who wanted to know what was bothering me," said Cerah returning the favour.

"Why would having a date with your boyfriend bother you?" Asked Ashton bringing their seesaw game to a halt and giving her his complete attention.

"I'd tell you if I knew," said Cerah looking at anything but Ashton as he gave her a scrutinizing gaze.

Was he just imagining it or did Cerah really not like her boyfriend? Did the bastard hurt her!?

"Do you, by any chance, happen to not like your boyfriend?" Asked Ashton, still trying to catch her eyes.

"He has a name you know? Jeff."