Next Door

Fear

The next morning, Ashlyn woke up a few hours after Big Red. He was glad, though, because she finally got the rest she deserved. But then the events of the prior night came rushing back to her. She put her head on his shoulder, burying it. He put his arm around her.

"I—" she started.

"I know." He nodded. He kissed the top of her head. "I know." They say there in silence for about ten minutes. Neither of them minded.

"Babe... I..."

"Honey..." he pulled her closer.

"I just don't know how I'm supposed to go home after yesterday. They're gonna be so mad, and it's just... it's uncomfortable. To be at home."

"Baby, I— I just... I don't know what I can say. Because I wanna say you could stay here, and you could, it's just— not forever and I wish you could and someday we will share a house forever it's just— you probably do have to."

"I just wanna skip time. Because I know I'll be fine, it's just, I... I don't wanna go through it. I want to be married and I wanna have kids and, mostly, I wanna get out of my house."

"I'll get my mom, okay?" He offered, nodding.

"I love you." She nodded back.

"I love you more." He gave her lips a light peck. She pulled him back for a second, giving him a kiss.

"You feel like a dream." She mumbled.

"You are a dream." He kissed her one more time. "Be right back." She nodded, waiting until he and his mom came back.

"Hey, Ashlyn, you doing alright?" She sat beside Ashlyn.

"I'm okay. Kinda." Ashlyn shrugged.

"Babe." Big Red said.

"I mean, I just, I don't exactly wanna go home. Since my parents are mad. And, you know, aren't even trying to have me go home." She mumbled. She was, almost immediately, wrapped in a hug by both her boyfriend and his mother.

"You're welcome here anytime." She assured Ashlyn.

"Thank you."

"But, in the meantime, you do need to go home soon. Which is so hard, I know."

"Y- yeah."

"You can go straight to your room. Okay? I'll talk to your parents again. You'll be okay. Make it home by curfew, but any other time you're definitely welcome here."

"Thank you. Thank you so much." Ashlyn hugged her, before turning around and hugging her boyfriend tightly. "You two are amazing."

"Of course." They said in unison.

"Baby, you ready for breakfast?" Big Red asked, squeezing both her hands in his.

"Yeah." She nodded, squeezing back harder than she meant to. Her emotions were just too strong. "Yeah."