Stare At the Photograph - A.F.I.

6

ASHTON

Alya is pacing back and forth wondering if she should pick up the phone.

"I could answer and piss him off, but that's so elementary of me." She says.

"It's your decision." I say.

"I say pick it up, let him know you're okay, and end it so he'll stop if that's what you want." Calum says.

"It's funny how this is the most attention he's given me for months." she says, giggling. "I'm picking up."

"Michael," she says sternly. "Please stop calling we're done."

I can't hear what he's saying, but she's getting mad.

"Oh really? We broke up for a day and I kissed Ashton? What about WHILE we were dating you were doing god knows what with how many girls on tour?" She starts yelling "How dare YOU call me a whore?!"

"Just end the call." Calum whispers.

"Oh fuck off." She says to him, annoyed.

Then I hear a "Who are you talking to?" and she freezes.

"You?" she says trying to cover it up.

"Alya I swear to God." I hear. "I know you can't afford a goddamn hotel right now. Especially not in the area we are in."

Then banging is heard from the door.

"Fuck." I say.

"It's fine. Let me answer." She says, coolly, and opens the door.

"Hi Mike." She says leaning on the doorframe.

This looks so bad. Her in my shirt and nothing else, me standing shirtless, and Calum in the room mouth gaping at this point.

"What the fuck!" He says.

"I thought we were sleeping with other people now?" she says with a smirk.

"You fucking liar." he says pointing at me.

"Hey, I was too drunk to remember it." I say putting my hands up.

"Alya, can we talk? I feel like we ended this badly." He says taking her hand in his.

"Fine." she says, crossing her arms. "Let me change."

She picks her dress and under garments from off the floor and shoved it in her suitcase and picked out some clothes to wear and went into the bathroom.

Then she quickly came out and said, "Michael, do anything and I swear to god I'm going home."

When she went into the bathroom, there was an awkward silence. Calum decides to break the ice and mumbles something about how he wants tacos, but Michael and I continue to glare at each other.

"I'm sorry for sleeping with your girlfriend, but you did not have to sleep with mine." Michael says, crossing his arms.

"Michael," I say, dumbfounded, "what the fuck?"

Just then Alya comes out of the bathroom in a oversized tee and shorts.

"Let's go Michael." she says, taking him by the hand.

ALYA

"My best friend?" Michael says. "Really?"

"Your best friend's girlfriend? Really?" I say mockingly.

"Alya," He says opening the door to his room. "I'm sorry. There's no excuse, but you go on tour and all these girls are throwing themselves at you, it's so tempting."

"Okay, but what about me?" I say, beginning to cry. "Am I not enough? What happened to us?" I say sobbing, sitting on his bed.

"Babe, I'm so sorry." Mike says, reaching out to hug me, but I move away. "I swear I won't do it again. You are the best thing that's ever happened to me, my best friend."

"Mike," I say with tears streaming down my cheeks. "I can't forgive you. You stopped talking to me the second you went on tour."

"I'm sorry." He says, tears streaming down his cheeks, reaching out for my hand and I give it to him.

"I really came here thinking I could rekindle our relationship because you never called, but I loved you so much it didn't matter." I tell him, releasing his hand. "I need space."

"But I want you to come to the show." Michael says.

"I'll think about it." I say, getting up and wiping my tears off my face, and I leave his room.

—
"Ashton!" I say, pounding on his door.

"What-" He says drying his hair with a towel, as he opens the door.

"It's over." I say sobbing.

"C'mon." He says, opening his arms for a hug.

I walk into his arms and bury my face into his chest, crying. His warm arms wrap around me.

"You're in New York right now and all you've ever seen is the inside of this hotel." Ashton say, gently pulling me off of him. "Let's explore the city until I have to go."

I look up at him and he gives me a warm smile.

"Stop crying. You're going to have fun!" He says wiping the tears from my eyes.

—
"Stop one: the Statue of Liberty!" Ashton says, getting out of the taxi.

We had to get on a boat to be able to get to it.

"This is amazing!" I say, taking pictures.

"Let me take pictures of you." Ashton says, gesturing to the camera.

While I'm posing and Ash is taking pictures, an older lady asks if we want pictures together and I shrug.

Ashton and I stand next to each other and the woman takes pictures of us, until she stops and scolds Ashton.

"For goodness sake, put your arm around your girl like you love her!" She scolds.

Ashton immediately tries to tell her that we're not a couple, but she doesn't care, so I stand closer to him, grab his hand, and put it on my waist.

"Just do it or she's never giving my camera back." I murmur to him.

He turns to look at me and I look at him and then the lady claps and cheers saying the pictures look amazing.