The Locker Room •• Ashton Irwin ••

24.

When we were on the edge of time a few miles from the cemetery Ashton stopped the car. "Wait here a second." He said. He kissed my cheek and stepped out of the car. He walked into a store called "la belle" and didn't came out for a few minutes. When he did he held a single rose in his hand. He stepped back into the car and handed me the rose. "I thought we should have something for the grave." He said looking in my direction. I just stared at the rose. Thinking about why I was doing this. "Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked as if reading my thoughts.
"Yes. You should now everything about me and my dad is a big part of that. But how did you know this was his favorite flower?" I looked up at him through my eyelashes, his eyes looking into mine with a burning passion.
"Remember the not so romantic first night we spend together? I asked about it. But I understand if you forgot all about that night." He whispered the last sentence. It hurt him. He turned his face as his eyelids dropped.
"Ashton." I said moving my hand to his shoulder. "I didn't forget about you're hands roaming my body. Our lips colliding and our accident with the shower. I remember everything. Even you being scared of thunder." I put my other hand on his cheek making him look at me. "And there's nothing I would trade for that night." I gave him a slow passionate kiss. The first slow kiss we shared. All others were hungry and fast. This was what we shared. A hungry, fast love for each other. We just shouldn't forget about about the times we need to take it slow. We don't need a roller coaster. Cause roller coasters end.

"Just this one path left." I mumbled as I rounded the corner. I felt Ashton take a hold of my hand and I intertwined my fingers with his. The comfort of his warm hands felt amazing.
I saw the stone coming into view and my pace slowed down till I stopped completely. "Are you okay?" He asked as he turned to stand in front of me. "We don't have to do this, we can turn around now and do this some other time." I breathed in and out slowly before pushing Ashton out of the way.
"I want to do this now." I walked to the grave and sank to my knees.
"Hi dad." I began. I sometimes talk to him when I'm here just like I used to when he was alive. "I've brought a friend today. Well actually he is my boyfriend. I thought I should introduce the two of you before I did anything with mom. I don't know about telling her yet." I took a deep breath. Talking about my worries, even if it were to nobody, felt relieving. "But dad, this is Ashton. The guy that stole my heart."
"I didn't steal it, I borrowed it. Stealing is wrong." He said as he sat down beside me. "I'm Ashton Mr. Young."
"His name was Julian." I said. "You can call him Julian. He said an old man like himself would sound weird with a last name like Young." Ashton laughed softly at that making me smile.
"Well, Julian, I wanted to Ask if I could take this wonderful girl out some time. I'm not asking for her hand after a few weeks only. I just want to have your permission sir." He smiled and laid the rose down on my dad's stone.
"Please dad. He makes me happy. I think you would have liked Ashton. I do. And you always said you'd like whatever I liked. Hopefully also the tattoos." I giggled. "I love you dad." I stood up and pulled Ashton up with me. "Come on. Let my old man rest in peace." He nodded and led me away from the cemetery.

"Are you okay?" Ashton asked as we walked into my house.
"I'm fine Ash. I'm glad we did that." I walked to the kitchen and grabbed two cans of coke. "Come on I want to show you my room while you're conscious." I said making him laugh. I grinned and gave him one of the cans before leading the way to my secret hide out. My room.
"So what do you want to do?" Ashton asked as he plopped down on my bed. I sat down next to him and let myself fall back till my back hit the bed.
"I don't want to do anything." I sighed and looked at the back of his head. "Can we for once just cuddle?" I asked hoping he'd say yes.
"I'm not the one for Lovey dovey stuff, Elizabeth." He said. "I'm not one to love someone very much."
"Please Ashton, for me." I begged.
"Eliza if you'd just love me a little less."
"Ashton if you could love me for a little longer. You'll see it's not that bad."
"Love isn't bad for me. I'm bad for the people I love."
"Than why did you ask me to be your girlfriend?" I rolled over on my stomach not wanting to see him. The bed dipped in more beside me and I felt his fingers slide over my cheek and through my hair.
"Because I love you and this is what love does to me. I make decisions I shouldn't make but it won't be for nothing if you stay with me." I leaned in to kiss him. When I pulled away he held my face close to his for a while before pulling me in for a hug. He rolled us over and when I was on the right side of the bed then, I was on the left side now. Draped over Ashton, our legs twister around each other. Our fingers intertwined and our other arms around each other we lay there till we fell asleep.