Liar

25

"What even is this?"

"It's a dress."

"Are you sure about that? It- No Tori come on this would barely cover you." After getting discharged from the hospital, apparently, no one wanted me to be alone for the next few days. Doctors said I was fine but my parents and Mark and Leon and Emmett and everyone else were worried I was going to collapse again and I'd be home alone and end up in trouble. It took 30 seconds for Ash to volunteer as tribute. 'My house was going to be having some work done anyway.' He'd said but I know damn well that it wasn't. So, I had a roommate for a few days. It's fine. We set up the spare room earlier and now at 1am, we were unpacking my clothes.

"It does. I think I posted a photo online of me in it last year." His eyes went wide and I chuckled, handing him another dress on the hanger. "You want me to find that photo don't you?"

"I just don't think it covered any of you and I mean, yeah sure hot, but now I'm also tempted to throw it out when you're not looking."

"Jealous much?"

"Very much so. Not gonna say I'm not. But when you look this hot, can you blame me?"

"I'm sat in a jumper that's like 5 years old and has holes in it and stained shorts. And I haven't showered since yesterday. I'm a mess."

"I stand by my comment. Stunning." I shook my head, holding up another outfit for him to hang up. "What?"

"Nothing."

"No, you shook your head."

"No, I didn't."

"Yes, you did." I shook the dress at him and he took it from me, hanging it up quickly before turning around. "Why don't you believe me?"

"I never said I didn't."

"Come here."

"No."

"Come here." Ash chuckled, almost crawling across the space to me. I shuffled backwards and he just kept going, turning me into a giggling mess. "I can keep going Tor." I snickered, trying to climb to my feet as I backed myself against the mirrored wall. Ash leaped forward slightly, grabbing my waist and tugging me down on top of him, flipping us both around so we were sat facing the mirror. With his legs wrapped around mine, me sat in between his legs laughing as he tried to uncover my face.

If there's one thing the past 24 hours have taught me about Ash, it's that things are a lot more fun than I've had with someone in a long time. Even around his dad and everyone else today as we'd gathered in the front room of the new house, trying to work out my week and who was going to be babysitting me until we knew I was okay. No amount of protesting from me was going to change anyone's opinion on it.

I'm glad it ended on Ash though. Having my dad or Emmett here would have defeated the point in me moving out. Having Leon here was a straight up and immediate no. I don't think I'd be laughing or even close to feeling relaxed like I am right now.

"Okay. Look here you. All these one-night stands, one and done guys, shitty exes. Did none of them compliment you?" I shrugged. I got compliments don't get me wrong, but they always came down to what I could give them. Hot, nice ass, pretty smile. All things a guy looks for in a one-night thing. I could take them. Those kind of compliments were second nature and I didn't feel awkward taking them. As soon as they turned into more intense compliments, I feel like my brain just shuts off. "Ludicrous. Prepare to be so complimented you might melt into a puddle."

"No don't-"

"Are we going head to toe or toe to head?" I tried to shuffle out of him but his grip tightened. "Head to toe. You always put so much effort into how you look, even down to leaving the hospital this morning you wanted to look your best when you were literally unconscious 12 hours before hand. You're beautiful, not just on the outside either. You are carrying so much weight in your head and still somehow manage to keep a smile on your face. You're so fucking strong and everything I've seen you go through in the past 2 months you've handled with so much pride. You're the single most hard-working person I know, you're a lot smarter than you give yourself credit for. You have a very guarded exterior but underneath that you have the softest, kindest heart. You're insanely driven and talking to you brings me so much happiness it's just a little bit sickening. You're my favourite person to spend time with. Why are you crying?" He scowled in the mirror, unhooking my legs and spinning me around effortlessly. "Tor?" I buried my head into the crook of his neck. "You really don't get complimented do you?"

I didn't want to answer him. I knew he wouldn't like the answer and the fact he was asking it told me he knew the answer anyway. I didn't exactly surround myself with people who had the chance to see the real me. Even then, Ash hadn't seen it all. He'd caught me in weak moments that had led to slip ups. Specifically, over the past 24 hours. Until then the glimpses he'd seen were still very controlled. It felt useless now. There was still a lot that I didn't exactly want anyone seeing, things that certain people saw and other people had no idea about, like the panic attacks. Kenz and Lexi knew about them. That's it. My parents and everyone else were strictly a no panic attack zone.

"Tori. When was the last time anyone complimented you on anything that wasn't how you looked in a bar?"

"Your dad when I gave him my notice." He sighed.

"Not even your dad? Or your parents before leaving for the gala?"

"We're not that kind of family." I felt him scowl, pulling back until I looked at him, flushed red.

"When did they last hug you?"

"Can we change the topic please?"

"No." He shook his head quickly. "When was the last time someone you were related to told you they loved you Tori?" Was never even an option?

"I'm ready for bed." I pulled back from him, fighting a little harder when he wanted to fight me against it. But I did. I pulled myself to my feet, moving out of the way and looking at the mess. "I'll deal with this in the morning."

"Tor-"

"I put some spare blankets on your bed um, if you need anything."

"Tori." I scratched my head, leaning down to grab my phone from the floor, standing back up quickly. "Hey. Tor-"

"Night Ash." I walked out of the room, heading into my bedroom next door.

"Tori. No wait. Please. I'm sorry. I didn't mean-" Closing the door in his face, slowly sliding down the door until I was sat on the floor. What a shit weekend this was.