I frowned, thrown off "Do i...remember?"
"Do you remember..." she starts but her voice falters. She glances down at the sand, biting her lip debating whether to even continue.
She then takes a shaky breath and finally looks up. Eyes locking with m...
Song for the chapter: "Thinking out Loud" by Ed Sheeran
Ashley's POV It felt so good to spend time with D and catch up on things we hadn't talked about over the phone. With him, it was easy to laugh, easy to breathe, like nothing heavy was hovering over me.
Currently, he was sprawled on the couch waiting for me to finish getting ready for the party. Mom had already gone downstairs in a chic jumpsuit that made her figure pop, her confidence filling the room as if the party were hers.
I, on the other hand, had been dead set on wearing jeans again, but of course, she threatened me into dressing up and even put D in charge of making sure I didn't back out. Typical.
After slicking my hair back into a neat ponytail with gel, I let two strands fall loose on each side of my face, softening the look. Finally, I settled on a white mini dress with a low back, paired with simple fashion slippers that still somehow made me feel put together.
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"How do I look?" I asked, smoothing the dress down one last time.
D looked up from his phone, and his smile stretched across his face like sunrise. "Breathtaking. Come on, let's go."
I nodded, warmth spreading through me, and we headed out hand in hand. But when we reached the bottom of the stairs, D suddenly stopped, spinning me to face him. His hands gripped my shoulders gently, his eyes locked on mine with a seriousness that made my stomach twist.
"I need you to promise me something," he said.
I tilted my head. "What is it?"
"Don't pay attention to Aiden. Just enjoy the day. Can you do that for me?" His voice was almost pleading.
My frown deepened. "D, yo—"
"Please, Ashley?" he cut me off, his expression soft but firm.
I wanted to argue, wanted to tell him that ignoring Aiden wasn't that simple, not today of all days—the day that should have been our anniversary too. The thought of spending it watching him with someone else already made my stomach ache. But instead, I forced myself to nod.
D gave a small smile, though his eyes said he didn't quite believe me, then laced his fingers through mine and guided me to where everyone was waiting.
"I'm guessing everyone is here," Josh's voice rang out, commanding attention. He and Kairah were dressed in matching shades of blue clothes , with summer hats perched perfectly on their heads. "Let's head over to the beach!"
Cheers erupted as the group started moving, buzzing with curiosity. No one knew where the celebration would take place, and honestly, I was glad it turned out to be the beach.
D crouched in front of me suddenly, and before I could protest, I was on his back. He carried me piggyback style all the way down, and we laughed like little kids the whole way—until he stopped dead in his tracks.
