Gamble a.i

8. "you'll ruin your dress"

Mac's POV

"You're not going to sleep with this waitress, are you, Ashton?" I whisper to the boy sitting on my left.

"Nah, she's not really my type," he answers.

"What's your type?"

"Why do you need to know?" he snaps at me.

I huff and slump down in my seat. Fucking bastard. His mood swings are giving me whiplash. At some points, I think he isn't that bad, but then he snaps on me full force like he just did, and I'm wishing I didn't exist.

No matter what though, I cannot deny the fact that he's a beautiful angel sent from a glorious Hell.

"I don't have a type, Mackayla. I just know what I want," Ashton sighs, pacing a hand on my bare thigh before squeezing slightly and pulling away.

It seemed like such a natural habit to him, but I'm not used to it, so when I blush and look down, he mutters a quick "sorry".

"You don't have to be sorry," I say quietly. "You're the first guy that has done that, that's all."

"So, how's your project going, Mac?" someone asks me.

I snap my attention to the voice, leading to my sister. She smiles knowingly, warning me against getting too close to Ashton in front of my parents.

I sit up straighter and tell her, "the project has been going along smoothly, actually. I still have a lot to write, but so far it's going good."

"Same for me. There's a lot more to Mackayla than her middle name, which is beautiful, Missus Reid," Ashton flashes his killer smile, and suddenly my world stops.

"Thank you, Ashton. Rene was actually my great grandma's name. It's been passed down throughout the generations. I hope Mac keeps it going," Mum says adoringly, but I'm not focusing on her; I'm focusing on the beautiful human being that just won my mom over.

I'll be impressed if he can win Phillip over, but then again, his approval doesn't matter to me.

Approval for what?

I don't know.

I stop staring at Ashton when he looks at me as if I've grown a second head.

"So, how far along are you, Mildred?" I ask.

"Ten weeks," she smiles proudly.

This is a happy night. I shouldn't be fawning over a man that would surely break my heart. I shouldn't be fawning at all, even if he does look like an effin god.

When the waitress comes back with our meal, we all say a gracious thank you before digging in.

Ashton helps Miranda cut her steak into smaller pieces. Not only is it adorable, but seeing Ashton interact with a child warms my heart.

"So, Ashton, what're you going to do after you graduate?" Phillip asks.

Please don't say anything about your band. Please don't.

"Well, I want to go to a University with a music scholarship. I was thinking Julliard," Ashton answers carefully.

"Where's Julliard?" Mum queries.

"It's in the States," Phillip answers for Ashton.

"Yeah." Ashton looks aggravated. Phillip is one of those people that piss everyone else off. That's why I don't like him.

"Ashton is very ambitious," I tell my family.

Ashton shoots me a glare as if to say 'I don't need your help. Back off.'

And I do. I'm not standing up for someone that wouldn't do the same for me. Instead, I start up a conversation with Jax, keeping careful tabs on the conversation to my left.

When Ashton finishes his food, he goes to the bathroom, leaving me alone with my family.

"I don't like him," states Phillip.

"I don't care," I snap.

"You need to stay away from him."

"You're not my boss. I'm old enough to make my own decisions, and besides, if I stay away from him, I'm failing my class."

Phillip rolls his eyes. "School isn't the most important thing in your life," he says.

"Are you kidding me? Of course it is! That's the most important thing Carli wants me to do. She wants me to go to a University, get married and tell my kids all about Aunt Carli. That's all she wanted, and I'll be damned if I don't get it for her."

"Who is this really for, Mac? You or Carli? Three months ago, you didn't want anything to do with school and now-"

"Three months ago I was depressed out of my mind!"

"-you're hell bent on going to a University."

"I wanted to die three months ago; I didn't enjoy school because everywhere I turned, there was some mark of Carli. She was still named cheer captain! It was as if she hadn't even died!"

I stand abruptly just as Ashton came into view, looking dull. I rush past him and find my way outside, running as far as I could with my heels in my hands before I gulped down fresh air and let the tears stream freely down my face.

Sobs escaped my mouth, and I double over in pain, sinking to my knees in the crisp grass. It's dark out, and the moon is shining beautifully but waterfalls are flowing from my eyes, and I can't see straight.

"Mackayla!" A voice calls distantly.

Another sob pours pitifully from my mouth, starting all the way from the bottom of my stomach.

Why did it have to be Carli? Out of everyone in the damned world, why Carli?

"Mackayla! Oh-"

Footsteps pound to me, and suddenly, arms envelope me, which makes me cry harder, wishing it was Carli.

"It hurts so bad, Ashton," I choke out.

"And it will, for a long time, but it'll get better. It always will," he promises with a kiss to my head. "Now stand up; you'll ruin your dress, and it looks gorgeous on you, Mackayla."

I do as I'm told, and clench onto Ashton for dear life. "Will you take me home?" I ask.

"I have a better idea," he says before grabbing my hand and leading me to his car.

"What do you say to a movie night, Mackayla?"

Ahhh short chapter but this almost made me cry! And agh the Ashton feels.

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Erin xx