Fly Before You Fall

Fugitives

"My mum thinks I did it!" Topper yelled in outrage as he continued his pull ups. "Even though there's no way I could've."

Ashton set down the weight he had been lifting with Rafe - who had been spotting him.

He sat her, slightly out of breath as he picked up his water bottle.

"I mean, how?" Topper continued as he descended to the ground and walked over to a rack to grab his towel. "It's always my fault, no matter what. She just... she just wants me to be this little robot that... that just checks her boxes. You know what I mean? SAT prep? Oh, check. Serving food at the shelter? Check. I mean, I do... I literally do everything she wants, and I'm sick of it."

Rafe tapped Ashton to get up so that he could take his turn lifting.

Ashton complied.

"Ash, man you gotta tell your mum to talk to mine. Probably the only person she'll listen to." Topper spoke.

Ashton froze. He turned to look at Topper.

"Whatever it is, man, keep me away from it." He spoke.

Topper's eyes widened. "My boat got sunk!"

And they had assaulted an innocent guy. Ashton thought to himself but didn't dare say it out loud. Not just any guy but Amelia's cousin.

Rafe raised his brows at Ashton guessing the obvious.

"You and Aimee made up, didn't ya?"

They had just made up last night. She had finally opened up to him, trusted him, been vulnerable with him.

He couldn't mess that up now.

Ashton's slightly pink face gave him the answer he needed.

Rafe grinned. "You went to her house, didn't you?" He got up getting in his face.

"Yeah, last night, so?" Ashton scoffed trying not to show too much emotion to Rafe who would probably tease him for being a simp.

Rafe let out a loud laugh as he patted his shoulder. He then suddenly got quiet and leaned in.

"Did she finally let you hit?" He taunted.

Ashton pushed him away. "Shut up." He muttered.

Rafe grinned at Kelce who returned the expression.

"Man, you gotta claim what's yours. I always say that and Diego always told me that too." Rafe spoke proudly.

Ashton paused and looked at Rafe.

Whenever he spoke about his brother, he knew he must be doing something right.

Something Diego would approve of.

Of course Amelia and him hadn't done anything yet. But it was only a matter of time until they did now.

They were going back to how things had been before the accident. They were getting close again and she was getting more and more herself.

She told him about ballet.

If that's what had been bothering her all this time, keeping her closed up - it was something they could take on together.

He knew how much ballet had meant to her and to give it up must have been so hard. But he knew he could be there for her. Give her the support she needed.

Heck, they would find another hobby she could take on.

The point is that he would be there this time.

Rafe let out a 'whoop' and patted Ashton on the back.

"My boy is no longer a boy! We need to celebrate!" He cheered.