My Next Door Bully

Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10 - ONCE A CHEATER, ALWAYS A CHEATER

"HONEY!" I HEAR MY mom say, but I sink myself back into the pillows, "you should have left an hour ago, you're so late!" The door bust open but I stay still, my pillows move and hold me tighter, but then I realize that these are no ordinary pillows—it's Ashton.

I sit up quickly and my mom realizes it's Ashton. "Oh hey, you too," she says calmly. She comes closer and sits on the corner of the bed, at this point Ashton is still sleeping, snoring slightly (I'm thankful I snapped a shot at his cuteness; his mouth slightly open and hsi arm draped over his eyes to block out the light. "Whatcha do yesterday?" She tries to act cool.

I explain what happened with Priya and Ben, thankfully without crying. "I'm sorry honey." She stands up, "you can stay home if you want, I made pancakes."

"No, I think I'll go, but I will take pancakes," I respond.

"Great!" she says, "Ash, you want some too?" Ashton, barely awake, nods without replying. Before my mom left, she stopped at the door, remembering something, "did you two use protection?"

"Oh my god, mom! We're just friends," I tell her. Ashton is bright red at this remark.

"That's not the way I see it ..." she trails off and shuts my door.

Soon, Ashton and I bust out laughing, "she ... thought we slept together," I say in between laughs.

"Well, literally ... we did—" we laugh until it fades away, remembering what happened.

We get up and he climbs out my window to get ready, "you know we have a door, right?" I call after him.

He turns around and grins, "but this is more fun, and closer to my room." He climbs into his own and I turn around to get ready.

I take a quick shower then dress myself in sweatpants and Ashtons black hoodie that has become my all time favorite.

I leave my hair naturally, a little wavy. Finally, I grab my school bag.

I get my phone from my bedside table before I go downstairs. I had eleven missed phone calls from Priya and more than twenty texts from Ben repidalety saying "I'm sorry" and "I'll make it up to you" like it's something to move past from. I believe that once a cheater, always a cheater.

When I get downstairs my mom and Ashton, already dressed, are eating, both of them simultaneously choke on what they're chewing when I come down.

I sit next to Ashton and he gives me a small smile, "I love it when you wear my hoodie," he whispers. "It looks better on you."

I smile, not shying away from his flirtiness. "I guess you're just going to have to give me more of your clothes."

He smiles wildly and shoves some pancake into his mouth, shaking his hair knowingly.

We leave after Ashton finishes his fourth pancake. We say goodbye to my mom and leave in my car, we crank up the radio and both sing along. Who knew Ashton was also a great singer. I love it.

I even sometimes felt Ashton's eyes on me, which once again made me feel self-conscious.

We arrive at my school at almost eleven. We hurry to the office, get tardies, and split up to head to our classes.

At the end of the school day, "Hey, I've called you like a hundred times," I hear Priyas voice. I ignore her with an emotionless face, I will not cry anymore. "Hello?" I shut my locker and fast-walk to the parking lot where Anthony, Kayla, Elle, and Ashton are waiting for me. I feel Priya trailing after me. "Are you like ignoring me?" I don't respond, "why thought?"