1974 || 5SOS

Chapter 17

Scarlett

The cool December air bit at my cheeks as I walked up the stairs to our shared apartment, bags of shopping looped around my wrists. Holiday decorations sparkled in every shop window downtown, and I'd treated myself to something red and slinky—just in case there was another party or photoshoot on the horizon.

The apartment was buzzing with warmth and faint strains of music from the record player. I pushed open the door to find Ashton sprawled on the couch, his feet kicked up on the coffee table and a devilish grin lighting up his face.

"Finally," he drawled, holding up a glossy magazine-sized item in his hands. "Look what I snagged this morning."

The blood drained from my face, only to be replaced with a surge of heat. "Wait," I said, dropping my bags and rushing toward him. "Let me see it first!"

He held it just out of reach, flipping it open dramatically as his eyes darted across the pages. "Scarlett Knight," he teased, his grin widening. "The hottest December I've ever seen. Did you know you look better on glossy paper than in real life?"

I lunged for it, but he leaned back, laughing as he kept it just beyond my fingertips.

"Ashton!" I gasped, fighting the laughter bubbling in my chest.

"You'll get it eventually," he teased, his long arm stretching over his head. "But not until I've had my fill. This is history right here—front and center, babe."

I scrambled over the back of the couch, my knees digging into the cushions as I reached for the calendar. "Seriously, let me see! It's my face, after all!"

"And what a face it is," he said with a wink. "But have you seen these legs?" He held the calendar open, but still just out of my reach. I saw the corner of the photo—a sultry pose in a sheer robe, my heels hanging off the edge of a chair.

I lunged forward, trying to grab it out of his hands, but he held the calendar just out of reach, his grin widening. "You didn't think this was gonna stay private, did you? A little piece of you, immortalized in fur and lace. Come on, babe, admit it—this is a moment."

"You're impossible," I muttered, finally tackling him with all the force I could muster. We landed in a heap on the couch, laughing and breathless, the calendar clutched in both of our hands.

He finally relented, letting me tug it free. My cheeks burned as I flipped through the pages to December. There I was—barely covered, the robe clinging to my curves like it was the only thing keeping me grounded in this new world. But beneath it all, beneath the image of the girl in the fur and lace, I could feel something stirring inside me.

"Is this really me?" I whispered, almost in awe of what I was seeing.

"You're a star," Ashton murmured, his voice softer now. His teasing grin melted into something warmer, his hand brushing a stray strand of hair from my face.

I bit my lip, trying to hide my nerves, but inside, I couldn't stop the fluttering in my stomach. Maybe this was part of becoming someone else. Someone bolder. Someone who didn't shy away from the spotlight.

"Well," I said finally, locking eyes with him. "You sure got a good show, didn't you?"

He winked. "I get the best seat in the house, babe. Although, I'd like to see it in person."

"Keep wishing," I whispered gently into his ear, my voice low and teasing.

Ashton leaned in, his breath warm against my skin. "Maybe if I'm a good boy, Santa will give it to me?" he murmured, his lips brushing the side of my neck. A shiver ran down my spine, and for a moment, the calendar, the robe, the fur—it all faded into the background.