Something Beautiful

↠s i x t e e n ↠

Song of the chapter:
I'm So Sorry by Imagine Dragons

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Ashton and I ended up staying at the beach for a couple of hours, and we were completely soaked by the time we got back into the Jeep. But I didn't care. Finally I found someone who liked me for who I was.

"Wow, I don't think I've ever been this soaked in my life!" Ashton said, as he pushed his wet hair off of his face. Then he looked down at his hands and chuckled. "My fingers are wrinkly."

"So are mine!" I laughed.

"Are you ready to go home? To face all those people?" Ashton asked. The way he said it clearly meant he didn't want to go home.

I shrugged. "It doesn't matter to me. I don't know any of them." I glanced at him to see that he was gripping the steering wheel tightly, making his knuckles turn white. "You really don't want people asking you about your mother, do you?"

He gazed at me, surprised that I said that. "Y--yes, actually. I just hate thinking about my mother in the condition she is in right now."

"What about your father?" Ashton had never talked about him so I was curious.

Ashton shook his head sadly. "He's not in the picture anymore."

"Oh." I whispered. "I'm sorry."

He shrugged. "It's not like I remember." I knew that he was only acting like it didn't matter. I could tell he really hurt.

Why does everybody have to leave you? I thought.

"Well, how about we sneak through my window?" I asked him.

"Your window? Isn't it locked?" By now, we were driving, heading in the direction of home.

I shook my head. "I'm pretty sure I have it open a crack. It was really hot in my room last night."

"Well, I guess that could work." Ashton looked happier now that he knew that there was a way for him to get in without being seen.

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"Aaaauuuugggghhhh!" Ashton yelped from the dark behind me.

"Shut up, Ashton!" I hissed, trying not to giggle.

"Jim really needs to clean up this backyard. It's a hazard to my well-being!" Ashton exclaimed.

"Just stop--" I started.

THWACK!

"AUGGGGGGHHHHHHH!" Ashton screamed really loud.

I whipped around and reached my arm out into the dark, blindly flinging it around. Finally I felt a warm object and grabbed hold of it. It was Ashton's arm. I pulled him towards me and when his head was near mine, I whispered, "Be quiet! Do you want to get in there unseen or not?"

"Yes." He whispered back. "I wish we had a damn flashlight so I could see where I am going though. By the time we actually get to the window, I'm going to be covered in bruises."

"Well, we don't so suck it up Princess." I said sarcastically.

He chuckled. "Wow, someone's cranky."

I ignored him and continued to maneuver my way across the yard to my window. After a few more steps, we were finally in front of it and I bent over to open it more. "Okay, you go inside first." I said to Ashton once it was wide open.

"What if I'm too fat?" He asked, half jokingly.

I rolled my eyes. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see, now won't we?"

He stepped beside me and kneeled down, grabbing the windowsill and moving one leg inside. "What? Where's the table?"

"What table?" I asked.

"The table that I can put my feet on."

I groaned. "There isn't one. You jump down to the floor. It's not like you have to jump far."

He sighed, and put the other foot in, pushing his body inside with his hands.

I did the exact same thing right after (except less awkwardly). I almost fell while doing so and I felt a pair of hands settle on my waist, steadying me. After I was stable, his hands lingered there.

I cleared my throat. "Um--"

"Hazel?" Ashton whispered hesitantly.

"Yeah?" His hands still didn't move.

"Can I stay in here tonight?"

"Why?" I asked.

"To protect you--just in case Jason decides to--" he trailed off.

I laughed uncomfortably. "He won't come here. He doesn't know where I live."

"Well--just in case?"

I sighed. "I guess." I put my hands on his and pushed them off. "But keep your hands to yourself. Or you're gone."

He laughed. "Okay, fine."

I sat on my bed and kicked my shoes off, before laying back on my pillow, glad to finally be able to relax.

Ashton slid his shoes off as well, neatly putting them on the floor beside my bedroom door. Then he grabbed mine and put them beside his. When he saw me watching him, he laughed self consciously and said, "Just so nobody trips."

I snorted. "Whatever."

He came over to me and laid beside me, making sure he didn't touch me. "Gnight, Hazel." He murmured and yawned.

I smiled. "Good night, Ashton."

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