Your Lies Are Your Only Mask

He Hid Me in The Darkness

***

"So we're actually doing this?" I asked, linking my arm with Ashton's.

"Why? Don't you think we can?" He stopped mid-step and looked down at me,

"I didn't say that, it's just-." My hesitation was clear, causing a worried expression to fall on his face.

"Just what?"

I chuckled, "It's just that, I've never been away from home before." He shrugged,

"Your point being..?" My gaze turned to the floor, I unhooked my hand from his and stared blankly at my crooked fingers. "Look at me." I couldn't. "Eva." His voice became stern, he took hold of my chin with a finger and tilted it up gently. "We are going to be fine, I'm going to look after you. Just think of it as a huge holiday where it will be just you and me."

"We're never coming back though, right?"

"Never."

***

My window slid open with a slight creak. I grimaced at the thought of my dad walking in now, me coming through my window in the dark of the night, in the company of a boy. Ash wouldn't be the only one he would beat to a pulp. I grabbed a medium sized bag and began shoving all my necessities inside. As would be expected, I don't have many possessions. My relatives all abandoned me when my mum did. I went from having nearly everyone I could have asked for, to no one in the space of what felt like a minute. Ashton zipped my bag up as quietly as possible, while I grabbed the box at the back of my wardrobe. It has a lot of weight to it now, pleasing me to no end.

"What's in there?" He whispered to me and pointed to the box, I pressed a finger to my lips and made my way back to the window. With a quick movement I was out, and leading the way for Ashton who closed the window once more. We reached the ground with a thud, "So what's in the box? Something for me?"

"Jeez, so persistent." He grinned and shrugged innocently.

"If you must know there's at least two and a half grand in there." He raised both his eyebrows, "Saved up over the last six or seven years doing various jobs and other stuff."

"Other stuff?"

"Another time." I said looking away from his confused expression, then he frowned but before any kind of protest he nodded understandably. "So, what now?"

"We catch a train to London, then find my manager and-."

"What manager?"

A slight sigh before he said, "I'm trying to start a career in music, at the moment it's too slow, and I recently hired a sort of manager to help me get on the ladder. I came back here to meet him but he's already in London getting things started." I couldn't help the wave of an unfamiliar emotion that was consuming me bit by bit. "You've gone quiet."

"Do I have to talk all the time?" I cringed at my bluntness,

"No, but I've certainly never seen you this quiet before."

"How would you know? Seven years is a long time Ashton. I've changed, and clearly you have too." My jealous outburst surprised even me. I was never familiar with the greenness of envy, I just got on with life knowing it would never be as perfect as everyone else's. His expression, however,  scared me enough to regret what I said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Anger was clear in his tone causing me to cower slightly,

"It means, maybe this isn't such a good idea." I almost stumbled, I've never been this confident.

"How can you say that? You're the one who wanted me to stay so badly."

"Yeah, I wanted you to stay, not expect me to somehow fit in with your new found pop star life. No matter how far into the process you are. I don't think I can do this with you, you obviously want to live the larger life an-." The silence was deafening, my chest rose and fell dramatically. It took me by surprise when he said,

"Who says you can't fit in with it, with my life?"

"Anyone. Everyone."

"Well anyone and everyone, doesn't include me." He was much softer in his tone and I felt comforted. I couldn't find my words. "Do you still sing?" I nodded, "Sing to me."

"Here? We're in the middle of a street." I scoffed and looked around the isolated neighbourhood. The houses were lit up and showed the families inside.

"So?"

"So, what if someone hears us?"

"Then they will hear your amazingly, perfect voice." He said in a failed attempt at being posh. I cringed and hit him lightly on the arm. "Please."

"Not here." Ashton sighed as if he was frustrated, but I could see him trying to fight a smile. "I'm sorry if I don't want to sing my heart out to my non-existent fans."

He laughed and cupped my hands which were smothered in my hoodie, "I'll wait. I was just hoping that you would agree to... be in a duet with me, in London. You don't have to I was just thinking that you used to enjoy singing so much and why not do something with me so you don't get bored at rehearsals?"

"I..um don't know what to say."

"Don't decide now. Just think about it." I nodded, "Okay, lets go catch a train!" 

***

And that is Chapter 6 for you.

How do you think the story is going? Should Eva have gone with Ashton? How quickly will their money run out? Will they run into any trouble on the way?

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