Project Daddy || a.i

Chapter 69 || "Lads Sleepover."

This chapter is sucky but I've been away for 2 weeks and panicked k

- Pandora -

Ashton fücked up.

This week was meant to be about him, about me, about our relationship, but instead it full of meetings and business deals. Packing and stressful shopping experiences. I tried to be supportive. I tried to be happy. But with every day we spent apart, it chipped away at my confidence, leaving me bitter and vulnerable.

He promised. He promised we wouldn't waste the time we had left together. Yet here I was, sitting with my mother in living room, watching re-runs of The Big Bang Theory.

This was my life now.

"Pandora, could you pass me the remote?" She questioned, extending her hand out towards me. I shot her a furious scowl, hugging the plastic device affectionately to my chest

"But I love this episode."

"You've seen it a million times before."

"...But I love this episode."

My mum raised her eyebrows expectantly and I let out a defeated sigh, begrudgingly passing her the remote. She smiled in delight and quickly changed the Channel, The Great Australian Bake Off now visible upon the screen.

It was this moment I began to regret every decision that had led me up to this point.

"Mum." I groaned, throwing my head back in annoyance. She just smirked smugly, hiding the remote behind her back before shifting into a more comfortable position.

"My house, my rules."

I rolled my eyes and slouched back into my chair, my demeanour grumpy and hostile. I wanted to hit everything and everyone, yet I bottled my emotions and retrieved my phone from my back pocket, debating whether or not to text Ashton.

He had ignored my past three attempts, so the chance of him replying to another was slim, yet there was a small part of me that just needed the reassurance that I could still contact him - whether he replied or not.

"What's wrong, honey?"

"What?" I frowned, abruptly lifting my gaze from my phone.

My mother stared at me from across the room, her lips pulled back into a sympathetic smile - as if she knew exactly what I was thinking. She had a glint in her eye - the same glint mother's got when they knew there was gossip to be told - and I mentally scolded myself for being so emotionally transparent.

My mother didn't even know about Ashton, so how could I possibly tell her about this?

"I can see something's wrong, sweetie." She continued "What is it?"

"Nothing." I answered automatically, averting my gaze to the floor.

I didn't want her to see the guilt in my eyes.

"Are you sure?" She pressed, studying me with motherly concern "Is it because of Luke and the tour?"

I winced, a painful reminder of just how soon Ashton would be leaving me. He hadn't even made the effort to visit me since Saturday, and the only interaction we had had was at school, with brief hugs exchanged awkwardly in the hallway.

I hated how busy he was and I hated how selfish I sounded.

"No."

"Then what is it? Is it a boy?"

I remained completely silent and slowly lowered my head, my cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment. I didn't want to lie to my mother, yet I couldn't find the courage to openly confess.