Chapter 5

219 1 2

by kararust

by kararust

- Present Day -

*Ashlee's POV*

The days since Dalton and I's date flew by in a blur. Tomorrow was my eighteenth birthday. I was still insanely pissed that my mom would still be in Wisconsin, but she promised me she'd make it up to me when she got back. Clayton and I had made plans to go to the movies, his treat. I looked at the time, 10:40. Only 1 hour and twenty minutes until I'm 18.

I texted Aly and asked her if she wanted to Skype. She immediately replied, and I heard my laptop ringing from across the room. Her face immediately filled my screen. "Hey sweet cheeks." I laughed and replied, "Hey shugaaa." She made a funny face and batted her eyelashes.

"fli-to in-depa.." A garbling noise cut in. Aly's eyes widened a little and she quickly plugged in her headphones. "Uhh, what was that..?" I asked. She squinted her eyes and quickly said, "What? Oh, that was probably Elizabeth being a retard, it's nothing." She was talking way too fast, a sign which alerted me that she was lying. While Elizabeth is quite stupid, I'm almost positive that wasn't her. I smiled a little deciding to let it go.

We talked a little longer, about the randomest things. I looked down at the time on my computer, 11:59. "Alyyyyy." I squealed. She laughed at me and together we counted down the seconds until 'midnight.

"5..4..3..2..1... EIGHTEEEEEN." We both screamed together. My cat, Lulu, jumped off the bed and sashayed down the hallway away from me. We both laughed loudly at her. Aly quickly looked over her shoulder and said, "Hey, I have to go, I hear my mom calling me. Happy Birthday Ash." I smiled and said, "Okay, thank youuu. Love you Hankers." "Love you too, Fonsers." She waved and then she was gone.

I shut my laptop and checked my phone. I had messages from Facebook and Twitter alerting me that people had wished me a happy birthday. I had two text messages, one from Clayton wishing me a happy birthday and reminding me about our movie date at six. Another from my mom, apologizing and also telling me happy birthday. I thanked all of them and locked my phone. I snuggled under my blankets and quickly fell asleep.

*Next day*

"Come onnn Ash, it's gonna be midnight before we leave." I laughed into my phone. "Shut up Clay, with the way you drive we'll be there in no time." "Hey, there's nothing wrong with driving a little over the speed limit." He replied. "Oh yeah, except it's ya know against the law." I said. He laughed, "Hurry up Ashlee, you take foreveerrrr." "I'm coming, I'm on my way down, just calm your buns." I hung up my phone and bounded down the stairs.

I stepped outside to Clayton honking at me. I shook my head and opened the car door. "I swear to god Clayton Collins." I smacked his arm after buckling my seatbelt. "I gotta give you a little hell on your eighteenth birthday Ash." He said while mussing my hair. I swatted him away, "Just drive you llittle muskrat."

He laughed a little, then started feeling his pockets. "Shit Ash, I forgot my wallet at home." He started to turn the car around. "No Clay, it's okay I can pay for us." "No Ash, it's your birthday, it's my treat, plus I've already turned the car around." I sighed and leaned back in my seat. "We better not miss the movie, I'll rip out all that pretty hair." He laughed at me then reached over to pat me again, but I swatted him away.

We pulled up to his house and he turned off the car. "Hey, come say hi to Kitten, she's missed you." Clayton suggested. I started to protest, but he clicked the button on my seatbelt, reached over to open my door and pointed towards his house. I sighed loudly and got out of the car. "I can't resist a fluffy Kitten."

I followed him up to his house, elbowing him the whole way. He opened his front door with his house key and stepped back for me to go first. "Thank you kind sir!" I said while curtsying. He laughed and flicked on the lights.

"SURPRISE!!!!"

I fell back into Clayton and screamed. "WHAT THE HELL?" I opened my eyes to see all my friends standing in a group laughing and holding 'Happy 18th' and 'We love you' signs. I turned around and slapped Clayton's chest "So this is what you we're hiding from me that day on Skype!" He laughed and hugged me "Happy Birthday Ash."

I walked around for a while and thanked everyone for coming. Suddenly, I felt someone grab my wrist. I turned around and bumped into Dalton. "Woah there." He said catching me. "Oh my gosh, Dalton! You kept this from me too?!" He laughed loudly and hugged me. "I'm sorry Ash. Forgive me?" He said into my hair. I felt my breath catch. I hugged him closer and whispered, "Of course." He pulled back and grabbed my hand. "Come to the backyard with me for a second, I have a present for you." I nodded my head and followed him through the crowd of people dancing.

We stepped outside into the cold night, I shivered and Dalton held me closer. We stopped and he turned me around to face him. "So, I know how much your friends mean to you. Especially Aly." I nodded along, not quite knowing where he was going with this. "So, one day while you we're with Clayton, I had him get Aly's number. I called her and explained to her Clayton's party idea." I held up my hands. "Why would you call Aly, she lives in Michigan, she can't come to this party." He smiled at me and grabbed my shoulders. "Close your eyes. "Wh-" "Ashlee, close your eyes and turn around."

*Dalton's POV*

I watched as Ashlee hesitantly closed her eyes. I looked up and motioned for Aly to come closer. She smiled really big and ran over to stand in front of Ashlee.

"Okay Ash, on 3, I want you to open your eyes. 1..2.." I felt her tense up. "..3."

*Ashlee's POV*

"..3." I heard Dalton breathe out the number and I slowly opened my eyes.

"Oh my god. A-Aly?"