Little Miss Nosy

Chapter Twenty-Nine: My Turn

-Edited-

The halls were buzzing with the hype that comes with any long break. More seniors spent their free periods laying around or playing on the football field. Classes with no tests left played movies or allowed students to pull their phones out. And, best of all, the tutoring center was a ghost town.

Usually I'd be ecstatic with the extra caseload but with everything going on in my life right now I'd prefer to focus on no one's work but my own.

"So, Harvard, huh?"

Ashton rolls his eyes at the mention of it as we enter the cafeteria. The double doors in the back are propped wide open, allowing kids to traverse in and out to the picnic tables at the back of the school as they please despite it being winter. The perks to living in Florida, I suppose. But I'll never trade in my oversized sweaters no matter how hot it gets.

"My mom loves the glory that comes with the private, big-name schools. She graduated from Stanford and that's the only one I haven't applied to yet. She's been pestering me about it though, so I guess I'll do it over break."

"Your dad graduate from there, too?" I thank him as he passes me a lunch tray, smiling at the lunch ladies as we pick out what we want. "Chicken noodle soup, please."

"No. He graduated from Florida State. Not as grand as Stanford, I guess, but too big for my liking."

Ashton doesn't light up as he recalls his parent's academic successes. He shrugs it off as if it were nothing. Like following in their footsteps at these prestigious institutions doesn't align with his interests. "And where do you want to go?"

He hums. Picks the orange I just grabbed from the basket next to the register. I huff playfully and grab another. "Stetson has a good political science program. And I could go right into their law school after getting my degree. It's private, how my mom likes it. But different, you know? I don't want my life to replicate theirs."

"Wait! You want to be a lawyer?"

He grins. Proud. "Correct. At least for now. I'm only seventeen so who knows."

I can see why that appeals to him. It's easy to envision: Ashton in a suit in front of a courtroom, battling it out against the bad guys. He's well-spoken and can handle his own, undoubtedly. But anything about being in a legal battle is unsettling to me.

"Makes sense."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. You're...you know..." He raises a brow, curious. I'm even curious where this will take me. "Dominating."

Ashton almost chokes on his drink. He looks at me, intrigued. "Come again?"

"I think you could have a great influence is all! Like, you know how to get your point across and while I've never seen you debate someone, I feel you'd have excellent amounts of control. Not over me, though. Your words usually go in one ear and out the other," I quip.

"You're not lying," he tuts. He glances at my ear. The one that Logan pulled my earring out of. It's long since healed but still is a nasty reminder with a mere look.

"It's attractive." I freeze. Ashton doesn't but he does hesitate with his next step as he turns back to look at me with an amused smirk. Oh, now I've gone and done it.

"You think I'm attractive?"

"It! I said it's attractive! As in your personality," I attempt to defend although I feel I'm just digging a deeper grave. The tips of my ears begin to heat as I duck my head and make my way past him, only for his hand to shoot out and gently land on the top of my head, effectively stopping me.