Road Trip With the Enemy

Chapter Nine

I look over at Ashtrid. "This is boring," I say.

He meets my eyes. "What?"

"This," I say, motioning to the interstate. "I wanna do something. Like go to the mall, go to the lake, crash a wedding, or just something besides this!"

Ashtrid chuckles, "Crash a wedding?"

I shrug. "It just came to my mind."

Ashtrid sighs, "Do you have a bathing suit?"

I look at him. "You're not going to argue with me, or call me a whinebag?"

He smirks. "Do you want me to?"

I shake my head. "No thanks, and yeah, I have a bathing suit."

"I'll try to find a motel near a lake or with a pool. You're right. This is kind of boring," he says.
*****
Ashtrid pulls into the motel, and I look at my watch. It's almost four in the afternoon. While he gets a room, I get out and walk over to the trunk. Luckily, Ashtrid unlocked it, so I grab my smaller suitcase.

Ashtrid comes back to the car, and he grabs his backpack. "Pool is open 24 hours a day," he says, handing me the key. "I'll be up in a minute, so don't lock me out."

I take it and give him a grin. "No promises," I say, grabbing my suitcase. I hurry to the room before Ashtrid can say anything. I walk into the bathroom then find my bathing suit, which is a black bikini, and change.

When I come out, Ashtrid is sliding into his flip flops. He's wearing a pair of blue trunks and white tank top. He looks me up and down. "My eyes are up here," I say.

He meets my eyes and scowl. "Really? I hadn't noticed."

I throw him a towel and wrap mine around me. "I'll meet you down there."

"Oh, no you don't," Ashtrid says. I look at him. "There is about four guys who are like thirty something down there."

I cross my arms. "Why are you so worried?"

Ashtrid rolls his eyes. "I told your mom that I would look out for you, so let me pee and we'll leave."

I roll my eyes. "Um, I'm going to go," I say. "I can handle myself."

Ashtrid scowls. "Wait," he growls. I study him for a moment before sitting down on the bed. He stands there.

"Go pee," I say. Ashtrid walks into the bathroom and shuts the door. I grab my purse from off the bed and slide it over my shoulder. A few moments later Ashtrid comes out.

"Come on," he says. I roll my eyes and follow Ashtrid out. I hand him the key, and he locks the door. He hands it back, and I slide it into my purse.

We walk to the pool, and Ashtrid wasn't lying. There's four guys in the corner of pool smoking a cigarette. I take my towel off and slide of my sandals then take my purse off. The men look at me.

Then, a pair of my hands are placed on my waist. "You wanted to go swimming. I'm taking you swimming," Ashtrid whispers in my ear before picking me up, making me squeal and throwing me into the pool.

When I resurface, I find Ashtrid laughing his head off. I take this chance to reach up and grab his arm, yanking him into the pool. "Oliv-" his words are cut off by him going under.

He resurfaces, and I can't help but laugh. "Oh, you're gonna pay," he says, swimming over to me. I scream and swim as fast as I can before a pair of hands wrap around my waist. I'm turned around and come face to face with Ashtrid's green eyes. We are an inch from each other's face.

He eyes my lips then says, "Are you going to apologize?"

I can smell his minty breath. "No," I say, leaning in until we are a centimeter apart. Then...I splash him in the face with water, making sure it didn't get in my face. I laugh and swim away.

"Liv," Ashtrid says, swimming toward me.

"Asteroid," I reply in the same tone.

He frowns. "Stop calling me that."

I smirk. "Na, I like it." I look around the pool, and see that the men are gone.

I look back to where Ashtrid was, but he is gone. "Ashtrid?" I ask. Then, I am pushed under water. When I come back up, Ashtrid is in front of me, smirking. I scowl. "Not funny," I say.

"No, it wasn't. It was hilarious," he says. I swim over to the edge and get out. "Where are you going?" he asks.

I look at him. "To turn on music," I say. I grab my towel and dry my hands off. Then, I reach in my purse and grab my phone. I go to my playlist and hit shuffle.

The first song to come on is Sleepwalker by Adam Lambert, my all time favorite song. I lay my phone on my purse and get back in the pool.

I saw a picture of you
Hanging in an empty hallway
I heard a voice that I knew
And I couldn't walk away
It took me back to the end
Of everything
I taste it all I taste it all
The tears again

Ashtrid swims over to me. "You like Adam Lambert?" he asks.

I nod. "Of course."

Outside the rain's fallin' down
There's not a drop that hits me
Scream at the sky but no sound

Then, I start singing.

"Is leavin' my lips
It's like I can't even feel
After the way you touched me
I'm not asleep but I'm not awake
After the way you loved me"

I pause, and Ashtrid smiles. "You're not half bad," he says.

I laugh, "Yeah, right."

"Really, you are pretty good."

I fake shock. "Did Ashtrid James Randall just compliment me?"

Ashtrid laughs, "Don't get used to it." I laugh, and we swim around for a little while longer until we get tired. We go back to our room, and I get in the shower first. When I come out, I crash onto the bed and fall asleep.