Dating Game

Chapter 11

I woke up on the beach, still cuddles up to Ashton as the sun came up. I poke his cheek and woke him up to watch the sunset and once it was over we both smelled like sand and sea spray so showers were needed. My phone was dead so I couldn't check the time until we got inside. It's 5:30 AM. Wow too early. I decided to take a quick shower and get in bed for a bit. Ashton has another date today, I think they're going to a club, but Harry doesn't so I plan to bother him all day. I took a quick shower and put on cotton shorts and a t-shirt that's too big for me before taking a nap.
When I woke up it was about 10:30 and my stomach was growling. I got up and pulled on my favorite jeans with a maroon tank top and walked down stairs to find food. I got to the kitchen and saw Harry and Luke in there. I decided silence was the best policy and found egos in the freezer. Score. I popped 2 in the toaster and silently waited. "I think this is the quietest you've ever been. What gives?" Luke said and I turned to see both of them watching me. "Nothing. Just not feeling particularly talky this morning." I said and my waffles popped up. I grabbed the both, holding them with a paper towel before sitting at the bar by the kitchen. I don't like eating in a room only temporarily mine. "You're acting weird." Harry said and sat next to me. "Harry, can we have a minute to talk alone?" Like asked him, motioning towards me and he nodded and left. "Is this because I kissed you?" He asked quietly, once the camera people followed Harry out. "Yes, it is because I explained to you why I didn't want that to happen and you did it anyways." I said quietly, trying not to draw attention to us. "I thought maybe if I did that it would show you that I am the person you want to pick and that it would make your choice easier." He said and wasn't as quiet about it. I slid off my barstool and looked at him. "Well, Luke, I'm just as confused as I was before, so it really only made it worse." I snapped and started to walk away, before he grabbed my arm. "What did I say last time you snapped at me?" "What did I say back?" I said, still snippy and he forced me to turn around. "Luke, get your hand off of me." I said and he pulled me closer to him. "Luke, let go." And he just stared at me. "Luke, I said let go." I said, more firmly this time. His grip tightened along with his jaw and it started to hurt. "I'm not letting go until you stop being rude." "What's going on it here?" Harry asked and I tried to shake my arm from Luke. "Luke, let her go, mate. You'll get in serious trouble for this." He said calmly and finally my arm was released. If I was still considering Luke, he just blew it. I hurried out of the kitchen and out by the pool. I sat down in a chair by the pool and looked at my arm. I didn't realize how hard he was holding my arm, but there's a bruise already forming. "What did you say to him?" Harry asked sitting next to me. "He was being rude so I snapped at him and he doesn't take to kindly to that apparently." I said, crossing my arms to cover the forming bruise. "Is your arm okay? He had a pretty tight grip." "Yeah, it's fine." I said and he believed it. Thank god. "So what do I need to wear tomorrow?" I asked, changing the topic and he smiled at me. "Well, wear something dressy but comfortable." He said and I nodded. "Any hints as to what we're doing?" I asked, hopefully. "Nope." He said and I pouted, hoping he'd change his mind. "You're cute, but no hints. It's going to be a complete surprise." He said and I rolled my eyes, but smiled at how excited he was to go. "So why did you pick me?" I asked him and about this time the camera guy that follows me the most walked out and found us. "Well, you were the person I had the most fun with and I feel like we have a pretty good connection, so the date would be fun and hopefully convince you to pick me." He said and I felt my cheeks heat up. "Who are you guys thinking about picking for final 8?" "I can't tell you that." He said nodding slightly towards the cameras. "Doesn't hurt to ask. I'm curious." I said and shrugged, moving my hands to my lap. I saw the camera guy turn off his camera and set it down before he walked over to me. "I figured I'd mention that you have a bruise on your right arm and it's obviously recent and a hand print. Might wanna go cover that." He whispered and went to get his camera and went inside. "What was that about?" "He was telling me there's a hole in the side of my top. I'll be right back." I said smoothly and hurried into my room to put on a 3/4 sleeve baseball tee I took from MJ with a black wide-rimmed hat. I walked back out to the pool and saw that the other girl Harry had chosen was sitting with him. I went out onto the beach, deciding not to interrupt their conversation and sat on the beach, in the same place me and Ashton always meet. I laid back in the sand and put my hat over my face to block the sun light. I felt my self dosing off before I heard someone talking to me. "What are you doing out here by yourself?" I moved my hat and saw Liam standing over me. "Just relaxing. Care to join me?" I asked and he sat down next to me. "Come out here often?" "I usually come out here with Ashton. I just wanted some alone time I guess." I said and sat up, shaking the sand from my hair. "So any changes on who you want to pick?" "Maybe. Not really. I have no clue. They're making it hard for me and Luke ruined my entire day earlier." "What did he do this time?" He asked and I shook my head. "Grabbed me and was just being a dick." "Did he hurt you when he grabbed you?" "Not really." "What do you mean by not really?" "There may be a slight bruise..." I mumbled and his jaw dropped. "Are you serious? Where?" He asked and I moved my sleeve to show the light purple bruise. "Did he seriously do that to you?" He asked, starting to get up. I pulled my sleeve back down and followed him as he went up the beach. "Liam, where are you going?" "To tell him that is not okay." "Liam, leave it. I don't want to make a big deal out of it. I trust you so I told you." I said and he stopped in his tracks. "Fine. I won't say anything." He said and I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding in. "I think I'm just going to go read." I said and he nodded, letting me go into the house alone. I passed Luke on the way to my room and I quickened my pace a little bit to get to my room faster. Once I got in my room I looked in a mirror to see the bruise fully and I felt my stomach drop. I don't bruise easy but it's not a deep purple color. Shit. I pulled out my phone and tried to call Grayson. No answer. I called MJ and he picked up. "MJ? I need advice." "About what? Boys?" "Kind of. One of them grabbed me and my arm is kinda bruised so I'm not sure what to do." I said and I heard him sigh. "Kick his ass. I'll come kick his ass me, Gray and Aaron will all come kick his ass. Which one was it?" "Don't worry about which one it was. Just know he's been kind of an ass to me recently and I didn't really do anything for it." "So it's that Luke kid?" "Have you all been watching?" "I'll take that as a yes." "Well, I'm not really sure what to do about it because he kissed me the other day and he's just been bipolar with how he treats me." I said and I heard muffled noises in the background. "What's going on?" "Gray was getting shoes out of my room." He said and I rolled my eyes. "Tell that asshole to answer his phone next time I call him." I said and heard him yell, "Gray, you asshole, answer your phone next time Liz calls you because some guy left bruises on her." "There won't be a next time because I'm avoiding him as much as possible." I said and I heard muffled talking. "Gray said he's gonna kick someone's ass and that he misses you. What a dork." "I miss all of you but don't go all mushy on me." I joked and made him laugh. "I've got to go. Talk to you soon." "Text me every once in a while, loser." I said and the line went dead. I decided it was too hot in my room and put my maroon tank top back on before settling into my bed to read. I was there for about an hour before there was a knock on my door. I moved to open it and saw Ashton standing in front of me. "Hoe was the date?" I asked and he stepped into my room before he groaned. "She was so boring. It's the red head girl Luke chose, Bree. I decided I needed a back up plan incase you came to your senses and wow do I need a better back up plan." He rushed and made me laugh. "So it wasn't good?" I asked sitting against the wall on my bed, him sitting in the desk chair across from me. "What's on your arm?" He asked and I looked down. Shit. The bruise. I'm in a tank top. It's on display. Shit shit shit. "Nothing. Must have happened while I was sleeping." I said and he moved to look at it. "It looks like a hand print. Who did that?" "No one. I must have done it in my sleep." I said and couldn't look him in the eye. "Liz, who did this?" He asked as gently tilted my face up so I had to look at him. His eyes told me how worried he was. "You don't want to know." I mumbled and couldn't look away from him. "Did Luke do that? Harry mentioned that you guys had a fight earlier." He said and I didn't respond. "So that's a yes then?" "I didn't want to say anything because I don't want it to be a big deal." I said and he nodded. "Well, I won't do anything if you don't want me to, but I don't want you alone with Luke." He said and I chuckled. "No problem. I've been avoiding him since it happened." I said and he pulled me to him for a hug and I buried my face in his neck, enjoying how he smells like a creep.

Authors note:
So I jut realized that I never put faces to Grayson, MJ and Aaron. Wellllllll.......

Grayson: Colton Haynes

MJ: Nolan Funk

Aaron: Mason Dye