The Aristocrat

They call it talking till the sun comes up (pt. 4)

Friday 16th. 

"So, seeing as though it only leads to arguments let's not talk about your family or mine," Ash suggested hopping up onto his kitchen counter. He chugged down at the water he'd taken from the fridge, his lips wet from it.

"What do you want to talk about then?" I asked, carefully seating myself on a high chair at the square kitchen island. My hands run over the cool stone surface.

"How about..." Ash trailed, sucking his lip in between his teeth and squinting his eyes. He screwed the lid back onto the bottle and put it to the side of him.

"Your mum," I interrupted his thoughts "what does she do?"

"That's family," Ash noted, his brows raised smugly.

I shrugged and smirked, "so?"

"She's an art teacher at a secondary school, but she sometimes teaches at night school for adults," he told me. A proud smile forming on his full lips.

I don't think I had ever smiled like that when talking about my mum. At least not recently.

"Are those hers?" I asked, nodding at the small paintings that hung above the wooden dining table. Swirls of colours formed landscapes that could take people's breath's away. The artwork was beautiful. Ash must have thought so too because he grinned deeply at them.

"Yeah."

"They're amazing," I commented, admiring her work.

"I tell her all the time she should try to get them into a gallery or something but she never listens," Ash shrugged, his eyes still on the paintings.

"Are you and her close?" I asked. I wasn't sure whether or not I was once again over stepping a line, but I tried anyway.

"Yeah," Ash replied without any hesitancy "she's amazing. You'd love her."

"I'm sure I would," I agreed, smiling softly at Ash.

My fingers tapped against the counter as a comfortable silence rested between us. Asher watched me and I stared back.

"So, when you and your friends aren't hanging out at that bar, what do you get up to?" Ash asked suddenly, out of nowhere.

I laughed at his randomness, "what? Why do you want to know that?"

"I'm getting to know you," Ash's hands gripped into the counters edge and he leaned forward daringly "answer the question."

"Well," I replied stuttering just a moment "I don't really know. I don't do much. I'm pretty boring to be honest."

Ash grinned down at me, a dimple denting his cheek, "I hardly doubt that. Don't you have any interests or anything?"

I raised my brows in thought, my lips pursed, "I mean, I guess I draw a lot. Not like proper drawing, I couldn't do anything that your mum does. But I like making architectural designs, so for buildings and stuff."

"Architecture?" Ash chuckled and his brows knitting "I defiantly didn't peg you down for that."

"Well maybe you shouldn't peg people as things," I stated playfully.

"Maybe I won't anymore," Ash added, as we exchanged an odd stare. We stayed in silence for a minute, something in the air that made me nervous, "So how come you're into architecture?"

"My dad, he's constantly setting up a new hotel and when I was younger and my dad would take me to work, I'd sit in on some of the meetings. I used to love it when the people who designed the hotels came in to talk and I guess I got it from there," I explained, breaking the stare we held.

Ash's brows unthreaded and he nodded his head slowly, a smile grating over his lips, "That's really cool."

"I suppose, it's just a hobby though," I shrugged casually "What about you? You have anything you do except from being dragged around the city by Jonathan."

He scoffed lightly then frowned considering his answer, "I'm into a ton of things. Nothing really sticks out though."

"Do you have any plans though, after this last year at school?" I asked sitting back in the chair more comfortably. Ash too had relaxed on the counter, his shoulders rested.

"Travelling probably," Ash thought too quickly "I need to get out of this town. You?"

"Me and my friends are planning on travelling for a couple of weeks too but after that I guess it will be back in the city and University,

Ash guessed, "To study architecture?"

"No," I scoffed shaking my head "business or something probably. Something to help me in my dad's company."

Asher said nothing, just pursed his lips and nodded his head slowly. A moment passed and then he spoke up again, asking a different question.

It went on like that for a while. One after the other we'd ask questions and we'd answer. It was the oddest way to get to know someone, yet exhilarating. I was drowning in new information about him and I loved it.

"How many brothers do you have?" Ash asked forgetting his own rule on not talking about family, although he didn't seem to care. He too like me wanted to know more.

"Three, Caspian and Oliver and Alex. Caspian and Oliver are twins, they're two years older than me," I smiled at the mention of my brothers. They meant more to me than anyone. They were the ones who kept me sane most of the time.

"What about Alex?" Ash asked curiously. He leant his arms on my legs and rested his chin in his hands.

Without realizing the words slipped from my mouth and I was talking about him, "he's 22. But he's not around as much anymore."

"That sucks."

I nodded mutely. It did suck, way more than he could ever imagine.

"Have you got any siblings?" I diverted the conversation onto Ash, not wanting to think about Alex anymore.

"No, just me and my mum," Ash smiled contently. I could tell that Ash was happy with that, with it being only them two.

"Your mums not married or anything?"

His head shook side to side, "She has a boyfriend, Jamie. He's cool."

"How long have they been together?" I asked finding myself wanting to know everything little thing about Ash. You couldn't help but not. He was usually so cut off that if this was the only time he'd open up, I was going to take advantage of it.

"On and off since I was younger, maybe nine," Ash swayed his head weighing up the years in his head "he's a good guy to be honest, just doesn't have the balls to ask her to marry him."

"Would you care if they did get married?"

"No course not. He makes her happy," Ash's tone was certain, expression steady "but they wouldn't ever get married. They're too used to things the way they are now."

I nodded, "what about Jonathan?"

"What about him?" Ash's shoulders stiffened and I quickly worried he was going to shut off completely.

"How did him and your mum end up having you?" I asked carelessly.

Ash squinted his face in pain, "it's a long story."

"Will you tell me some other time?" I gazed up at him, he stared back gently.

"Yeah, some other time," he agreed, gratefulness crossing his eyes.