Exchange girl. [a.i]

three

Ruby

I couldn't believe I had just agreed to go to the beach, knowing I had hickeys all over my legs. Although I did want to go, I wasn't too keen on the idea of anyone seeing the marks Ashton had left me. The idea of swimming was out of my thoughts, as well as taking my clothes off.

I searched for a pair of bottoms that were long and wearable outside, but nothing in my suitcase seemed to match my few demands.

At last I found a pair of long, green camuflage overalls, that I personally don't think fitted me that well, but certainly did the job at hiding all the circular looking red marks on my uper thighs. I threw a sleeveless white shirt that had a smiling cartoon sun saying "love me some sun!"over my shoulders.

I hopped on my flip flops and packed what I felt like I needed in my handbag.
I looked at myself in the mirror that stood just in front of the childish looking king size bed. My hair was still tangled from the night before, and I couldn't bother to take a shower and untangle it, so I effortlessly put it in a ponytail.
Finally, I took my phone and sunglasses and walked out the bedroom.

"Jared, where are the water bottles?" Ms. Irwin endlessly searched for the bottles inside the big beachbag.

"I saw them in the fridge earlier, Ms. Irwin" I said, her head lifting up and her face showed a confused expression.

"Oh, thank you Ruby" she ran towards the kitchen to grab the - so wanted - water bottles.

When she disappeared from my peripheral view, Ashton popped up in it. Laying down in the same spot he had been when I'd left the room to change, his bowl of cereal now finished and a slight drop of milk surrounding the line of his lips.

He stared at the TV, but I knew his eyes would much rather be on me, and I could say just the same about myself. My eyes couldn't help but to drift off to his bare torso from time to time. His bare body brought memories that I had sworn to myself I'd forget, but that truly I couldn't.

I could feel the tension in the air, and I'm sure so could he. Only quiet coughs and silent breaths were heard. Not a word was being spoken.

"Ashton, for the last time, can you please go change?" Ms. Irwin called Ashton out, frustrated and impatient.

"Jesus fucking christ" I heard him mumble under his breath as he stood up and turned the TV off.

As he passed next to me, I felt a small breeze rush through. A combination of his natural scent with his typical cologne invaded my nose, making me want to inhale once again just to smell that strong match of scents.

Not long after he left, Jared walked in with arms fully packed with towels and bags.

"Oh my god," I chuckled "do we need all of this?"

"If we're going, might as well be full on, right?" Ashton's mother took the towels and stuffed them in the beachbag.

Then he appeared. Not bothering to look at anyone's face, Ashton opened the front door and turned back to say:

"Can we go now or do you need a few more minutes to take the rest of the house with you?" His face showed no enthusiasm and his eyes seemed dead.

Unlike his parents, Ashton only took headphones and a backpack that I suppose kept his towel and sunscreen in.

"Yeah, let's go" his mom said as she grabbed everything she could and hopped it on her shoulder and arms.