Unanswered - Ashton Irwin Fanfiction

Letter 7

She looked up from the envelope in her hand when she heard footsteps entering the room. "Everyone in the address book?" She was asked. She nodded, not paying much attention to the question or the answer - she wanted to open the letter. "It's gonna be great," she was told, "And you're gonna look stunning." She laughed, not knowing what to say. "I have to go talk to the florist," she was informed. With that she was left alone, and she tore open the envelope and began.

Dear Dakota,

Let's skip ahead a few weeks. We had hung out quite a bit, and, although I tried not to show it, I was falling even harder for you. Being just friends was killing me inside.

We sat on the couch at the 5SOS house having a lazy day. You propped your feet up in my lap and leaned against the arm of the couch, smiling contentedly. My fingers reached out, tickling your foot. You kicked out of reflex and I laughed, continuing to tickle you. "Stop!" You squealed, retracting your feet from my lap. I lunged toward you, tickling your sides mercilessly as you gasped for air. The sound of your phone ringing made us both freeze. You looked toward it and 'Chase' lit up the screen. "It's Chase," you stated, clearing your throat and picking up the phone. "Hello?" You said sweetly. Being right next to you, I could hear pieces of what he said to you.

"-all over twitter," I heard him fume, "Your name is trending! Who is he?"

"Relax," you sighed, "It's nothing. They're just making stuff up." He spoke, but I couldn't make out what he said. "Pictures? What pictures?" You asked. "We do not 'look into each other'," you sighed, making air quotes with your fingers even though he could not see them.

"I don't like you hanging out," I heard him state.

"Well, that's not a decision for you to make," you said simply. He must have said something awful, because you stood up suddenly and shouted back, "So what if I do?!" You paced through the living room as he spoke and then answered, "Look, Chase, I can do what I want. You're not in control of who I'm friends with!" You scowled at the phone as he spoke. "You're so controlling! At least Ashton lets me live my life!" You shouted, thankfully not looking toward me as I blushed. "Maybe I will choose him!" You yelled before hanging up the phone. You took a seat on the couch with a huff and I couldn't help but notice that you were even pretty when you were upset. "Sorry about that," you mumbled, looking embarrassed.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" I offered weakly. You hesitated, but shook your head no. "Am I - am I causing problems?" I asked quietly. Again you shook your head.

"This happens sometimes," you told me, "We'll be fine." You smiled a not-so-convincing smile and I nodded, pretending to be happy that this fight was only minor.

"I understand if he doesn't want you and I to -"

"I can be friends with who I want," you cut me off, glaring at me. I nodded quickly and you sighed. "Now I'm taking this out on you," you noticed, "I'm sorry, Ash. I just can't deal with how controlling Chase is."

We sat in silence for a moment as I worked up the courage to ask, "Why are you still with him?" You looked at me in surprise, clearly taken aback by the question. "I mean, uh, if he's controlling why do you stay?" I explained weakly.

You shrugged, looking down at your feet. "Sometimes I don't know," you admit, "But then he'll do something that makes it all worth it, ya know?" You bit your lip, looking to me hopefully for confirmation.

"Not really," I admitted. You sighed, shaking your head.

"It's hard to explain," you muttered.

"Dakota?" I said in a near whisper. You looked to me curiously and I asked, "Do you love him?"

You opened your mouth to reply, but shut it again, taking time to think. "Sometimes," you finally answer, "Sometimes I think I do, but I don't know. How do you know when you're in love, Ash?" You looked to me for an answer, as if I had ever been in love. I was about to tell you that I wouldn't know when I realized that yes, I do know. I was in love with you.

"Well, if I was in love with someone I - I would do anything for her," I began, subconsciously moving toward you on the couch. "I would do absolutely anything just to make her smile. I would want to change the world so that it doesn't hurt her anymore. I would love to watch her laugh and be the reason that she laughs. I would want to hold her and cuddle her and - and tickle her feet," I murmur, making you laugh lightly. I barely noticed as my face got even closer to yours. "And seeing her hurt by someone else would kill me, especially if I couldn't be the one to kiss her and tell her I love her." I stopped for a second, my lips suddenly feeling very dry. "If I loved someone, I would wait for her. If she wasn't ready to look at me that way, as much as it hurt I would wait for her." I licked my lips as I noticed you leaning in almost imperceptibly. "I would be whatever you - I mean she - needed me to be to make her happy, even if it was just a friend."

"Ashton," you sighed, glancing at my lips and back to my eyes quickly. I leaned in, my heart beating faster than ever before as my lips neared yours. I stopped, lips parted, a centimeter away, letting you make the final decision. You hesitated for a moment before shutting your eyes and connecting your lips to mine. I kissed back slowly, my hands finding their way to your waist as yours tangled in my hair.

'She has a boyfriend,' I remember thinking. 'But he doesn't treat her like I would,' I argued with myself. I pushed the thoughts of Chase away, deciding we could deal with him later. I focused on the fact that I was finally kissing the girl that I loved.

I wish I could go back there, or back to any of the times when you were with me. I need you back. Please come back.

Still yours,

Ashton

She slid the letter into the drawer just as the door opened, revealing a smiling man. "Everything was mailed," he said with a smile. She smiled back, not knowing what to say. What could she say?