Begin Again - A.I

thirty five.

Driving with Ashton felt infinite. 

I've decided that there is nothing that I like more than looking beside me and seeing him at the wheel, tapping his fingers along to whatever song is playing, singing under his breath every once in a while. And when I fell asleep I felt safe and I felt comfortable, and when I woke back up again he was there still. I found myself wishing that the road would never come to an end.

"You hungry?" Ashton asks me when I stir awake. It's pitch black outside and I have no idea what the time is, but I'm sure we have to be reaching the city soon. Blue Valley couldn't be that isolated. 

I shrug. "Wouldn't mind a drink."

"We're almost at the city," he replies, looking to his left as he makes a sharp turn, making me jolt a little. "We'll stop and get something to eat then. I have some water somewhere in the backseat?"

"I'll be okay." 

"Nah, have some," he pushes, and when I hesitate he reaches his arm towards the back of the truck and swerves the car.

"Ashton!" I cry, instinctively reaching to grab the wheel even though I have never driven a vehicle in my entire life. 

Seeing that I have my hands on the wheel, Ashton decides to take his off, because what a good idea that is, and twists his body so uncomfortably as he reaches for this bottle of water. I sweat as I try and keep the car steady and Ashton resurfaces, with the bottle of water.

"Here," he says, handing it to me, like I'm a buffalo who has been suffering from a dried out water hole for weeks. 

I take it awkwardly. "Thanks." I lean back in my chair and take a sip.

I hear Ashton laughing as I do so and I turn and scowl at him. "What's so funny?"

He shakes his head. "Nothing, nothing."

"Come on, what is it?"

"Just the way you drink," he says. 

I raise my eyebrow in confusion. "What?"

"Your mouth," he says, "it doesn't ever touch the bottle."

"Because it's not my bottle," I retaliate, rather pissed off. 

"You've always done it, ever since we were kids. It's funny."

"Wow, such a laugh. I don't like sharing bottles." I roll my eyes.

He glances over at me. "Hey, nah. I didn't mean it like that. It's cute."

"Whatever." Stupid Ashton and his stupidness.

"Baby."

I freeze. Did he just.

He laughs. "Knew that'd get ya."

"You're a dick," I say, but I'm smiling.

"Baby, baby."

I turn my head to look out the window, and I'm praying to god that he can't see my bright red cheeks in the reflection. I hear him laugh but he doesn't say anything more.

Stupid, stupid Ashton.

------

"Would you rather eat ice cream for the rest of your life, every single meal, or never eat ice cream again?"

I sit across from Ashton in a quaint Chinese restaurant in the city. He ordered Chicken Chow Mein with a side of dumplings, I ordered a vegetable noodle soup. He twirls a noodle around his fork as I ponder his very hard question.