Falling Down Under

Chapter Eight - Leather

~Leather's POV~

"What can I get you two?" The woman behind the counter at Panda Express asked Ashton and I. I still couldn't believe I was here. 

"I will get the orange chicken and this gorgeous girl will get..." Ashton says and then points to me with a smile. 

I look up at the menue and squint a bit. "I'll get the chicken and string beans. Thank you." I smile to the woman as she punches our orders into her little cash register computer thingy. 

I reach for my wallet as she is telling us how much it will be, but Ashton stops my hand. "No, this one's on me." I narrowed my eyes at him, but it didn't seem to phase him. 

We waited for our food and grabbed a table in the corner of the little restaurant. I started poking at my food while Ashton dug into his. Why wouldn't he just let me pay? How did he find me? I bet it was Ari. I'm going to have to have a word with her. 

"Are you really mad that I paid for your lunch?" Ashton asks and snaps me out of my thoughts. I shrug in response and take a forkfull of chicken and string beans. "Leather, I just wanted to take you out to lunch since you're new here and all. I'm sorry."

I sighed and looked up at Ashton. "You don't have to be sorry, Ashton. Thank you for lunch. I really appreciate it." I smile and he smiles with a bit of a giggle. "What's so funny?" 

"Nothing, it's just that you look really pretty when you smile and your teeth are kinda adorable." I could feel my face getting hot from a blush I was sure was rising on my cheeks. How does he do this to me? I've never felt this way about a guy before. Well, I did once, but we don't need to talk about that. "You're pretty cute when you blush too." There comes the fluttery feeling I've come to learn are called butterflies in my tummy. Go away. 

"Hush and eat your chicken." I say to Ashton and look down at my food. I hear him giggle and I fight a smile. He has a really adorable giggle. I can only imagine what his actual laugh sounds like. What the hell, Leather? 

"What are ya thinking about?" Ashton interrupts my thoughts again. I look up at him and shrug. "You shrug a lot." I rolled my eyes and he chuckled. "You roll those gorgeous brown eyes of yours a lot too." 

"Thanks, I think."

"You don't take compliments well." I rolled my eyes and he laughed. "I hope you at least let that boyfriend of yours give them to you without too much trouble." 

"Huh?" 

"Your boyfriend? Does he compliment you?" He looked at me confused and I felt the same way. Crap! I told Ashton I have a boyfriend back home. 

"Oh, yeah, he compliments me." I put a forkfull of food in my mouth and filled my mouth as much as I could so I couldn't talk. 

"So what's his name?" Ashton asks with a smile as he fills his mouth with some rice. 

I swallow my food and hesitate. What do I say? "Um, his name is John." 

"John what?" 

Damn. Um. "Jovi." Why would you say that, Leather? So you're dating John Bon Jovi?

"Is his middle name Bon?" Ashton asks with a laugh. 

"No, it's Richie." I say and go back to eating my food. 

I want to smack myself in the head. What am I thinking? Why am I getting so nervous around this kid? 

"So, what are you going to school for?" Ashton asks while taking a sip of his drink.

"I'm going for audio engineering. I wanna work in the recording studios and stuff like that."

"You should totally record one of our albums when you graduate!" Ashton practically screams and half of the customers in the restaurant look at us. 

"I'm only gonna work with artists who make good music, thank you." I say and he pouts again. "You pout a lot."

"Well, you've given me a few reasons to pout." He says with a small frown. 

"I don't mean to." 

"It's fine." He half smiles and picks up our garbage from the table to throw it out. "C'mon, I'll walk you back to your apartment." 

"Thanks." I smile as he holds the door open for me. 

We walked most of the way in silence. Why was I so mean? Oh, right. I'm a stubborn bitch. Ugh. I know I shouldn't lie, I just find it hard to trust a guy, but Ashton seems so trustworthy. 

We finally get to the door of my and Ari's place. Ashton walked me up to the door and we stood awkwardly on the doorstep for a while. "I'm really sorry." I say breaking the silence.

"I know. You're gonna be a hard one to crack. See you later, Leather." He smirks and waves as he walks away.

"How do you change your moods that quickly?" I ask and he turns so he is now facing me and walking backwards. 

"I do it the same way you do. Bye Leather." He turns back around and starts down our street. What the hell? 

I dropped my bag in the middle of the hallway and collapsed on the couch. I pulled a blanket over my head and closed my eyes. The second I did, Ashton's face popped into my head. I shot up from the couch and the blanket was still draped over my head. 

My phone began ringing from my bag and I started swatting at the blanket to get it off and ended up falling off the couch and onto the floor. I stood up and striked a pose for a graceful and faboulous recovery even though no one saw that. 

When I got to my phone, I had missed a call from an unknown number. I scrunched up my nose in confusion and debated calling it back. Might as well.

I sat at the counter with the phone against my ear. Oh my God, can this person pick up?!

"Hello? Leather?" A male voice rang through the reciever. 

"Um, yes. Can I help you?" I ask in a wary voice. Who is this dude and why is he calling me and how does he have my number?

"We need to talk." I begin to recognize the voice and my heart stops. Oh. No.

I hope you are all enjoying the story so far! If you are reading this, you have a very special place in my heart! Please Vote and Comment! -Harmony xxx