Ashton's POV
"I shouldn't even be taking this lunch break, were so backed up." I unconvincingly argue with Ben, I still follow him down the street though – watching as he pulls out a pack of cigarettes.
"Wait, you smoke? Since when?" I ask him as he lights the stick, inhaling the toxins and letting out a little cloud of smoke.
"On occasion, relieves stress. Work is stressful right now, therefore I need a smoke, and you want one? You look like you need one." He chuckles lightly, handing me the half empty pack. I hope he didn't smoke that many in a day.
"I'm not much of a smok-"
"One won't kill you, just try it." Ben urges. I sigh, my fingers tampering with the small box. I look up from the box and look around, I feel like someone will randomly call me out for trying a cigarette. Growing up I always thought smoking was incredibly bad, a sin. But as I look around the street were walking on I notice two other people smoking, a woman with a child and a man on his phone. I'd hate to smoke around a child, they say second hand smoke is the real killer.
"Just try it Irwin, here have mine so you don't waste any." Ben chuckles, passing me half his cigarette. I nervously put it to my lips, inhaling the tobacco and instantly detaching it from my lips and coughing.
Ben laughs beside me. "You get use to it, don't think about it too much." He advises.
After my small coughing fit, I give it another go. Inhaling slowly, then exhaling. Holding this between my fingers gives me a rush of rebellion and in a weird way makes me feel younger. I can see how it can be a distresser because you're so focused on the aesthetic of it all, or maybe that's just me.
"Hope I didn't get you hooked." Ben jokes, watching me as I finish off the cigarette, finally throwing it on the ground we walk on.
I shake my head, stuffing my hands in my pockets. "Nah, just didn't want to waste your cigarette." I try to joke and Ben smirks, nodding although I know he doesn't fully believe me.
"Yeah, okay Irwin." Ben says before opening the door to the Mexican restaurant we were going to have lunch at.
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"Have you made any advancements with Erin? Or are you guys just teasing each other." I try to tease Ben but it doesn't work because he loves the attention. He lifts his elbows to the table, leaning over just the slightest with the grimiest smirk possible.
"Little bit of both," He arches his brow and suddenly I'm disgusted at myself for even trying to joke with him. "Did you know despite her very professional exterior, that girl is a natural born freak! I swear I couldn't even keep up with her,"
I groan in my palms, shaking my head at his words. The tacos I just ate might just make a reappearance.
"Oh don't be a baby, I've had to deal with you and Kat doing shit in your room." Ben says matter of factly, his chin in his palm.
I let out a loud laugh, covering my mouth quickly. "Me and Kat? I don't know what you think you heard but it's definitely not what you think it is." I tell him, shaking my head. This past week I've barely gotten to even kiss Kat because Ben's there and she doesn't feel 'comfortable' doing anything with him in the house. What a major cockblock, if you ask me.
"That's a lie, I was walking to the bathroom one night and I saw your guy's light on from under the door and heard you guys being all cute and shit." Ben says, waving his hand as if he's trying to blow off the fact that he was probably eavesdropping on us.
"Well we weren't fucking if that's what your thinking." I tell him, shaking my head. Ben lifts his hands up defensively, a smile on his lips because he knows he struck a nerve with me.
"Poor Irwin hasn't got laid?" Ben questions, jokingly. I roll my eyes, throwing my used napkin at his face.
"Not with you in the damn house, by the way, your leaving Friday right?" I decide to slip that in partially to piss him off and also to get confirmation, Kat would probably chop my head off if she knew Ben was going to stay any longer.
She doesn't have to tell me anything for me to know she's a little annoyed with his presence. I'm sure Ben can even fell the slight awkward tension in the house.
"Yeah, promise me that night you'll get laid? Just so you can stop being a little bitch." Ben jokes, trying to bat his eyelashes at me and I nod my head at him, waving him off.
"Yeah, yeah – hey atleast I got a place to shit and shower." I fire back at him and he rolls his eyes at me, I laugh at his reaction and stand up.
"Come on, we have work to do. Time is money."
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short chapter but heres an ash pov, feel like i havent done one in a minute lol.
and just a sidenote, for the readers that know me and know that i live in florida, im safe and hurricane mathew didnt even hit central florida so im all good! hope everyone who may live in florida is safe!