money > a.i

t w o

The first thing i saw when Michael pulled into my driveway was Sophia checking her mailbox. She smiled once she spotted his truck, and waited before we got out to go up to us. She smiled widely as she asked us how we were.

"We're good. Ashton's a bit tired though," Mikey said.

"Still working at the chicken hut?" she chuckled, licking her bottom lip.

i was a bit embarrassed as i nodded, i kept the work uniform close behind my armpit as i let out a loose laugh, "they sometimes let me make my own food," i added.

"You should bring some over sometime, you know, Mia's back for the summer."

"Is that so?" Michael added, nonchalantly. He was pretending to be hearing it for the first time, which made me wonder where he had heard it from first.

"Yeah," she laughed, "we're throwing a welcome back party, and im expecting for all four of you guys to be there,"

i turned to Michael and gave him a questionable look, then turned back to Sophia's big grin, "Erm, my mum will be right next door, so i don't see how you'll be able to pass it off."

"It's not a drinking party, its a get together. We didn't invite any potheads," she laughed, turning to leave. "It's gonna be this Saturday. See you then." And then she disappeared inside.

"She's gonna know if you don't show up. And worst case scenario, she's gonna come over to your house, and drag you out of your "busy night" and make you go. Plus do you really want her to come during your 'busy hour"?" Michael said. He had been endlessly spinning on my desk chair for the last half hour and it was making me nauseous.

I sat on my bed, spinning one my my drumsticks around my fingers, "Shut up, Michael. I actually do have a busy night,"

"What, besides watching Jack Styles?" he laughed.

I threw my pillow at him, causing him to fall off his chair, "twat," i whispered under my breath.

His childish laugh filled the room as i look up at the ceiling. Mia looked a lot like Sophia, and since Sophia was a lot more comfortable with speaking to us four, that made me wonder if talking to Mia would be less hell-like than usual. I usually held up good conversations with Sophia. She had a very warm and familiar face. The problem was when Mia was in the room. It wasn't as bad at first because I never really knew her, but it got worse as we actually tried to have conversations. All of which ended at a dead end.

"Fine." I spat out. Michael was now laying on the floor, playing with my rubix cube. "When does Calum get out of work?" i asked.

"Hm, i don't have a watch..." he said, holding up his wrist, pretending to check the time. "But my Malum senses are telling me he's gonna be here soon." I rolled my eyes and rolled onto my stomach, letting out a frustrared groan.

"Leave that for saturday night." Michael chuckled.

Calum arrived a few minutes later with Luke piggyback ridding him. Michael let them in on Sophia's invite and they were all glad to cancel their supposed super busy schedule to attend the party.

"Ashton you work at a chicken hut, ask them to borrow some eggs. Ya know, huevos." Michael laughed.

"I already said i was going." I rolled my eyes.

"I was talking about mia."

"She's not intrested in a broke loser like me." I drifted off.

Luke rolled his eyes as he pumbled to my bed, slapping me in the back of the head.

Before i could react, he shushed me. "Why do you always carry this absurd expectaion in your head that people won't like you because of money? That your life sucks because you dont have money? That you cant do anything without money?" He asked.

"Because money revolves around everything. I need money." I added.

"Why? Why do you need money!" He now stood up on my bed, as if ready to give the biggest pep talk in the world.

"Luke, sit down. I can't do anything without it, okay? Even if i do end up dating mia, i wont ever be able to spoil her. I will never be able to take her out for trips. Or spoil her with aniversary gifts. Not to include everything she deserves. Heck, i can barely afford a night at a hotel." I slumpped down, crossing my feet. I looked at calum who was giving me a pity look. And Michael who just had a smug smirk on his face.

"You don't need money to do any of that. You just need to think outside the box." He simply said. "And that's why youre going to that party and asking out mia."

Love u

Updated November 29, 2016