Be Your Everything

f o u r t y e i g h t

I wake up to a pitch-black sky outside and everyone else fast asleep around me. Everyone except for Ashton, who's just quietly reading a notebook with the help of his cell phone light.

"Ashton?" I whisper, careful not to wake up Luke, who's fast asleep with his arms wrapped around me. Ashton looks up from his journal in his lap and smiles when he sees that I'm awake too.

"Morning," he whispers back. I'm still not used to him being friendly towards me after how hostile he was during the tour, but I guess we'll just have to start over if we want to be friends.

"What time is it?" I ask. Ashton checks his phone and then looks back up at me.

"About 5 in the morning, Fiji time," he answers.

"How are you awake this early?" I look at him in surprise and he chuckles softly.

"I'm still on London time I guess." He sets his notebook down on the floor in front of him and stretches, paying mind to Clarke sleeping in the seat beside him. "I've been up this entire time."

"That must've been miserable," I say in condolence, but he shakes his head. This flight has been long and I probs oh would've hated being awake for the entire thing.

"Nah, Clarke was up for a good bit of it and besides, I don't mind being by myself. Gives me time to think."

"That must be nice," I say without thinking, and Ashton laughs.

"I'm guessing you haven't had much time to yourself lately." He smirks and gestures to Luke with his head. I look up at my sleeping boyfriend and nod in exhaustion. Even when he's asleep, I can't find a moment away from him.

"He's... demanding," I finally admit, and Ashton shrugs.

"So tell him you need some space," he suggests. "Everyone needs time to themselves sometimes."

"I guess you've got a point." I can't even remember the last time I was without Luke for longer than a couple of hours. Sometimes, I forget that we're supposed to be in a real relationship now from how much time I'm obligated to spend with him. What I wouldn't give for a boyfriend-free day.

"We should be landing soon," Ashton notes while looking at out the window. "Were below the clouds now."

"I'm so excited for this trip," I tell him, my enthusiasm building now that I know we're almost there.

"I think we all needed this," he says solemnly while looking at Clarke. She's deep into sleep, so I can only imagine how exhausted she must be.

Ashton turns his attention back to his notebook for a moment, but then shuts it and looks up at me. "Elle, can I ask you a heavy question?"

"I guess so." I nod warily, and Ashton leans toward me in his seat.

"Putting all judgement and anger behind us, tell me," he looks me in the eyes with genuine curiosity, "do you care for Calum?"

"What do you mean?" I tense up at his question, and he gives me a deflated expression.

"Elle, I'm not trying to pin you in a corner. I'm just curious. I know that your situation with Luke is... complicated."

"What... what do you think?" I hold his gaze while he thinks over his answer, and eventually Ashton gives me a reassuring smile.

"I think that you and Luke have a great thing going, but there's no denying the chemistry between you and Calum." Ashton leans back in his seat while he assesses my reaction. "Am I right?"

"Spot on," I tell him with a nod. "It's my turn to ask you a question."

"Fair enough," he chuckles and waits for me to ask him my question.