Something Great

Chapter 7

After successfully scarring the minds of some young children and pissing off the kids' parents, Ashton and Ava decided to relocate themselves to a more private place.

"Wanna go back to the house," he asked her as they walked up the beach, rubbing his lips together thoughtfully. Her lips always seemed to taste so good. He never wanted to forget their flavor.

Ava bit her lip, fluttering her eyelashes at him.

"But you just got here," she joked flirtatiously, swinging their hands back and forth.

Ashton looked down at her cheekily, letting his eyes wander a little more than usual. She placed her free hand on his bicep, leaning into him as they walked.

"I've just realized you haven't had a proper tour of the place."

Ava giggled, "I think I've seen everything I need to see."

He nudged her playfully, remembering all the time they'd shared in his bedroom and sometimes the kitchen...

"Almost," he amended. "Almost everything you need to see. I want to show you this room... Upstairs."

-

"Ral? Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Ralley said, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "Anything."

He didn't say anything right away, just stood there, biting his lip. Ralley wanted to kiss him, but she figured she should let him talk first.

"Calum?"

He wasn't making any move to speak. His dark, cappucino irises were boring into hers, and she thought she saw something like fear in them.

"Cal," she asked, waving a hand in front of his face. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah! Yeah, I'm fine," he told her, taking a step back. "I was just wondering, uh, if you... If you liked cheese?"

Ralley raised her eyebrows at him.

"My favorite's gouda," she replied shortly. "Now what were you really going to say?"

She walked towards him, backing him up into the ocean.

"That's it! I just wanted to know if you like cheese." He laughed, his fingers brushing the top of the water.

"You fucking liar! Tell me," Ralley shouted, splashing him.

"And if I don't? What'll you do? Drown me?"

His eyebrows jumped daringly.

"Maybe," she considered, shoving him further into the water.

"Then you'll never know," he teased, pulling her closer. "The curiosity will kill you."

She rolled her eyes at him. He loved it when she did that... Was that weird?

"Tellll meee," Ralley whined, shaking his shoulders gently.

He sighed, not meeting her eyes. He wa being ridiculous. What could be such a big deal, Ralley thought.

"Come, on, Cal," she urged. "You know you can tell me anything."

"Yeah," he said, "it's just... I wanna take you on a proper date."

He barely looked at her, peeking out from under his thick eyelashes. He seemed so nervous. Ralley didn't get it; it was just her.

"You're asking me on a date," she asked, giggling a little bit.

"Yeah, I mean.. We've been hanging out for awhile, and I kinda feel like we're in some kind of relationship, but we've never really been out so--"

"Okay," Ralley interrupted him, leaning back slightly to float. "When?"

"So, yes?"He asked excitedly, drifting closer to her. "You'll let me take you out?"

She smiled at him like she couldn't believe he thought she'd say no, mentally taking a picture of him. He looked so happy and hopeful, eyes wide and bright, his head tilted toward her as if she was about to say something positively ground-breaking. No one had ever looked at her like that before.

"You thought I'd say no," she questioned seriously, raising her eyebrows at him.

He bit his lip. He needed to stop doing that.

"Well, I mean, I dunno. You're Ralley Daniels... And I'm just--"

Ralley cut him off, pressing her lips to his desperately. She didn't need him of all people thinking that-- that she was more than a person. She wasn't. She was a person, just a person. Sure, her name happened to be Ralley Marilyn Daniels, and she happened to be in a band that lots of people liked. But that was just decoration. She was still Ral, a twenty-four year old music enthusiast who was lucky to be friends with one of her favorite bands.

"I'm Ral," she breathed when they separated. "Just Ral... Just your Ral."

Calum beamed at her. Lord, his smile could save the world if enough people turned their heads to see it.

"My Ral... I like it."

They shared another short kiss before drifting back to solid ground and strolling back up to their spot hand-in-hand. Ralley quizzed Calum about the date. What should she wear? When would it be? Would he pick her up? Where were they going? What were they going to do? There was going to be food involved, wouldn't there?

All Calum could supply was that she could dress formally if she wanted to. He was so helpful.

When they reached the chairs, they only saw Luke and Michael. The two boys were lounging half-asleep in the sun, staring at their phones.

"Where are Ava and Ash?"