Arsen (Editing)

I Loved Her

It was early when I woke up, I hadn't been sleeping for very long, but the sleep I did get was peaceful. I sat up and looked down at myself, surprised to find I was no longer wearing Arsen's shirt. I dug around the covers for it, but found nothing. Where the hell did it go?

"Looking for this?" Ashton asked, throwing a bunched up t-shirt at me.

It hit me right in the face and I scrambled to yank it over my head. "I got up to go to the bathroom last night and it was thrown at me." Ashton told me before getting up and digging around in his bag for his clothes.

I couldn't help but blush. "Sorry." I mumbled.

The bed was empty. "He went out front for a smoke." Ashton said, answering a question I didn't have to ask. "Can you go get him, we have to hit the road soon."

I yawned and nodded, standing up and pulling the blankets with me. I was exhausted and wasn't ready to give up the comforts of the bed just yet.

I wandered down the hall, towards the front door. I imagined Arsen headed out front and was surprised when he was sitting on the small couch in the waiting room.

Instead of a cigarette in his hand, he was holding a vape pen. "Are you vaping?" I asked.

He jolted in surprise but smiled when he saw me. "Morning."

"Good morning." I murmured, going and sitting beside him on the couch.

Arsen's hand went to my hair and he pulled me to him, pressing a gentle kiss to my lips that left me feeling dazed. He tasted like a burnt cherry.

"Wait, so you're vaping?" I took his hand that was holding the vape pen and inspected it.

"Yeah, I thought I'd try my luck at quitting smoking." Arsen shrugged, as if it were no big deal.

"That's great!" I exclaimed, kissing him again. "I'm proud of you."

"Don't get too excited." He told me with a little smile. "It's going terribly and I'm bound to crack any day now... but I'm trying."

"That's all that matters." I stood up and held a hand out to him. "Come on, Ashton wants us to leave soon."

He took my hand and went with me.

"Do you guys have a plan?" I questioned, suddenly realising that I had never actually asked either of the Brooks brothers what the game plan is.

"We have a plan." He confirmed.

"Is it a good plan?"

"We have a plan." Arsen repeated, grinning down at me.

"Imagine my relief." I sarcastically muttered.

"Ashton and I have an uncle, our dads older brother, and he's the only person in the world our dad is afraid of." Arsen explained. "He runs his own gang in Georgia and it's stronger than our dads by a landslide. Our uncle will use any excuse he can get to take my dad down because he hates him. Once upon a time he was in love with our mother and she picked our dad in the end."

"Wow." Is all I can murmur.

"Yeah, they have quite the season one of The Vampire Diaries, Damon and Stefan relationship."

I grinned and playfully knocked my shoulder against his. "See, you liked watching that show with me."

"I'll admit that the few scenes I caught in between our make-out sessions, were decent."

I rolled my eyes and shoved him again, relieved to find that I didn't lose Arsen this morning like I was expecting. "So do you think your uncle will help us?"

The door to our room opened and Ashton came out dragging all of our bags. He was fully dressed and ready to go. "He better," Ashton answered me. "He owes me."

"Don't count on it." Arsen told him. "Our uncle doesn't owe anyone anything."

"Trust me." Ashton muttered, walking around us with my pink duffle bag slung over his shoulder. "He owes me."

Arsen looked over at me and I shrugged, unsure as to why Ashton was suddenly so gloomy. "Does he not like your uncle?"

Arsen sighed. "No one really likes my uncle."

"He doesn't sound like a good guy." I murmured, voicing my concerns.

"He's not."

We didn't speak anymore. Arsen took my hand and led me out of the motel and to the car. Ashton was leaning against it on the phone. I could tell that Ashton was angry, his hands gripped the phone so hard that his knuckles were white and his jaw was clenched. As soon as we were in earshot, he snapped the phone closed and got in the drivers side.

"Do you mind if I sprawl out in the backseat and get some more sleep?" Arsen asked me, opening the passenger door for me. "I couldn't fall asleep last night." He explained, looking sheepish.

I grinned and kissed him on the cheek before climbing into the car. "No problem."

He shut the door after I got in and climbed into the back, stretching out and getting comfortable. Ashton pulled out of the parking lot and got on the interstate, we were headed further east.

Neither of us talked until I heard Arsen's snores.

"You seem nervous." I commented, staring out my window.

"I'm not nervous." Ashton replied.

I glanced over at him. "Yes you are," I nodded, sure of myself. "Your body language gives you away."

This time he didn't disagree. "There's a lot riding on this meeting."

"I know." I whispered, feeling my own nerves spike at the thought of this not going well.

"I'm probably going to run into Taylor." He muttered.

"Who's he?"

"She is an insufferable pain in my ass."

I grinned and patted his hand that was resting on the armrest between us. "You're in love with her."

"Am not!" He exclaimed, shooting a glare my way.

"You were at one point." I retorted, crossing my arms over my chest.

Ashton was silent for a second before sighing. "We dated for a little bit."

"How long?" I probed, interested in this new little piece of information.

"Three years."

I laughed. "That's not a little bit!"

"We were young." He said quietly.

"You still loved her."

He nodded once. "I loved her."