Ripple Effect

1

Ok, so this is my first fic, like ever ever, and I'm a bit nervous about posting this. So if you guys like it please let me know by voting, commenting and messaging me your thoughts and whatnot. (: Hope you enjoy it. x

flashback

I tended to stare at her a lot when she wasn't aware. I'm sure she didn't even know I existed at all. There were many times I wanted to introduce myself, but I'm not a forward person.. and anyway with her looks I thought for sure that some lucky bastard must have been tethered to her hip, completely in love.

I sat in my Psychology 101 class listening to my professor lecture about mental illness. She raised her hand then. I remember the way her name rolled off his lips.

"Yes. Desme?"

"Is a person born with mental illness or are there certain events or triggers that drive people into that state?"

"I think it solely depends on the situation. It can be both. Take a war veteran, for example. The experiences they have in battle can oftentimes cause post-traumatic stress disorder and they're never the same again."

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A pen was lodged between my teeth and I could feel the deep frown lines forming on my face. I was working on a fugue for my composition class. God damn, classical music was such a drag. A deep sigh escaped my lips and I turned away from my sheet and glanced around the library.

I sucked in my breath again.

She was there.

Fuck.

I played scenarios over and over in my head. Hey you're Desme right? Hey Desme, we have psych together? Uhhh I just think you're really attractive and was wondering if you wanna hang out some time.

None of those ended too well.

She turned her head and our eyes met for a second and then I lowered my gaze hoping it wasn't too obvious that I was ogling.

Notebooks were placed across the table from me and I looked up to see her observing me. A smile broke out on her face and she extended her hand towards me.

"Hey, I'm Dez. I think we have the same psych class." I stared at her hand a little confused and then took it in mine quickly and shook gently.

"Uh.. Hi. Ashton. I'm Ashton."

She pulled out the chair and sat. My pen was in my hand now, flicking back and forth rapidly. Her curly blonde hair bunched up around her cheeks and her lips pursed as she thought about what to say next. I gave her a sly smile and then went back to writing my piece and she propped herself up on her elbows and bent over the table to see what I was doing.

"I wish I could read music or something. That's really cool."

A laugh rumbled throughout me.

"I guess it is pretty cool. So..why do you call yourself Dez?"

"I'm not a fan of my name."

"I think it's pretty.." Like you.

The corners of her mouth curled up and she shook her head, her curls tumbling off her shoulders. She went back to her side of the table and cracked open her notebook.

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Dez POV

Ashton's face was tucked into the pillow. His mouth gaped open, snoring lightly.

Word of advice. Don't get Ashton piss drunk. He's all giggly and fun, but the aftermath takes a bit of work. I laughed to myself and brushed my fingers through his wild bedhead.

"Ash wake up. Let's get breakfast! Let's have adventures!"

I tossed the blankets off of me and started jumping on the bed.

"Goodmorning beautiful boy!"

He stirred and swatted at my leg, causing me to fall.

"Go back to sleep, baby. My 'ead is killing me."

I kissed his temple gently and then pushed him onto his back.

"Nope you're not getting away with laziness today. I wanna have fun."

I got out of bed and tore the sheets off and dumped them to the floor and made my way to the bathroom to get ready.

Ashton was awake now. I could hear him banging around in the kitchen of our little apartment. Two years ago I wouldn't have thought that I'd be living with him. Much less did I think he was even interested in me at all. Whenever I'd sit with him in the library to study he was extremely quiet and would shrug me off. I later found that he was just really shy and didn't know how to tell me he thought I was hot shit.

He was downing a gallon of water when I entered the kitchen. I wrapped my arms around his waist and rested my chin on his chest so I could stare up at him. He'd changed into a marvel tank and capris that were a little ripped at the knees.

"You need a jacket, you know. It's cold outside and I wanna go to the bridge."

He grinned and I poked his dimple.

"Yeah, yeah. Go start the car I'm gonna grab a jacket and we'll go."

I grabbed my keys and shoved them into my jacket pocket and made my way out. As I was shutting the door, I accidentally slammed it against the side of my head and I could feel it throbbing.

"Shit..." My head swam and my vision blurred as tiny black dots danced around the room and I felt my legs collapse under the weight of my body.