Infinity and Beyond

21 - About Bloody Time

Michael

Monday morning came around quickly, and as it was Ashton's birthday I'd offered to go round and help them set up for the party. Danielle was working until the afternoon so it would just be the three of us, but then we'd have some time as a four before everyone else arrived in the evening. I was not so secretly hoping that Ashton and Emily would be preoccupied with something so I'd get some time alone with Danielle. We'd been on another date since, which was even better than before, and I liked to think she now saw me as just as good a friend as Emily or Charlotte.

She was going back to England in a week, just after we left for tour, which I was trying desperately not to think about. We'd grown so close and gotten to know each other so well it would be really strange not seeing her almost everyday, and not having her to talk to when everyone else was busy. There had been times when I would be lying awake in the middle of the night, or up late watching a movie or playing a game, and she would message me and we would end up having long conversations. The first time was when Ashton and Emily were away, and I guessed she was just having trouble adjusting to being in a new country alone in someone else's house and I happened to be the first person that popped up. After that, it became normal for her name to appear on my phone, sending me anything and everything when she couldn't sleep, probably just having assumed by now that I was always up late - except I rarely was, and instead just made sure my phone was loud enough so it always woke me up even when I was asleep. It didn't matter to me, though, when or what it was. I just felt happy that it was me she came to above anyone else, and that I was able to have those hours talking to her when nobody else was even awake.

Especially because now, I finally knew what I wanted.

Luke was out with Charlotte and Calum was still in his room with Jasmine so I was the only one around in the morning. I didn't waste time hanging around and just went straight to Ashton and Emily's, equipped with a bag of clothes for later and his birthday present. When I walked in, I found Emily lying back to back on Ashton while he did press-ups.

"What the actual fuck are you doing?" I exclaimed. Emily looked up from flicking through her phone and beamed at me.

"Hey Mikey!" she greeted me, turning off her phone and throwing it over to the sofa.

"Why is Ashton doing press-ups with you?" I asked again.

"He wants to get fit before tour," she explained briefly.

"Don't you think a week before is a little late?"

"We've been doing this for almost two months."

"And I'm only just seeing it? Aw man," I complained in disappointment, just as Ashton collapsed into his front and groaned.

"Okay, I'm done," he panted but Emily twisted her head round to shake it at him.

"Nope, you still have to do five more," she instructed him and he moaned in frustration.

"Really?" he protested and Emily nodded. He struggled to push himself back up, but then slowly did five more. When he collapsed again, Emily rolled off him then stood up and rushed over to hug me. I wrapped my arms around her back then waited for Ashton to recover before giving him a hug as well.

"Happy birthday!" I yelled as I embraced him. "You're officially the oldest person I have hugged today."

"How many people have you hugged?" he asked.

"Just you two. But you're old, so."

"Not you as well, I've already had this one going on at me," he huffed, nudging Emily. "This morning she woke me up with breakfast in bed as an 'early bird special' and this is the card she gave me."