ASHTON
Savoring every morsel of your last full day together like an overpriced filet mignon dinner, you closed your eyes and tried breathing in the sunlight that was dowsing you in it’s rays while Ashton hugged you tighter to his bare chest under the cool covers of the hotel bed sheets. Most mornings, he was up with the sun, rubbing his tired eyes in a quick shower and yawning his way out the door to a radio interview or sound check. Conveniently, today he had a little time for leisure in his schedule and he was happy to spend it lounging around with you, your vanilla scent wafting up his nose and giving him breakfast in bed cravings like he had never experienced before.
“It’s going to be so nice come summer.” His cheek warm against yours, Ashton spoke as soft as your skin felt underneath him, his arm holding you like you were supposed to be guarded. “We’ll be able to see each other practically every day.” He would still be on the road in the upcoming months, when you were finished with school for the year, but Ashton imagined you two would have so much time together considering you would be able to come along with him. As the words left his mouth dreamily, almost in a yawn, he started to compile a mental list of the different things you could do and see on his days off. For reasons unknown to him, he was picturing in vivid detail going to the Coliseum with you, snapping pictures rapidly on his phone, and attempting to read the Italian side of the information hamlets.
All at once, your body tightened under him at the sound of his hopes. It wasn’t at all the reaction Ashton was expecting. He thought you would murmur something sweet back or wiggle around onto your stomach, look up at him with your doe eyes and smile while sharing the same excitement he had for the near future. He looked down at you, curiously, trying to take in a good solid look at your face, but could only see your eyes scramble from side to side from his angle.
“I forgot…” Nervously, you started with your hands curling under the covers. “I sort of have a commitment this summer.” Just as he originally thought you would, you adjusted yourself to be flat on your back by his side. He moved himself, holding up his upper body with a hand on the side of his face, hair falling to the left as he watched you explain yourself. “I’ll still be able to come see you, just I’m busy July and August. We’ll still have the end of April and then May to June.” You paid close attention to Ashton watching his features express disappointment. His eyes sort of fluttered down, finding interest in the crinkled waves in the white bed sheets, his fingers picking at imaginary dust over them, while he moved his pursed lips around. In his mind, the Coliseum lit on fire and he watched it turn to dust.
“What are you doing?” He rose his head and asked, pulling his lips into a taut smile, not at all radiating joy.
“I committed to it before we got together…” Your relationship was just passing the sixth month mark after all and it just never seemed to come up before. Strangely, you felt embarrassed by it now, but you figured it was only because you and Ashton had been talking nonstop through Skype and phone calls about when you would be able to spend real time together. You adored Ashton, but having a boyfriend who toured was not the easiest. “I’m going to camp.” You started, his head propping up as he narrowed his eyes at you with great surprise. “Well, I’m a counsellor, but I used to go as a camper.” This would mark your third year as a counsellor at Camp Wakonda and tenth summer all together.
“I didn’t know you went to camp.” Ashton chuckled, his real smile finally surfacing on his face, lighting him up like the sparklers that crackled over the last bonfire at Wakonda.
