Conspicuous||A.F.I

7

*21th January 2041*

"Ashton! How did you get in here?" I whispered loudly.

"We need to talk." He replied, grabbing my arm so his face was inches from mine.

"Get off of me! Don't touch me." I could feel the tears streaming down my face.

"What did you tell luke?" Ashton growled and shoved me, making me fall on my bed.

"Nothing! I went to the bathroom and when I came back Luke was reading the note you left." I covered my face and attempted to curl into a ball.

"Look at me Kerri." He said moving my arms from my face. "I'm sorry for scaring you. I'm not very good at being nice. Or comforting people." He said placing a strand of hair behind my ear.

"What's going on Ashton?" I asked quietly. When he didn't answer I sighed. "Ashton just tell me, I'm not going to tell the world." I said as my eyes met his.

"Follow me." He said getting off of the bed. I stared as he climbed out of the window and jumped down, landing on the driveway.

"I can't jump down there." I protested as he looked up at me expectantly.

"Just jump." Ashton rolled his eyes. "I'll catch you" He said holding his arms in front of him .

Climbing out of the window, I tried to steady my breathing. I closed my eyes and thought of falling onto a cloud. The air whipped past my body and I gasped when I landed in Ashton's muscular arms. So much for landing on a cloud, he's more like a brick.

My eyes met his as I put my hands on his chest. I bit my lip as I saw his features up close. His lips are so full and his jawline...

"Let's go." He said biting his own lip.

He put me down and we made our way towards his car. I jumped in the car just as he started the ignition.

It wasn't long before Ashton stopped the car in the car park by the local woods. As we got out he grabbed my hand and squeezed it tightly. I looked down at our entwined hands and then up at Ashton. He gave me a small smile and pulled me slightly closer. His hands were soft but slightly rough and they were at least twice the size of mine.

"Where are we going?" I asked as Ashton led me through the woods.

"Here" He stopped so suddenly that I nearly tripped over my own feet. I looked up and I saw a small log cabin.

"What's this?" I asked looking around the wood but there was nothing in sight but tall trees and damp grass.

"This is my house." He walked over to it and got out a set of keys.

"I thought you lived in the village with your dad?" I asked.

"No, they're just lies for the school; if I told them that I live here they wouldn't let me have an education because I don't have a real address. I have lived here for four hu- I mean, four months." He said unlocking the door.

"Why do you live in the woods?" I walked inside and looked around his home.

"I like to be away from humans."

"Humans?" It sounded weird when he said it.

"Yeah other people, your lucky because I like you." He replied with a small smile.

"So you dont talk to people other than Calum, Michael, Luke and me?"

"I like them but you more" Ashton's voice made me shiver.

"thank you. I know it's because I'm perfect" I joked, smirking.

"Maybe? maybe not?" He said circling around me.

"Shut up and tell me why we are here" I said stopping him.

"We are here because of this" Ashton drew back the blinds to reveal a field full of poppies. The sunlight shone on them making them glow. He opened the window and climbed out of it. Ashton stared at the sun, his eyes glistening. I climbed out after him but my foot got caught on the window ledge.

He ran as fast as lightning and grabbed my arm, saving me from falling. If he hadn't moved as quickly I probably would've broken my ankle.

"How did you get here so fast?" I gasped.

"There's quite a few things you dont know about me"