The Bucket List ➡️ Ashton Irwin

Chapter 36 - Get a passport and take it somewhere [Part 4] (x)

ASHTON'S POV

Dear diary, (06/02/2014)

Charles still dribbles, but she's still cute though.

--

Charles always looks the funniest when she's asleep. Her nose scrunches up in that cute way, and when her eyes screw shut you can just make out the faint dimples on either side of her cheeks. It always makes me wonder what she's dreaming about.

I remember when I started sleeping in the same bed with her, especially the night we were handcuffed. She'd wake herself up just before her head would completely drop. It's like that dream where you're falling or you trip downstairs and you jump awake just before you reach the bottom. Yeah they were that kind. She'd go back to sleep soon after, taking the looks of evident relief with her. I knew what she was dreaming about, where she was falling and how far, because, well I had the exact same ones.

It still baffles me that it's only been one month. Over one whole month of 'us'. I know that may not seem like a relatively long time but for me it has been. Sure, my last relationship was a lot longer, but it's different with Charles. In just one month I've fallen in love with her. In just one month she's changed my outlook on life and living in general. In just one month she's made me forget what death feels like. She's made me take a step back from the edge, she's made me want to live.

I'm not so great at expressing how I feel, but I'm sure she got it last night. I just needed to say it once, to break the awkward ice. Now I can saw it all the bloody time and not feel nervous and such. I can scream it from the rooftops- lol get it? I remember how nervous Charles was when she told me, my god how much I regretted not saying it back. It wasn't that I didn't feel anything, it was more so the fact that I felt exactly the same. See? I'm not so great at expressing how I feel.

I do wish we had more time here though, Charles has barley gotten to see the place. But I guess there'll be even more incentive to come next time. She was great with letting me have some alone time with Calum, god knows I needed it. He- much like everyone I've seen since returning, has mentioned how scared they were the last time I came back. He told me how he found out about Megan and how worried he was for me. I shrugged and told him I was fine, that now I am completely fine. So he let it be and we played a game of bowling. Soon after he got me drunk, we took a taxi home, he cried whilst saying goodbye and made me promise to come home again soon. I stumbled in half drunk, snuggled up to my baby and told her how I really felt.

So waking up this morning you'd be able to understand my euphoria. Even though it was near midnight and Charles's alarm would be going off soon, I still managed to feel over the moon. Yesterday morning I managed to switch our flights to business class, god knows how many more screaming baby's Charles would be able to take. Besides, Charles is worth it.

The shitty siren sound of Charles' alarm began to ring, the irking sound quickly filling the room. I reached over Charles and switched it off just as she slowly began to sit up. She yawned out while stretching her tiny arms over her head. I heard the cracking of her back, followed by another yawn.

"Morning." I told her with a smile. Her eyes snapped to me and she shot me a silent but deadly glare. Yep, definitely not a morning person. Charles proceeded to get up and drag her still half asleep body to the bathroom. I got up myself and decided to make the bed and ensure that all of our things were packed and almost ready to go.

Charles had our clothes for the day laid out on top of our suitcases as well as our passports and flight itinerary. I couldn't help but think about how good of a wife she'd make. I know what you're thinking... marriage? No, not soon I can assure you. Maybe one day though for sure. She's kind of a good cook and her kisses are A+ awesome. Yeah, like I said, she'd make a great wife.

Charles returned from the bathroom a few minutes later, carrying our toiletry bag in her hands. She placed it on the bed before walking to her suitcase and grabbing the clothes on top.

"You okay?" I couldn't help but ask. I know she's just tired, but I just wanted to make sure that everything was okay with her. If it was last night or her overall being in general, I feel the need to constantly know for sure that she's okay. No one asked about me before this and looked what happened. Charles asks me all the damn time and it gets annoying but its our way of checking up on the other person. If there's one single frown from me, there's a million questions from her waiting.

Her eyes snap up to acknowledge me for the second time. Her eyes soon soften and she gives me a smile.

"I'm good, great actually." She reassures me as she pulls her pyjama top from her torso. I turn away because I'm that guy. Yeah yeah, I've seen her in less before but I'm no peeping Tom. Plus it's just kind of weird, like sure I'll stare at her naked body for a bit, then what good will come form that? I'll have a boner and no productive way to get rid of it. Naked staring leads to nothing but blue balls and from what I've heard, it's not good for your health.

Charles pushes my pile of clothing into me after she's done. I grab the clothes and begin stripping myself with my back turned. The least Charles deserves is some butt action, so I'll give her that. After I'm done I quickly shove my clothes back into my suitcase and brush my teeth before Charles packs the toiletry bag in with her stuff. 

Before I know it we're all packed and quietly heading downstairs in hopes of not waking anyone up. Little do I know, mums standing in the kitchen already awake when we get downstairs. She embraces us both in long hugs and she ever-so-discretely whispers a quiet 'take care of my boy' into Charles' ear in hopes of me not hearing, but I so heard. 

I yelled at her about not crying because I was sad enough about leaving and she'd just make it worse. So we hugged, her a little too tightly and she told me to take care of myself. I promised her I would, and I'm pretty sure she believed me this time. Soon enough it was back to just being me and Charles in the car, on our way back to America- but we stopped at McDonald's first of course.

We both ordered large quarter-pounder meals and Charles fed me fries as we drove. It made me appreciate Australia's 24 hour maccas, it really did. After scoffing down our conveniently unhealthy dinner/breakfast we arrived at the international airport, parked and headed for the car rental desk. Thankfully that twat that I used to go to school with wasn't there. I handed in the keys and me and Charles went and checked in. Well, at first we tried to do the whole self serve thing but Charles fucked up. I don't know how but she really did. I think she checked in as the wrong person then tried to go back but the machine glitched- I honestly don't know. Luckily the airport was basically empty so no one would have to witness Charles cute failure. The airline checked us in after assuring Charles that she didn't break the machine. She smiled sympathetically while her cheeks went bright pink. I hugged her to my side tightly as we walked to our gate. 

Our flight was due to board half an hour after we got there, so we parked our tired butts down and tried to pass the time.

"Eye spy with my little eye...." I began, but Charles shoved her elbow deep into my side. 

"No." She replied sternly, but I kept on going. She didn't scare me....much. 

"Something beginning with...B." I said, Charles answered almost immediately.

"Boobs." She huffed and shuffled in her seat, trying to get comfortable.

"Damn, you're good, how did you know?"

"You did the exact same one before. When we took that road trip remember?" She asked, looking up at me. That's right, the road trip where I talked to, never mind.

"You remember that?" I choked out.

"Of course." She scoffed. "I remember everyday we've ever spent together." She admittedly, feeling stupid as soon as the sentence came out of her mouth. "Not in a creepy way though."

"Totally creepy." I whispered back with a smile and yet again she elbowed me hard.

Our flight number was called out ready for boarding, asking for business passengers first. Charles looked surprised at the fact that I actually booked us business, but soon changed to pleased and impressed. Once again we got in our seats, that were arguably bigger this time and made of leather, and got comfortable. Charles had a small piece of paper in her hands, it was that recognisable one that I had seen many times before. She pulled it open and grabbed the complementary pen from the pocket in front of her. I watched her as she read through the list until she found the passport one. She marked it off with an X before clicking the pen and folding the paper back up. 

"Ash, how many hours again?" She asked, her voice still sleepy.  

"We're here until 9 pm tomorrow." I said as she buckled back up and tried to get comfortable. "Here, get some sleep." I moved our arm rest up (even though you're not supposed to during take off) and pulled her closer to me. I used the blanket tucked in the box under our seat to cover it up. If an air hostess made a comment, I'd tell them to fuck off and go back to serving peanuts in a packet. Charles snuggled up to me and her eyes drew shut a few minutes later.  

There was something in particular that bothered me about her list, maybe it was the fact that she'd never finish it- not while I was around at least. One of the tasks I didn't like, and I'd do everything in my power to prevent her from checking it off before she turned 21. 

I made sure to gently retrieve the folded piece of paper when I was positive that Charles was out of it. It was a few minutes after take off when everyone was quiet and the flight was smooth. I slowly grabbed it from her tiny hand and snatched the complementary pen from the pouch in front of me. I pulled my tray table down and unfolded the paper, trying to be as quiet as possible. I then flattened the paper out onto the table and clicked the pen.

I read through the tasks, remembering each one as if we completed them yesterday. I stopped when I reached the one I hated. I quickly wrote beside it, not completely changing the answer, just altering it. My handwriting looked ridiculous next to Charles' neat one, but I didn't care. She can't change it back, I wont let her. 

I folded the paper back up as well as my tray table and slid the paper back into her hand. She clenched it lightly and snuggled further into me. I relaxed and tossed the pen aside as I pulled her closer, knowing that I'd never loose her. I went through the list one last time before drifting off to sleep.

To do before 21.

1-Take a road trip (x)

2-Try a food I can't pronounce (x)

3-Go skinny dipping (x)

4-Sleep under the stars (x)

5-Pull a (fun) all-nighter (x)

6-Have a meaningful conversation with a stranger (x)

7-Get a passport and take it somewhere (x)

8-Get a job (x)

9-Learn to converse in another language (x)

10-Dance in the rain (x)

11-Go to a movie or dinner by myself (x)

12-Learn to cook my favourite meal (x)

13-Get drunk (x)

14-Have a one night stand (x)

15-Get into a fist fight (x)

16-Say yes to everything all day ( )

17-Carve something cliché into a tree (x)

18-Get over a fear (x)

19-Go on a real date (x)

20-Don't talk for an entire day (x)

21-Play hide and seek in a mall (x)

22-Play extreme truth or dare (x)

23-Write a diary (x)

24-Read a sappy Nicholas Sparks book (x)

25-Stop biting my nails (x)

26-Watch the fireworks from a rooftop (x)

27-Go to a carnival (x)

28-Steal something (x)

29-Get a tattoo (x)

30-Spend a whole day in bed (x)

31-Be handcuffed to someone for 24hours (x)

32-Play chicken across a train track (x)

33-Play penis in public (x)

34-Crash a wedding (x)

35-Attend a strangers funeral (x)

36-Break the law (x)

37-Befriend someone you don't like (x)

38-Get stuck in an elevator (x)

39-Be in two places at once (x)

40-Have a valentine ( )

41-Loose virginity (x)

42-Dine and dash (x)

43-Fall in love (x)

44-Get my heart broken (x)

45- die OLD WITH ASHLEY