Chapter 7
The Grand Tour truly was not that much. I met a lot of people from town, memorized each shop location and the names of the workers, and actually got a job at the local fish camp at the single dock of the town. I had worked a few shifts at Ricky's at one point to earn some money in Wyland. It wasn't fun but it got me a new guitar which I didn't even have time to grab on my way out.
Now we're just kind've by the dock near the store. Austin is being taught how to fish by a local bait shop owner which leaves Ashton and I sitting at the end of the dock, feet swaying slightly to a sound only in our heads.
"You never answered my question," He says after a moment. I glance at him from staring at the grassy distance. "About you."
"What do you wanna know? I'm actually not that interesting. I know that's hard to believe." I joke, pushing my leg opposite of him to my chest and resting my cheek against it to look at him.
His eyes flick around my face for a few seconds before settling back on my eyes. "Just, talk. Anything, i guess."
"Well, I'm 17, a senior in highschool. Uh, my mom passed away when I was younger, I sing a bunch, like, random breakouts into song-type-singing. I'm from Tennessee, we have better food than you. I like strawberries on my waffles and I love crime shows. Oh, and I am a total hopeless romantic/daydreamer/worrier extraordinaire." I finish with a grin, watching as his own expression lightens.
"See, that stuff matters to me. I needed to know that you like strawberries on your waffles," He lets a smirk play off on his lips. Speaking of his lips, i am doing all I can at the moment to blot out the ignorant hormones trying to break its way through. I focus on laughing instead to try to ease my tension a little.
"What about you? I haven't heard you say a thing about yourself," I let my knee fall down again.
"Me? You don't need to know who I am, I'm a nobody.."
"Shut up," I say, pushing his shoulder slightly. "You made me do it. I care."
The wording kinda takes both of us by surprise and I look back down to my hands equally as quickly. I can feel him looking at me, it makes me self-conscious enough to wait until he stops before I look back.
"I'm 19. Grew up in a little town like this one called Ocean Isle. I stayed there until I was 16 then I packed up and left, never looked back. My parents had gotten in a boating accident when I was 4. They said it was spontaneous, that a speedboat lost control and my parents boat couldn't turn in time. Head-on collision, ruined my life. But yeah, I left and came here, which isn't much different but I like this place. It's quiet without completely ignoring you. It's home. Oh, and I cannot stand the smell of burnt popcorn." This time, it's my turn to observe him. Just looking at him makes my throat feel dry. I was attracted to Noah, I knew that, but that was before I knew what he was truly in for. How childish and dumbstruck I was to follow around lifelessly as he drained the happiness from my life. But I don't know about Ashton, he seems genuine but I can't tell if that's actual feelings or what I think I'm seeing. Either way, I'm not as easy to fall as I was, know that. I don't want another Noah.
"I'm sorry,"
"Nah, it's okay. As long as you follow the directions on the package, it hardly ever burns," He forces in a small laugh before looking back at me. "You learn to deal with it."
"Yeah.." A silence fills in. It isn't really awkward, we're just kind've thinking.
"So, what's your story? Why'd you leave, where from?" There it is. I was expecting it and yet I'm still not prepared. I kind of give him this pleading look, hoping he recognizes it and plays it off. "You don't have to- I mean, if you don't feel comfortable."
"Not yet.. I'm sorry, it's just a long story," I murmur.
"Don't apologize."
•
"Has anyone ever told you you have really pretty eyes?" I murmur, watching as his lips twitch into his own signature grin. We are laying on the dock, kinda just staring at eachother and the sunset and the sky at once. If you saw us, you wouldn't immediately think couple but there was definitely a hint there. We were just talking, teasing, messing with eachother and sharing things about ourselves.
"Not in awhile, no. So thank you, if that's what your implying," he says.
"I wasn't implying anything, it's a general question," I smirk.
"So if I said 'has anyone told you you're extremely gorgeous' it doesn't mean that I think you're extremely gorgeous?" He raises an eyebrow crookedly from his position of laying on his side. I'm pretty sure my heartbeat doubled in pace at his words, not sure yet though but I'm betting on it.
"Thats a different matter,"
"Oh?"
"Yes because-" I frown and look down. I don't know where I was going with this but I lose it as soon as our eyes lock.
"Because...?" He trails, smiling wider now. I sigh. "Well, you are. Extremely gorgeous, that is."
I blush pretty badly, actually. I can feel the heat pulsing from my cheeks as Ashton's eyes study me. "And you have really pretty eyes."
"Look at me, I'm blushing." He fans himself jokingly. He pushes himself into a sitting position and looks back at me, holding out a hand to pull me up. "Let me know if you need someone to talk to. I want to be that person."
Once again, Austin's voice breaks into the moment, which would've ruined it if I hadn't been so invested into it. "Come check out what I caught!" is all he shouts before Ashton and I are sprinting over to him.
