Chapter 12
If he weren't so dang cute, none of this would've happened. I wouldn't be falling for him, we wouldn't have stayed here, and I wouldn't be so cold to the fact we have a week left before the next bus arrives. And I still have to decide if I want to be on that bus or not. If staying is a good idea to me, or a good idea, in general.
He's not even really my type, if I have a type, which I doubt I do. But it doesn't matter, I have feelings for him and I know it's strange but I think he has some in return for me too. I find it weird he chose me. Of all people his age around the area, of all the people in general, why me? Why a girl and her little brother who won't tell you half her past because it's too horrific to relive. Also because she may or may not be running from the cops.
On that matter, there's been no news report or wanted posters, which is surprising. It's like an eery silence. You almost expect something to turn up, since someone did get seriously injured, if not killed. But nothing has, and that creeps me out.
As for now, I'm working at the little fish camp over the water, serving tables for the lunch rush. It was slowing down since 1:15 hit, enough so that I have one table left and even they were finishing up. Most had to get back to work after their hour break, which leaves the restaurant essentially deserted.
I take a glance toward the water that the pier opened up to see, finding Ashton at the open window instead. He leans around the wood, smiling as he stares off past me.
"Can I help you, sir?" I ask formally as I walk over.
"Just here for a pickup." He leans down and kisses me, his hands going to my cheeks to steady me as he deepens it. I have to use my free hand, the one not on his neck to pull him in, to keep me up on the window platform.
"You know we don't do call-ins," I murmur against his lips, unable to stop smiling.
"I know." He kisses me quickly once more. "Do you wanna take a walk on the beach?"
I take a look back at the empty place, then to my table who has left their tip and booked it out of there.
"Give me a second?" I hold up a finger and hurry off towards the kitchen. I find Karen sorting through dishes, smirking down at her work.
"Go ahead." She says before I have a chance.
"Are you sure?"
"You get off in 15 minutes and we're dead right now. Go, have fun. I haven't seen Ashton this happy in years. He could use someone like you, sweetheart." She smiles. "Now go, before I change my mind."
"Thank you."
I half-skip towards Ashton, smiling away as I grab the tip with a spin on my way. "Ready, slacker?" I pull him after me.
•
The beach stretched for miles, seperated only from Wilmington by a bridge over the water. Tonight the place is deserted though, and as Ashton and I walk barefoot through the breaking waves brushing our paths, I'm actually struck with the thought that this could be my future. I can see us years from now doing the same things but with kids, but as adults, as we get old together. I could actually see a life like that, here.
I know I'm too young for that, to think of this, but somehow I feel like if I met him ten years from now, when everything has calmed down, maybe he could be the One.
"What are you thinking about?" I hear him ask. A breeze pushes a strand into my face and I try, unsuccessfully, to move it back. "You've been kinda quiet."
I didn't want to tell him. It wasn't that I didn't want him to know my feelings or I'm hiding anything. I just don't want to come out and say that I think I can see a life with him. That would scare him for sure, if he isn't already.
"Stuff." I bend down to pick up a seashell, thinking it to be bigger but it turns out to be a broken shell.
"What kind've stuff?" He ventures off a little bit to step on an abandoned sandcastle. I frown at him but he doesn't really take notice.
"I dunno. You." He looks up. "Charlie. The bus. Future."
"Do you think you're going to stay?"
I sigh. "I want to. I just don't know-if it'd be...safest for our situation."
"I don't know what your situation is. I don't know why you won't tell me or why you can't tell me but I can assure you, here, with me, is the safest place you can be."
I honestly don't know what's happening. I don't know why I'm falling for him. I don't know why he makes me happy or why I feel connected to this guy I met a few weeks ago. I just know that despite all this, despite every odd and everything Austin and I've been through on the way, I believe him.
••A/n
To the people reading Saving Grace, Ashley lost her charger so just a heads up for y'all:)
