Pensive

Chapter Two

PENSIVE: 02

'Wont be able 2 pick u up until 5:30'

I read the text message four more times, just to be sure I read it properly. How the hell could the damn driver text me this right after class ends? Mom probably needed to be brought to the airport. I sighed and sat down on the shiny white front steps of school.

I saw Ashton sit down on the steps also, sitting two steps lower than me but still managing to level his eyes with mine as he leaned back on his elbows. I didn't look at him and I was quiet, I didn't have to start conversation with him. But I wanted to, so badly. I bit my lip to keep me from talking. I risked looking at him and found his hazel eyes staring at me.

"It's rude to stare," I stated uncomfortably. He smiled. "You're very beautiful," He answered, ignoring my previous statement, "Forgive me for staring at beautiful people." I looked away, but I could still feel his stare on me.

"What's your name?" He asked. "You know my name." I said. "No, your full name." He cleared. "Dyan Leighton Martin." I told him. A frown appeared on his face, then it disappeared after a second. He was quiet. I was quiet. I didn't know what to say, I didn't know how to act around him.

I cleared my throat. "So, uh, what do your parents do?" He took his time answering, but not before he slowly turned his head to look at me. "Work." He shortly answered.

"Of course they work. What kind of work?" I asked.

"A business."

"What business?"

"A business that isn't yours to meddle in." He answered with a finality in his voice. So he didn't want me to meddle in his life. Okay. I stood up to leave but I heard him speak. "Stay," he requested. I shouldn't have listened to him, but I did. I sat back down.

"So what do your parents do?" He asked the same question. I decided to piss him off. "Work." I said, giving the same answer he did. He glared at me, so I changed my answer. "We own Martin Inc." I said. Then he didn't say anything for a while.

I took my time to just look at him, how guarded he looked even though he sat in a relaxed position. The way his eyes almost always looked away when we weren't speaking, the way he seemed to assess my answers in some way. It was like he was looking for some sort of information from me.

"Why are you still here?" I asked.

"Reasons."

"Are you always this guarded?"

"No."

"Why are you so guarded?" I was becoming so annoyed at his one-word answers. He was making it so difficult to know him. God, Leigh, obviously he'd make it difficult! Does it look like he wants to just tell you his life story? Wait, why are you talking to yourself??

"Reasons," he repeated his answer, a smirk appearing on his face. He knew he was annoying me with those answers. My hands formed into a fist, but I convinced myself that shouting at this.. thing would not do anything.

"Why did you move here?" I asked. I expect him to answer another one word answer, but I'm so tired of hearing them. Which totally confused me. Why am I even bothering to ask if he's just gonna annoy me? I shook my head before he answered and said, "You know, wh-"

"Leigh." Calum said, startling me. He stood at the very bottom of the steps, looking up at me and Ashton, who looked back at Calum. "It's drizzling. Come on, your dad sent me to pick you up. The car's out the gate." Calum said, still looking at Ashton.

I looked back at Ashton. "How are you getting home?" I asked him. Why the hell am I even asking him? He broke eye contact with Calum to look at me. "I'll be fine." He answered honestly. I considered asking him to come with us, but thought better. I stood, and went to Calum.