"where did you go?" ashton asks when he opens the door.
"the music store," i reply, toeing my boots off.
he smiles, "you really like that store, huh?"
"it's nice," i pull myself up on the kitchen counter, "i think i know my favorite song from the xx."
his face lights up as he pours himself a glass of water, "really? what is it?"
"night time," i reply, thinking of calum and i in the back of the store listening to it. he told me their sound was something to get used to, but it was catchy.
he swallows his glass of water in one gulp, "nice choice. why?"
"why what?"
"why'd you choose it?"
"it's soothing and the words speak to me," he swallows down another full glass of water. i chuckle, "you drink a lot,"
"sorry," he says.
i shake my head, "you apologize for unnecessary reasons."
"sorry. it's a habit. it pisses michael off," ashton smiles before pouring himself another glass.
"is everything okay between you and michael?" i ask him.
he furrows his eyebrows, "yeah? why?"
"he looked kind of mad the other day and when he came back from work you two didn't talk to each other,"
he shakes his head, "oh, yeah. we're okay. we share each other's pain. and we didn't talk because he was tired,"
"i wish i had a best friend like that," i admit out loud.
he frowns, "what do you mean?"
"i've never really had a best friend before, except niall."
ashton rolls his eyes at the sound of his name, "some kind of best friend,"
"i know, right?" i say, "i had a close friend in high school, but everything changed when niall came around. it's kind of like i let everything go."
"well, el, i can be your best friend," he smiles behind his glass.
i smile back at him and ruffle his hair, "of course,"
