Secrets // a.i.

Eight

"Put me down!" I shouted, hitting his back with my fists.

"Not until you say you're sorry!" He shouted, running down the hallway.

"You're gonna make me break my neck!" I screamed as my head flung around.

"Shouldn't have called me a dick sucker!"

"You are such a whimp" I laughed. 

"Ashton! Put her down!" I heard someone shout from down the hall, but that only made him run faster. 

Over the last week or Ashton and I had gotten closer, but not like you're thinking. We were really good friends now ever since that day on the bus. I was constantly picking and making fun at him about everything, as he did the same with me, his little outbursts like this made it worth it. Although I don't know if my neck is going to survive this. He had he slung over his shoulder, his arms wrapped around my legs as he attempted to run while holding me. 

"Someone help!" I tried to cry out, but failed when I began laughing so hard I couldn't breathe. "Where are you even taking me you idiot!"

"To the dumpsters" he giggles. I press my hands into his back, leaning my head to look up at him as best I could.

"You better be kidding, Irwin!" I glare at him.

"Would I lie to you?" He grins, and I smack him on the face resulting in a loud yelp. My head falls back behind him, my face now in front of his butt. 

"I swear if you fart, I'm going to kill you."

"Man those burritos sure are getting to me" he says with amusement clear in his voice. 

"ASHTON!" I scream, quickly covering my face. He stops mid step, and I look up to see where we are. He had taken me all the way to the other side of the venue. 

His hands slip from my legs as my body falls along his, my face now inches from his. My arms are wrapped around his neck, as his own are around my waist. We stared at each other for a moment, before he loosened his grip on me completely, letting me fall to my feet.

"Riley!" I hear someone shout, and I break my eyes away from Ashton. A very out of breath Michael stops in front of me, his hands resting on his knees as he catches his breath.

"Mikey?" Are you okay?" I laugh, patting his back.

"How the hell did you carry her and run all the way over here?" He asks, looking at Ashton.

"It's called being fit, you should try it" he giggles, resulting in a punch to the chest from Michael.

"Shut up!" He shouts, leaning against the wall. 

After he catches his breath, we all head back to the dressing rooms. Ashton and I have a race at who can get there first, and of course he wins, he has longers legs than I do. We make it to the room way before Michael does, both of us falling onto the floor as the cold air wraps around us. They rest of the boys all file into the room, Harry following close behind them, a bandana wrapped around his head in attempt to pull his hair away from his face. The boy just needed to cut it. 

"What happened here?" He laughs, gesturing to us. 

"We raced from the other side of the venue" Ashton lets out with a small chuckle.

"And I won."

"No you didn't, she's lying!" Ashton shouts, getting up from his spot.

-

Ashton's POV

Riley was laying on the floor, her hair was sprawled out behind her. Giggles escaped her lips as she continued to tease me. She knew how much I took pride in winning, no matter what it was. I had won this race and she was telling the boys I didn't. I didn't really care who won to be honest, I just argued with her cause her facial expressions were too adorable. I jumped from my spot on the floor, looking down at her as I had my hands on my hips.

"Well aren't you sassy" she laughed, her nose crinkling as she did so. "You just can't stand losing to a girl."

"I didn't lose to a girl!" I demanded, huffing as I ran a hand through my hair. 

"What am I to you then?" She said between laughs as I tried to fight back a smile. 

"A dog" I smirked, and her facial expression was priceless. Her eyebrows knitted together as her jaw dropped, she was clearly offended. I couldn't help but laugh. 

"You're an ass. Just say I won you idiot."

"Nope, not going to. Because I won" I smiled, rocking on my heels.

"LIKE HELL YOU DID IRWIN!" 

"Oh someones fiesty" I giggled.

"And you're a cheater" she spat, sticking her tongue out at me. 

"We need popcorn" Calum shouted from the couch behind us. Him, Luke and Harry were all watching us go back and forth. It was then I realized Michael still wasn't back. Boy was he slow. 

"Cheater!" She shouted from the floor, trying not to smile but she was fialing.

"I'm not a cheater!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!" Just then Michael came into the room, throwing himself onto the couch as he buried his face into the cushion. 

"I'm going to give you two five seconds to shut the fuck up!" He mumbles into the cushion.  Everyone bursts out laughing, our bickering forgotten as Michael groans into the couch. A tall figure appears in the door way, all of us turning our heads.

"Show's in 20" he shouts, gesturing to his watch. 

"Crap" Luke lets out, all of us scrambling to our feet. I reach down, lending Riley a hand. She places her smaller one in mine, an electric shock going through me when she does. No matter what I tell myself, that feeling never goes away. I pull her to feet as she stumbles forward, quickly fixing her shirt. 

"Thanks" she mumbles, running a hand through her hair. 

What killed me the most about all of this was not being able to tell her just how beautiful she was. I mean I could, but that would be so weird. She'd probably freak out and I'd ruin the whole friendship, and that was something I wouldn't be able to take. I wanted to get to know her more, and I wanted to get closer to her. I was fine with being her friend, not completely, but it was better than nothing. right?  I knew I was never going to get the chance to have anything with her, she wouldn't dare do that to Michael, and he sure as heck wouldn't allow it. But I loved how easy it was to get a long with her, I was never friends with many girls but she wasn't like the rest. She was different, and that's what I liked. 

I ran my fingers through my hair as I grabbed my drumsticks from the table, making my way to the main stage. We all stood in a circle, each of us getting our in-ears in as we waited for the okay to head on stage. Thousands of screaming girls could be heard, my ear drums ringing. 

"Ready?" Luke asks, and I nod. I walked onto the stage, the boys following behind me