fanboy ↦ michael clifford {au}

bonus: still

author's note: this is from the scene in chapter fourteen [aka the phone call between ashton and belle] aND I JUST NOTICED MY TYPO A DAY AFTER I POSTED THIS SORRY

BONUS CHAPTER:

| ashton's pov |

"Ashton, hi," she greeted me, sounding a bit unsure of herself. I admit I wasn't much of a person who called friends, but there's a first for everything. "Why'd you call?" She asked, with the same hesitating tone.

"Hey, Belle! Oh, you know, just checking up on you. It's been so long since you've been here," I said, licking my lips soon after because of what I really had in mind. It was hard to suddenly change the topic to a deeper and awkward one. 

I'm curious about her feelings, but at the same time, I'm confident that she's going to say no. It's been a long time since we've 'broke up'. We weren't actually in a relationship, but it sounds so cruel if I don't refer to it that way. It'll make it seem like she was a rebound - when she was just being my anchor.

I heard her mumble something incoherent, but I didn't tell her to repeat it since it might be just her cursing because she hit her toe on the foot of a table. "I'm fine, yes," she informed me, after a few seconds of silence. It's like it wasn't true, though.

"Are you sure?" My eyebrow raised, as I sat down on my couch. I've known her long enough to know she wasn't entirely fine.

She laughed shortly, and I could imagine her shaking her head from my suspicion. "I'm sure, Ashton. Now, what do you really want to ask me?" 

Clearing my throat, my expression turned into one of seriousness. "Do you... still like me? In... that way?" I tried to form my question in the most normal way, and I guess it was working. It sounded like a casual thing, right? 

This is a casual thing; she couldn't still have feelings for me. We both ended the relationship on a civil note. No hard feelings.

The other line stayed quiet, and it was defeaning. I was scared that maybe I was wrong, but there was a part of me that was still sticking to my assumption.

"Are you there?" I clutched my phone a bit tighter. 

Like before, it was silent.

"Belle?" I called out, shifting my position on the sofa, from the uncomfortable feeling inside.

"Sorry, yeah?" She finally spoke up.

I sighed, comforted by the fact that she didn't drop the call on me. "Do you?" I repeated my question, minus all the details I should never mention again.

I heard a small sound come from her end, and she responded, "No, I don't."

Relief washed over me because for a second there, I thought she would say something else. I smiled, leaning back comfortably. "That's good!" I commented, relaxing emotionally and physically.

"Yeah," she whispered, though I wasn't as sure if that was what she really meant.