Falling Down Under

Chapter Thirty - Leather

~Leather’s POV~

Seven days. It has been seven days since I kissed Ashton.

Six days. It has been six days since Ashton took me on our first date.

Five days. It has been five days since Ashton said “Love ya too, babe,” in response to my “I hate you.”

Here I was on a Friday night curled up on my bed in a footless onesie that said NERD across the chest and clutching the stuffed gibbon my boyfriend won for me while I overanalyzed the words he said to me like a freak.

It’s not that I wasn’t happy, that’s not it at all. I couldn’t stop smiling when Ashton would be waiting outside my classes for me with coffee and he would walk me home or take me out…but…love is a big word and I know I tell Ari I love her all the time, but that’s a different kind of love. That’s the “you’re my best friend/soul sister” love. A love with Ashton would be more of the “I want you standing by me when all of my dreams come true” kind of love. Whoah. I think I have been watching WAY too much One Tree Hill on Netflix.

I walked into the kitchen to get a snack to find Arianna and Luke eating the cake that Ari baked for them earlier in the day. Fridays were the days neither of us had classes so I cleaned and she baked for her boy toy. She doesn’t like when I call him that.

“And she emerges.” Luke laughed and I flipped him off.

“So, why aren’t you with Ash tonight?” Ari asked as she took a forkful of cake.

“He went to go spend the day with his family because his brother and sister missed him.” I shrugged and cut myself a piece of cake. “You two have fun. I’m gonna go back into my room. Thanks for the cake.” I smiled as I turned to walk back to my room.

“No more Netflix and no more One Tree Hill!” Ari called after me. She knows me too well.

“No promises!” I yelled back as I closed my door.

Okay, so I totally watched more One Tree Hill despite what Ari told me not to do. A few good hours of One Tree Hill later and I was curled up in a ball on my bed once again, only this time I was crying. I mean, Lucas and Peyton finally got together again and he has a heart attack! Are you kidding me? And Haley! Oh, her and that baby! They both could have died. Stupid Nathan, but he loves her so much and…

“Hey, Leather, can I come in?” Luke asked as he knocked on my door.

“Yeah.” I whispered as I wiped my eyes.

“Are you crying?” He asked as he sat on my bed.

“No, it’s just the show gets me emotional.” I muttered and used my sleeves to wipe my eyes under my glasses.

“So, can I ask why you are acting like a teenage girl who had her heartbroken even though you are very much so still with Ashton?”

“I had jokingly told him I hated him and he responded with a “love ya too, babe” and that has been replaying in my mind because, well, it’s too early for love, right? I mean, we just got together and that just threw me for the biggest loop of my life. I mean, I tell Ari I love her and even you, but it’s more of the you guys are my soul sister and brother type, but with Ashton, it would be the type where he’s the person I want to be at my side when all my dreams come true kind of love and I don’t know what to do because I don’t know if he meant it or if it was a joke or if he could even love me or if this whole thing is just for fun and OH MY GOD I AM SUCH A GIRL!” I screamed/groaned the last part and leaned back on my bed only to hit my head on the backboard. Ouch. Luke laughed and I shot him a glare.

“I love that you love me, Leather, but does me and Ari being your soul brother and sister make she and I related in any weird way because then that would make all the kissing we just did really awkward.” Luke smirked and I threw a pillow at him which he caught.