Always | Ashton Irwin

Chapter nine.

‘What are the other conditions?’ Michael asked when we were all downstairs again. 

This time we all sat on the couches, I was on Ash his lap and Rowan on Luke’s so no one had to sit on the floor. The tv was on but nobody was watching, all eyes were on Luke again.

‘Well of course the girls have to fly back here for their exams, they said it was okay for you to come as long as you study and pass your exams.’ Luke began. ‘They also want the girls to sleep in different rooms as us, so they share rooms in hotels and sleep in the tour bus with our stylists. We also have to try not to get to distracted, oh and he asked if you guys were interested in helping out the crew sometimes?’

Rowan and I both nodded ‘Of course, we’ll do anything,’ I said with a smile. 

‘Oh and one other thing.’ Luke grinned, ‘Go pack your bags, we’re flying to America tomorrow. 

‘What time are we flying?’ I asked at the same time as Rowan froze and slapped her hand over her mouth ‘I have to ask my parents first.’ She whispered.

Luke laughed and kissed her cheek ‘We’re flying in the afternoon so you’ll have the morning to get your last stuff. And Row don’t worry about your parents, the boys and I already took care of that. They’re fine with it as long as you promise to study for your exams.’ 

Rowan almost started crying again and wrapped her arms around Luke’s neck. I giggled and leaned into Ashton. 

‘I don’t think we have to do much about Luwan, they’re doing great so far and it doesn’t look like they need our help,’ I whispered in his ear with my eyes still on my new fave OTP. 

Ashton smiled and silently agreed with me. The looks Luke gave my best friend just let my heart melt, I could see he really liked her. 

Rowan announced she was going home to pack her stuff and Mali and Luke decided to come with her. Calum and Michael wanted to visit an old friend of theirs and Ashton wanted to stay with me. 

‘Do you need help packing?’ Ash asked when the others all left. 

‘Yeah sure, but first I need your height and your muscles,’ I giggled as I walked up the stairs. 

Ashton laughed ‘Let me guess, I have to get your suitcase of your closet.’ 

‘Dingdingding we have a winner, good guess mister Irwin.’ 

He laughed again but stood on his tiptoes and stretched his arms so he could grab my suitcase. This action made his shirt slide up a bit so I could see a small part of his tanned back. The muscles in his arms almost made me drool over him and I had to force myself to look away. Who knew a boy could look hot while grabbing a suitcase.. My eyes widened when I realized what I just thought, oh crap, first he was beautiful now he was hot. What was I going to think next? 

‘Ali? Hello? Earth to Ali..’

A hand on my shoulder brought me back to the here and now. Wow was I really that zoned out? Ashton stood before me, my suitcase layed on the ground next to him and he had a worried look on his face.

‘Are you okay? You just completley zoned out,’ he said as he sat next to me on my bed. 

I felt my cheeks heat up and I was sure my face was as read as a tomato ‘I.. uhh.. I was just thinking.’ 

He raised his eyebrows at me ‘About what?’ 

I opened my mouth a few times but nothing came out, what was I suppose to say. Uh hey Ash I was actually thinking about you. 

‘Er nothing special, I was just thinking about what I need to take with me to Amercia,’ I lied.

Shit, I hated lying and I knew Ash wouldn’t believe me anyway. To my surprise he just nodded and smiled. 

‘Well let’s pack your suitcase then, I think I know what you need to survive on tour.’ 

                                                                  ***

 The next day I woke up at 6pm so I had enough time to pack my  last things and to say goodbye to my dad. The boys had al slept at home last night so their family had some more time with them. So when I walked downstairs to go get some breakfast it was silent and I couldn’t help to feel lonely. The last two days I had so many people around me and now I sat alone at my kitchen table with a bowl of cereal in front of me. Even though I felt a little bit lonely, the happy feeling was overwhelming. I still couldn’t believe that Rowan and I were allowed to go on tour with the boys. And we were going to freaking America! I’d never really been to another country and I was beyond excited. 

A knocking sound startled me ‘Alison?’ a voice called.

I hopped of my chair and opened the curtains so I could see who was standing in our backyard. I let out a relieved sigh when I saw it was Mali and with a smile I opened the door for her. 

‘Goodmorning love,’ she greeted me happily. 

I chuckled ‘Morning, what are you doing here so early? I thought everyone wouldn’t be here till at least 10 o’clock.’

She shrugged ‘I couldn’t sleep anymore and Cal was being annoying so I thought I’d come and keep you company.’

I grinned ‘Well that’s sweet of you, it was weird waking up with no one in the house. You guys were around me 24/7 the last two days so it was really quiet when you all left.’

I offered Mali a cup of coffee and sat at the kitchen table again.

‘Luke wants to ask Rowan out,’ Mali said out of the blue after she took her first sip of coffee.

I looked at her with wide eyes and a big smile covered my lips ‘Really? That’s so cute, how do you know?’

‘Luke came over last night and talked to Calum about it. Cal convinced him he should ask her, he thinks Row likes him too so I gave him a little hint that I thought the same thing. Oh Ali you should have seen the boys face, he is so in love with her, it’s so freaking cute.’

I awed ‘I already figured that out when I saw the looks he gave her. Row really deserves someone like Luke,’ I smiled.

Mali nodded ‘She surely does, just like you deserve someone like Ash.' 

I opened my mouth to say that Ash and I were just friends when she raised her eyebrows at me. She folded her arms over her chest and grinned while she kept looking at me with this look in her eyes I couldn’t really place.

When I closed my mouth she laughed and as if she had known what I was about to say she said; ‘Good girl, I wouldn’t have believed you anyway.’ 

I frowned ‘What do you mean? I was about to say that Ash and I are just friends, why wouldn’t you believe me?’ 

She chuckled ‘Ali please, I’m your friend and I’m not stupid. I can see that you’re developing feelings for the guy and you can’t deny it. It may not be so obvious for him but I can tell you that I’m not the only one who noticed.’

How did everyone know I was getting feelings for my best friends while I didn’t even know it myself? Of course I noticed some differences but I was not in love with him, right? I mean come on, everyone could think their friends was hot or perfect, that didn’t had to mean anything. Right? A part of me knew that I wasn’t completely right, I wasn’t in love with Ash yet but I was slowly getting there.