Cut To Pieces [Complete]

Dinner

I pulled the dress around until it sat right on my body and wondered why I was even making such an effort. It was only ashton, only a friend. Just a friend.

"You look pretty," Michael smiled as he walked into the hotel room. "What's the occasion?" oh shit, here we go.

"Uh, I'm going to dinner." I smiled gently, brushing my hair out. Michaels eyes narrowed and I sighed. "With Ash. I'm going to dinner with Ash." Michael opened his mouth to protest but I held a hand up to silence him. "Just as friends. We haven't gotten a chance to talk yet." I grabbed my jacket and Michael put a hand on my shoulder.

"Don't let him try anything." I rolled my eyes at Michaels comment and gave him a hug before I bent down to eerie my loose shoelace on my vans.

"He won't. Breathe. Just friends." I gave Michael another reassuring smile before heading out the door and crossing the hall to Ashton and Calum's hotel room, which is also where Luke was hiding from Michael and I's 'grossness'. "Oi, usually the guy collects the girl." I announced myself as I flung the door open. Ashton leaned out from the bathroom and beamed. I raised an eyebrow at his straightened fringe and nodded. "That's new."

"Not really." Ash shrugged as he pulled me in for a hug. "I used to do it nearly everyday, just haven't for a while. You ready to go?" I nodded as Ashton collected his jacket and wallet and slipped into his shoes. I wasted no time in admiring his appearance. His batman tee hung on his muscled shoulders and chest perfectly and his skinny jeans made his legs seem longer. I realised just how much shorter I was than him. I only just reached his shoulder. "Let's do this." I snaked my arm around Ashton's waist as he did mine and ignored the comments coming from the two boys locked in deep FIFA combat.

We called for a taxi and waited inside the lobby, chatting about nothing. When our cab finally arrived we headed to somewhere I had heard about through the boys FaceTimes but never experienced first hand. Panda Express.

"I promise you," Ashton enthused as we eased to a table hidden at the back of the store, pulling me along by my hand. "You're going to love it. Best Chinese ever." We were served instantly and Ashton informed me he had ordered ahead so we wouldn't have to wait. The conversation flowed easily for the two hours we spent in the small diner. we had talked about everything from our relationships with the boys in the band to our families. Something I thought I would talk about with anyone except Michael. Ashton had sat through my story about my father and soaked up every detail, only occasionally offering acknowledging hums. He asked a question afterwards, but not the ones I had expected. I supposed his view on my situation was different from other because of his own daddy issues.

"Do you forgive him?" Ashton has asked solemnly when I had wrapped my story up. It had taken me a while to answer. I had never really considered the issue until Ashton had directly put it to my attention.

"I forgive him." I had stated, smiling at my resolution. "But I don't think I trust him. He still scares me." My curiosity had gotten the better of me and I filled the new silence with the same question to Ashton. "How about you? do you forgive him?" Ashton's face fell from a look of solemn seriousness to pain and utter heartbreak.

"I don't know." He had whispered under his breath. "I don't think so, and I don't think I'll ever manage it." we had decided that the somber conversation should end the dinner portion of the night and we took off into the L.A streets. "Let's hope we don't get spotted." Ashton chuckled as we gripped each other's hands. We wandered around for about half an hour until we reached a small park.

"Oh god, a slide!" I cheered as I dropped Ashton's hand to run over to the small playground. Ashton jogged after me and threw his jacket on the ground before jumping on one of the swings. I ran down the slide to join him and squeezed onto the smaller swing beside him.