The Assistant || Ashton Irwin

0.4

It had been two weeks since I signed the contract to become Ashton's girlfriend. Two weeks, the ink had dried and there was no going back. All meetings with Ashton had never been pleasant, each ended in an argument, usually one he started and I tried to finish. I was stubborn, I didn't like people thinking I was a pushover.

With my new contract, I was no longer required to work in the office, so I spent my days at home, and really only ventured out when I had to meet with Ashton, or Emma, or to get food. Emma made us go out on a few dates in public to pose as the "happy couple", paparazzi had caught us a few times. All part of the plan. Many pictures had surfaced online of the two of us, some smiling and laughing, a few holding hands or arms around each other, and then the common pose of Ashton walking ahead of me on the street to make it look like we weren't together, but yet made it obvious that we were.

I'll admit, he was a damn good actor. He was very good at the lovey-dovey stuff in public, but behind closed doors, he was rude, obnoxious and just a horrible person I would never associated with. I guess I was a good actor too. I seemed to look happy in all the pictures that were taken.

A new bunch of pictures appeared online and all of my timeline on twitter of myself and Ashton on our latest Starbucks 'date'. My phone ringing diverted my attention away from my laptop screen. Megan's name flashed across the screen. I was confused, she usually only rang me when it was late, or if she was drunk. Since it was two in the afternoon I was guessing she wasn't drunk.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Why didn't you tell me you were seeing Ashton Irwin?" Megan barked at me.

"Oh that" I sighed.

"So it is true!" She yelled.

"Ow, burst ear drum" I said.

"Get over it! So it's true, you're seeing Ashton?" she questioned, her tone slightly lower.

"Well, yes and no" I said, shutting down my laptop.

"Ok explain. Now!" Megan demanded.

"Well em" I started, trying to find the words, "Remember the way we were talking about a publicity stunt"

I hoped she'd put two and two together because I really didn't feel like explaining it all from the start.

"Fuck off! You're a publicity stunt!" She shrieked.

"Yup, that's me" I laughed.

"So what happens? Are you paid? Do you do like a public break up? What?" She questioned.

"Not exactly" I said, and she stayed silent and waited to explain.

"So yeah I'm getting paid. Yeah there will be a breakup eventually, but in the form of divorce" I said.

"Divorce? As in you're...?" Megan trailed off.

"Yeah, I'm getting married sometime next year" I said quietly.

"Oh my god" she said, "You're getting married and you're not even in a proper relationship!"

"Chill out Megs, it's not that I want to, the guys a complete jerk. The money is seeing me through this. I'll have enough to pay off my loans, buy my apartment and eventually go travelling" I said. I got up from my spot on the couch and wandered to my room. I stood in front of my wardrobe looking for clothes for my latest meeting with Emma.

"Wow" Megs whispered, "So you can take me shopping once in a while?"

"I guess I can" I laughed.

"I call maid of honour" Megan laughed with me. We talked for a few more minutes before I really I had to go and get ready.

I hung up my phone and grabbed my makeup bag and applied my face, nothing major, a simple foundation, eyeliner and mascara. I straightened my hair and pulled on jeans and a jumper before grabbing my bag and heading out the door.

I caught a taxi and told the driver the address Emma had text me. It turned out to be one of the top hotels in London. I paid the driver and made my way inside. I spotted Emma sitting in a chair, she glanced in my direction and then turned back to me. She waved me over and I picked up my pace.

"Ali darling" she said kissing each cheek, "Come on he's upstairs"

She linked our arms and lead me towards the lifts. The doors opened with a ding, I stepped inside behind Emma and she pressed the right button. I held my breath as the lift moved upwards. I was claustrophobic, lifts or any small space scared the life out of me. I bolted through the doors as soon as they opened. Emma rolled her eyes at me, used to my antics at this stage. She motioned for me to follow her down the corridor. We passed room after room and eventually we stopped at one. The room was on it's own, a huge gap between the next door.

Emma pulled out a key card and swiped the door opened. She ushered me inside and closed the door behind us. I looked around the room, it was huge, a kingsized bed in the middle of the room, a flat screen tv on the wall, two two-seater leather couches around a coffee table.

Ashton was sprawled out on the bed, not a care in the world. I rolled my eyes as I dumped my bag on the floor. I took a seat on one of the couches and waited patiently. Even Ashton's presence irritated me. The way he took a breath, the way he talked, even the way his hands went to his hair to ruffle it.

"Ashton don't be so rude. Get up and take a seat by Alison" Emma snapped.

He looked to me and rolled his eyes before slowly stalking over and taking a seat as far as possible from me on the couch. I sat playing with the hem of my jumper while Ashton sat with his head in his hands.

"So" Emma started, taking a seat opposite us, "Your dates have worked, there's a good buzz around the two of you now. We need to stage one more photo opportunity before Ashton goes public with your backstory we've given you"

Ashton and I had been a detailed backstory of how we met, how kept the relationship going all this time and so on. According to the script we met at one of their gigs in London three years ago, I was working backstage and we just 'clicked'. Reading it made me gag, it was so cliché. We texted and talked on the phone for about four months before Ashton took the plunge and asked me to be his girlfriend. Apparently we found the distance hard to handle at times but because we were so in love we made it work. Give me a break.

"So what's this photo opp then?" Ashton asked being me back to the present.

"Well it's tomorrow morning and Ali leaves wearing the shirt you have on you now Ashton" Emma said smiling. It clicked in my head.

"Oh gross! We've to do the walk of shame?" I exclaimed.

Ashton's eyes widened at my words. It suddenly hitting him.

"Wait...we have to...?" He trailed off.

"Oh no you don't, you just make it look like you did" Emma clarified.

I was cringing in my seat, this day just got better and better.

"So she has to stay? With me? In this room? All night?" Ashton asked. I groaned. I didn't think about that.

"That's it exactly" Emma said cheerily, "So I guess I'll leave you two alone. Enjoy tonight, get to know each other. But don't kill one another" and with that advice Emma left.

The room fell silent. The only sound was the quiet breaths myself and Ashton took. He got up and went to the minibar located in the fridge. I kicked off my shoes and tucked my knees into my chest, curling into a ball. Might as well get comfy. I watched out of the corner of my eye as Ashton sat on the bed. He sighed loudly before slipping his shoes off.

"Listen blondie" he said. I turned my full attention to him so he could continue.

"I don't want to be here, you don't want to be here. So let's just agree to speak if we really have to. Agreed?"

"Agreed asshole" I said before turning on the tv to give me something to do. This was going to be one long night.