The One I Love

December 20th, 2017

I woke to my alarm, only it wasn't the usual blaring. It was playing soft Christmas music. I woke to an empty bed, again. Ashton hasn't been home in days, Liam told me that he's been with Kristina planning a romantic cabin Christmas vacation in Mt. Hood. I'm starting to not like this whole set up...I mean I never really liked it but there wasn't much I could do. Now I turn 18 next month so I get everything my mother left including a 2 bedroom apartment and some money. I don't think I will use either until I absolutely have to though. After a very chirpy walk to the kitchen I found Liam asleep on the couch.

"Liam?" No movement. "Liam. LIAM!" Still nothing...fine, guess i'll have to sit on him while I eat my fruit loops. I plop right on him and turn the tv on, knowing i'll find nothing but the Christmas specials which get very annoying after a month considering they've been on since Halloween passed.

Suddenly Liams arms wrap around me making me scream and throw my cereal causing milk to go all over us. We fell on the floor with him over me. His nose barely a centimeter from mine.

"Liam, I've wanted to ask you this for awhile."

Breathlessly Liam licks his lips "Ask me anything."

"At the hotel when you were sleeping, you said I love you" His breathing stopped. "I was wondering, who were you talking about?"

"Uh.."

"And why haven't you told me about her?" Liam looked into my eyes as deep as he possibly could, my breathing became shallow as he let out a sigh. I don't want to know the answer,but I do.

"Well...I lov-" The front door swung open revealing a very very wasted Ashton. Liam quickly got to his feet and helped his brother to the couch. "God you reak. Where the hell were you?"

"At the bar."

"How the hell did you get into a bar? You're 19?"

"Fake ID little bro. And aren't you like 19 too?"

"No Ash. I'm a lot younger than you."

"Are you older than her?" Ashton points at me as best as he could without falling forward.

"Yes Ashton i'm older than Amelia."

"Hey Ameeealiaaa."

"Yes Ash?" I let out a huff.

"So I was with Kristina this weekend right, and just out of the blue, she says either it's you or her? And I guess I didn't answer fast enough cause she smacked me and left me outside the 7-11. Why did she do that? Like out of nowhere."

"I don't think i'm the one you should be asking, and you should go to bed before you get smacked and left at the 7-11 by 2 girls today."

"Oh that wasn't today. That was a couple days ago. I think."

"Where have you been then?" Liam rolls his eyes as he throws his brothers arm over his shoulder.

"I told you at the bar. I wanted to drink until I figured out stuff."

"Shut it Ashton. You're about to loose the best thing you could ever ask for." Liam hit Ashtons head on the door to make him stop talking and threw him down in the bathroom. "Look toilet. Throw up there. You throw up on the floor and im putting it in a bucket and dumping it on you when you're sober. Got it?"

"Got it." Ashton gave a weak thumbs up before falling asleep on the ground. Liam shut the door loudly before coming back to help me clean all the cereal up.

"You didn't answer my question?"

"What?"

"What girl you love."

"Ah, that. I'll tell you another time. Cause it'll probably be a long conversation and we can't have one of those here with all these people. Plus I know we don't have any migraine aids or tums for Ash so i'm going to go get some."

"Okay? I guess i'll just watch more stupid Christmas movies."

"Okay babydoll. I'll be back."

~

~

It's been about a half hour since Liam left, Tammy and Erik went to her parents for dinner while Taylor is still in his room asleep. We don't really see Christmas as a big thing. We'd rather celebrate New Years than anything.

Taylor finally emerges from his room only to be disappointed that he can't get into the bathroom. "Uh?"

"Ashtons drunk."

"Oooh. Bet." He jumped on the couch next to me and put his arm over the back of it behind me. "So babydoll, how are things?"

"Would be better if you didn't call me that."

"Tell me somethin' why is Liam of all people allowed to call you that?"

"Because he's called me that since 3rd grade."

"Okay if you've known him for like what, 17 years?"

"My entire life but yes keep going."

"Okay your entire life, how has he not told you his biggest secret? I mean if he's your best friend, you think he'd tell you."

"What secret?"

"That's another thing, how do you not figure it out yourself? It's completely obvious. Even Ash knows, that's why they fight so much."

"Over some secret?"

"Over you."

"What do you mean over me?"

"Let's not talk about Liam. Let's talk about these cute little purple spandex."

"Taylor d-"

"You're no fun sometimes Amelia. Can't even joke with you."

"Maybe if you were a little more of a decent human being and could have a normal conversation with me without flirting I would talk to you more but, you're kind of an asshole."

"Wow, curse words coming out of Alicia Carminda, that's a first."

"Actually it's a second. I called Liam a 'fucking asshole' about a week ago." I shrugged and began watching the Hallmark channel again.

"So tell me, how does a cute girl with a sexy ass body let a guy like Ashton just walk all over her?"

"You really want to know, cause i'll tell you in detail why i'm with Ash."

"Lay it on me babydoll."

"Okay, i'm with Ashton because when I was a kid, he protected me. I was the kid who got shoved aside and called a freak, I was the kid who couldn't wear a dress, or a skirt, or shorts, because my daddy killed mommy and when he came for me the glass from the window shattered and cut my leg so deep the scar was the size of a ruler and that made me a target. It made me a freak, and Ashton was the only one who didn't treat me like I was some alien. Ashton was the first boy to ever hold my hand, kiss me, hug me while I cried. When my mother died and I was sent to live with them he slept on the floor while I slept in his bed every night and he held me during every nightmare. Ashton was the first and only boy to ever love me. Ashton has been my friend, my protector, my savior, and my love for my entire life. I can't abandon him after everything he's done for me. So does that answer your question?"

"And then some really."

"So you'll stop bothering me about it?"

"Yeah but one more thing. Don't tell me the answer, just think about it. Why do you think Liam and Ashton fight about you so much, really think about it."