A Choice Of Abiding

↠the kindest of kisses break the hardest of hearts↞

Closely behind Ashton, Charlotte pressed herself through the closing doors of the underground train. They have hunted the security guard around the building and made their escape into the departing train, leaving a frustrated guard behind, making wild gestures at them at the platform. The two, young people looked at each other out of breath and snorted with laughter so hard, they had to sit down.

"He didn't want to stop chasing us." Ashton cackled. Charlie tried to catch her breath, before she answered, but couldn't stop giggling herself.

"So damn persistent." she panted, "And he might only wanted to give us a lecture."

"You shouldn't have let yourself fall back, giving him the impression, he could get you. That was evil." Ashton smirked. Charlotte had finally managed to breath regularly and only grinned.

"Where's the fun without being a little evil" she shrugged. She got up again to study the city plan hanging over the doors.

"So where do we seek asylum from our furious hostiles", Ashton asked her, leaning back in his seat.

"What do you think about dancing?", she replied without taking her eyes of the map.

"A fun experience in our status quo, I guess." Ashton pulled out his phone and send his friend a short message, in case he was still waiting on them.

"It's settled then. I know just the place to go." Charlie grinned.

They had to take a ride on the subway, that felt like forever. Ashton didn't feel comfortable at all with using public transportation for several reasons. First of all, he couldn't never stand the scent of subway stations. It smelled like steal being polished, mixed up with vomit and piss. It was disgusting. Secondary, he needed to hide his face, especially in this situation. He neither wanted to great any fans, nor have any paper talking about his "new girlfriend" or even worse about him being on drugs. He was kind of jealous of Charlie, who didn't have to worry about a thing. He wish, he didn't have to pay the price of losing his privacy for the privilege of fame.

"You alright?" Even Charlotte had realized, that something was going on with him.

Ashton looked at the other people in the wagon. There was a group of students in his sight, sharing a bottle of wine and some beers on the way to some club or a party and a mid-aged man looking at them like they personally ruined his day. On this other side of the section, there were only two people: a woman with dark, bushy hair, who seemed to have been fallen asleep on the window and a young guy starring at them. He made Ashton uncomfortable.

"That guy keeps starring at us. I think, he's a paparazzi." he mumbled.

"You're paranoid" Charlie giggled. Ashton suppressed a growl.

"I'm pretty sure, he is waiting for a moment, I do something stupid"

"I bet 20 euros he only thinks I'm cute."

"Fine. And how you gonna...?" Ashton couldn't even finish his sentence, as Charlie stood up and walk straight over to the guy, "Charlotte!"

Ashton watched, as she talked a few minutes to the guy and then came back with a big smile.

"You were right?" Ashton assumed grumpy. He hated losing more than anything else.

"Not quite. He's no paparazzi, but it's not my ass he thinks is cute."

Ashton looked at the guy now himself. He smiled at him , rumpled up his hair and blushed a little.

Ashton had to learn since, that Charlotte wasn't the most talkative person. They hadn't said much to each other the rest of ride. Even as they got of, Charlie didn't seem to indulge in conversation by herself.