concealer // a.i.

9 // accept.

ashton pushed the door open, slowly. farrah lay in the white, clean hospital bed, her arms limply lying by her sides. they were wrapped with gauze and her eyes were closed.

when the door closed, her eyes opened with a jolt.

"sorry," ashton apologised. "for the noise."

"i'm sorry too," farrah's fists clenched the white fabric. "i asked for my mum and they said she left after i was admitted."

ashton was speechless. "she-"

"-doesn't care about me at all," farrah finished. "she doesn't think that something like this could happen to me. she doesn't think that i have problems."

ashton desperately wanted to disagree with her, to say that wasn't true. but how could it have been seen any other way?

farrah noticed ashton's hesitation and her shoulders slumped.

"you saved my life," farrah didn't meet ashton's eyes.

"i'm not looking for a reward. you didn't want to be saved."

"but you knew that, and you didn't let me die."

"i don't think i'd be able to live with myself if i didn't do anything." ashton smiled, with no feeling.

"i like you," farrah blurted out. her face seemed to turn several shades of red as she looked a surprised ashton straight in the eyes. "you know what to say...always."

"i like you too," ashton said, with some feeling, this time. "though to be clear, what kind of like are we talking about here?"

farrah's eyes widened. "oh, come on, ash! as if it wasn't obvious."

ashton blushed furiously. "well then...i definitely like you."

he walked over and squeezed her hand gently. "and i'm sorry about your mum."

farrah kept her eyes on the door, hopelessness engulfing her. "it's okay."

and then she cried.