Good Girl // a. i.

Part 19: Piggy Back Rides and Cheesy Toasties

Emma's pov
At some point during the ride I fell asleep and woke up to Michael shaking me like a fucking maraca.
"Wake up! We're here!!!" Michael yelled into my ear.
I swear I wanted to slap him, but I contained myself enough to literally roll out of the car. Michael grabbed my arm, pulling me as he ran with Ashton in front of us. We reached Luke and Calum waiting for us in the dressing room.
"I AM GOING TO MURDER BOTH OF YOU." Calum threw his arms up in the air with frustration.
"Oh and hey Emma." Luke said as Calum waved. I was about to say hi back when I was interrupted.
"Race you to the stage." Michael said as he jumped on top of Ashton for a piggy back ride. Ashton ran out the door and into the hall. Calum wasted no time. He jumped on top of Luke and they were off. I swear this was most exercise I had ever done in my life. I ran after them and they were tied, neck in neck until Luke tripped, sending both boys down. Ashton kept going, yodeling at the top of his lungs.
The rest of us were too busy on the floor laughing our asses off.
"You guys are late! Let's go!" I pulled them up still laughing and they limped the rest of the way.
I pushed them on stage and I collapsed on the floor. I was here for 5 minutes and I was already having the time of my life. I got up and looked out at the huge crowd. I didn't know how big the boys really were. I usually ignored anything that had to do with them, but I was so proud.
I looked at Ashton and he had the look I had missed for 3 months. He caught me looking and the look intensified and I felt like I was going to explode. I havne't seen him in over three months and he still gave me the same feeling from the first day I met him.
After the show, half the boys ran off and the other half limped off.
"I'm still going to kill you guys." Calum said pointing at Ashton and Michael.
"It was all Emma's fault." Ashton shrugged, joking.
"How was it my fault?"
"Because I fucking love you." He lightly pushed me.
"That's not my problem." I pushed him back and ran away. He ran after me, my grabbing my waist and pulling me back.
"She's right. Besides she let me have that whole pizza box. I blame Ashton." Michael replied.
"Then it's settled, it was Ashton's fault we were late." Calum glared at him.
"so is everything fixed between you two now?" Luke asked pointing at both of us as Ashton hugged me from behind with his arms around my waist. I looked up at him as he smiled and my knees almost gave out.
"Yeah. We're getting there." I smiled back.
"Good. I was getting tired of Ashton crying all the time." Luke joked.
"Hey! I was not cry-," he turned to me,"I was not crying." he assured me.
"Don't worry I believe you." I chuckled.
We walked back to the bus where the boys collapsed from tongiht's crazy rush of events. I had to admit I was tired too.
"So what do you guys do after shows?" I asked hoping to continue the good times.
"We eat and sleep." Luke said with the biggest smile on his face.
"exciting isn't it?" Ashton laughed as he went to the kitchen, taking out some ingredients.
"What kind of food are we talking about?" I raised my eyebrows.
"Cheesy toasties with two layers of cheese. That's right. Not one but two." Ashton replied, dramatically holding up two fingers in my face.
"Wow. Such a rebel." I joked pushing his fingers out of my face.
"And make me one yeah?" I said quickly before kissing him on the cheek.
After enjoying the best cheesy toasty I have ever tasted in my entire life, the guys went to sleep, but I was still restless. I got up and decided to sit at the back of the bus, looking out the windows.
I smiled, remembering how when I woke up this morning I never thought I would see Ashton again. I was going to make this week count. We had a week to fix everything we manged to break 3 months ago. A week to have the time of our lives before we go do what we both love.
Ashton walked in and sat down next to me, grabbing my hand and intertwining our fingers.
"You ok?" He asked, concerned.
"Yeah, just thinking." I smiled.
"About what?"
"Irwin, why did you come back?"
He didn't answer right away.
"I had a girlfriend sophomore year. Kristen Carlson, do you remember her?" he replied barely looking at me.
"Yeah, she died of an over dose didn't she?"
He nodded before continuing,"It was my fault."
I scooted up closer to him.
"What do you mean it was you fault?"
"We were at a party one night and we got into an argument. I don't remember what we were fighting about. I wanted to go home and she wouldn't come with me. We were both drunk and just angry at each other, so I left. I left her there and she overdosed and I never saw her again."
I felt his hands shake and he was trying really hard not to cry.
"That wasn't your fault Ashton." I said, hoping to make him feel better.
"If I wouldn't have left then maybe she wouldn't have overdosed. I could have been there to stop it!" He said raising his voice. I flinched a little, but I understood why he was blaming himself.
"I get it. If you were there everything would be different. Everything happens for a reason. I know that's a little cheesy or whatever, but it's true." I didn't think I could ever make him change his mind, but I needed to le him know that I understood him at least.
"That's why I came back. i thought I would lose you if I left you like I left Kristen. Maybe not in the same way, but I just didn't want it to happen again." He said putting his arms around me.
"It's ok. I'm here aren't I? Maybe not for long physically, but I think we can make it work." I said as I hugged him back.
"I love you." He said after a a couple minutes of silence.
"I love you too." I replied with a smile. It was nice to know that after all this time, we till felt the same way.