Once Upon A Time~ Ashton Irwin fanfiction (AU)

Part 6

The next day, Andi dragged through school hoping to avoid Ashton at all costs, while he searched for her with every step. She didn't want to see him, to hear his voice, to feel that pain again. She left herself a reminder of how badly it hurt to open up to somebody with 3 cuts on her right wrist. She knew it was stupid to trust him, to let him see her smile, and now she'd never make that mistake again.

He felt so stupid for what he said, and for not stopping Andi from leaving. That's why he wanted to see her. He wanted to tell her that he actually really likes her, that he doesn't want her to be lonely, that he loves everything about her, including her cuts. Her cuts told stories that her words couldn't. He wanted her to know that without the light behind her eyes, his whole world went dark.

Just then he saw her turning the corner, walking toward the music room, head down, arms pulled tight around her stomach. There was no smile to be found; no light. It was just like it had been the first time he saw her, only this time it hurt. He had grown to actually really like her. She showed him a different perspective on a lot of things, and made him realize that there is a lot more to the world than what you see on the outside.

She walked in to the music room as quickly as possible, and shortly asked the teacher what they'd be doing that day. When he said "a duet project with an instrument," her heart sprinted to her throat, leaving her nerves running rampant. About three minutes later, the teacher, Mr. Phillips, told Andi that she'd be paired with none other than Ashton. Andi immediately asked why this pair was made, and the teacher responded, "he needs an understanding of simplicity and class, but you need to take a risk every once in a while. You'll figure something out, I'm sure." With that, they walked off into a practice room, Ashton carrying his sticks, Andi her clarinet and manuscript book.

They sat in the room just staring at each other for about 5 minutes before Andi finally said, "look, I don't want to be here any more than you do, but let's just get this over with, okay? Then we'll be done and I'll never have to deal with you again. Deal?"

Ashton just nodded, and they got to work. Their assignment was to turn a pop song into a classical piece. The only rule: it had to mean something. They decided on the song Fix You, by Coldplay, because it just seemed to fit. By the time they got their arrangement down, class was over. They were going to have 15 minutes to prep the next day before performing.

After packing up for the day, Ashton and Andi made the walk home together, trying at all costs to avoid the awkward silence, as well as the awkward conversation, kicking rocks and whistling the entire walk home. Just before they got to Andi's house, Ashton decided to speak up, "Andi, I'm really sorry about yesterday. I really am. I wasn't calling you a psycho, I really wasn't. My mom was being really hateful, and I was trying to stand up for you. I would never say things like that about you. I couldn't."

"What happened after I left then? I mean if you were really sticking up for me, what happened?"

Ashton told her about his mom walking in to his room, when they just sat and stared at each other. How she asked him if he really knew Andi, and her whole story. And if she could help. And if Ashton really knew what he was doing. Then they just stopped, standing at the foot of Andi's driveway, just talking.

"What did she mean about knowing what you're doing?"

"Well, when I walked back into my room, before we actually talked, I sat on my bed and I said something. She heard me."

"Care to share what you said? Or should I just go home and try to guess?"

What he did next was unexpected to both of them. He didn't know how she would respond, but he had to try. He wanted her to know how he really felt. He reached forward, put his hands on the sides of Andi's face, and kissed her. It was a soft, gentle kiss, and she kissed back, her hands wrapping around his waist. When they pulled away, she just stared at him as he whispered, "I like you."