Money, Planes, & Saying Goodbye

Chapter Twenty-Six

I didn't speak to Michael the entire ride home. After agreeing to his little plans I was having some doubts. What is Ashton saw through our plan? Isn't this wrong? What if Ash got mad at me? How do you even have a fake boyfriend? There is nothing fake about dating.
I looked over at Michael before I gave up my thought process and physically relaxed. If there was a possibility that someone as amazing as Ashton liked me then I had to try. Right?
I pushed the button on the radio that brought it to life before pushing play on the Katy Perry CD that I had put in earlier.
"How are we gonna do this?" I asked Michael as he finally pulled out of the driveway.
He seemed to think about it for a couple of seconds before he answered me. "Honestly, I have no idea. I'm gonna tell everyone that we are dating tomorrow at band practice but the girls aren't coming so you can't be there. After that is just wing it."
"I don't like this, Mikey."
He looked over at me while stoping at a stop light. "Then don't do it."
"But I could get Ashton this way, right?"
"So you do like him," he shouted obviously lightened.
"I don't know maybe," I said hesitantly. I smiled at the thought of snuggling with Ashton in my oversized house.
"Whatever." He turned up the radio and we rode the rest of the way home in utter silence.
-
When I got home I called Stephanie. I hadn't talked to her in quite so time and I figured she would be worried about me.
"Hey Steph."
"Hey Rose."
"What's up?"
"Um I'm actually kind of busy right now. Can I call you back in a little bit?" I heard muffling on the other side.
"Um sure. Is everything okay?"
"Peachy. Gotta go. TTYL."
"XOX," I whispered our usual ritual but she didn't return it.
I hung up the phone and situated myself on my couch thinking about all that had happened today. My dad had only been gone for a day and wouldn't be back until Monday so I had all day tomorrow to myself.
Careful not to leave any wrinkles on the bed I recently made I walked out of my room and into the bathroom to begin my ritual for my shower. Just as I was about to strip down my phone rang and I had to leave the warm bathroom.
"Hello?"
I didn't check the caller ID and was therefore surprised that Stephanie's voice didn't come from the other end.
"Your dating Michael?" I heard a raspy voice say through my phone.
I looked down to check the caller ID before returning to Ashton.
"Um yeah." I replied sounding like a fake.
"Since when?"
"Since today."
"Why?" He said sounding annoyed.
"Well he asked me and-"
"Do you like him?"
"Um," I gulped down the knot in my throat. "Yes," I lied through gritted teeth.
Ashton paused and then said, "I guess I'll see ya later."
"Bye, Ashton."
He hung up without another word, leaving me to worry about our conversation. I needed to call Michael and ask him what happened to telling them tomorrow but I wanted to shower first. So that's exactly what I did.
-
"I thought you were going to tell everyone tomorrow."
I had called Michael and was now eating cereal at night and talking to him over speaker.
"I was but k figured I could heat it up at band practice if I went ahead and told him now."
"Well thanks for the warning."
"He actually, physically called you?" Michael asked carefully.
"Yep."
"I knew he liked you."
"Or he was just surprised."
"Nope I can tell."
"What can you tell?"
"You and Ashton are coming and your coming fast."