Teacher | Ashton Irwin

Twelve

I stood with Michael in the middle of a forest. He was holding a map. I said, "I can't believe you got us lost."

"We are not lost," he muttered, "Stop being so negative."

I stood up from the fallen tree that I was sitting on and walked over to him. I looked at the map and sighed, "It would help if you held the bloody map the right way."

"What?"

"The map is sideways," I shrieked as I freaked out because it was becoming rapidly dark. I sighed, "Give me that."

He handed me the map and sat on the log I was sat on a minute ago. I turned the map around and shrieked, "Michael, get up. I know where we are."

He hopped up and followed me as I began running through the trees. I ran up to an old bridge and stopped. I looked at the rickety bridge in front of me and the River which has water flowing rapidly.

Michael said, "We are not going along that. It doesn't look like it could hold us."

"Oh well," I said. I grabbed ahold of the mossy wood and slowly began walking along the bridge. I creaked loudly as I walked. A bird swooped down just above my head. I screamed and sprinted to the other side of the bridge, successfully making it to the other side.

Michael sprinted over it, causing it to shake and wobble. He ran over to me as he yelled in fear. I smirked, "stop crying and run."

We both sprinted off. A few minutes of running and I could finally see streetlights. We ran up to them and noticed that we were on the edge of a road. Michael pointed," Look!" It was a sign for a motel.

I walked up to the sign and looked across the road. It was a lane. We walked up the stony path. Michael kept muttering, "My feet are soaked, I can't believe you made me run. Oh yeah, question. How the hell can you run like that for so long?"

I looked at him and smiled, "I go out on runs quite a lot. I actually represent the school in cross country and 200 metre sprint."

"I can see how," he muttered, "Oh my God, we're here."

I looked up and saw a dingy motel. Outside I saw Ashton, Luke, Emma, Calum and Jack. I jogged up to them with Michael. Ashton smiled, "Right guys, get to your rooms. Michael, you're going to be bunking with Luke and Emma. Go to your rooms and get unpacked."

They all left and Ashton kissed my lips briefly. He whispered, "Let's go to our room."

We walked up to room 32 and he unlocked the door. I walked in and sat on the double bed. It was small. It had a small chest of drawers with a beside lamp on top, a tv, an en-suite bathroom and a bed, nothing fancy anyway.

I took my bag off my back and said, "I can't wait for tonight. I mean like... I literally can't wait," I slowly said as I removed my top. "But first I need to shower."

I walked into the bathroom and locked the door.

Thirty minutes later I walked out of the bathroom with just a towel wrapped around me. Just the sight of Ashton in his boxers made my head spin. I was overthinking everything in the shower. Honestly, I'm not ready and I'm frightened to tell him.

I walked over to my bag which was beside Ashton. I sighed, "I can't do this. Ashton I'm not ready. I'm terrified."

He pulled me into his lap and embraced me in a warm hug as I cried like a two year old. He whispered, "baby, I said we'll do it when you're ready. If you're not ready then that's fine."

I leaned back and muttered, "you know what? I'm going to be ready tomorrow. I don't care. I'm going to be ready. But for tonight, I'm going to sleep in my own room to prepare."

He reached into his bag which was also on the bed and brought out a key, "I had a feeling you would change your mind."

I took the key and smiled, "Thank you Ash."

I stood up and grabbed my bag. I said, "My room's beside this one so I'm just going to walk in my towel so don't judge me."

He giggled and said, "Have fun."