the hating game ; lrh

thirteen

IT FELT LIKE HOURS had passed by the time Ashton finally came to find me, though I knew it had only been around fifteen minutes.

I had shut myself away in an empty bedroom upstairs, and while I waited I admired the seemingly endless collection of posters and pictures stuck up all over the walls. Everything from band posters of the Rolling Stones and the Who to comic book legends like Spider-Man and the Hulk, to old movie posters like Pulp Fiction decorated the room, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't impressed.

I was examining a framed image of the Friends cast in the late 90's when I hear a knock at the door. I don't answer, though I don't have to in order to know who is on the other side of the door. After a few seconds the door opens, though I still don't turn away from the picture before me.

"I've been looking all over for you," Ashton says, and a moment later I hear the door press shut behind him. "What are you doing up here?"

"Couldn't hear myself think down there," I respond in a quiet tone, though even now I can still hear the thumping of the music playing downstairs.

"Fair enough," Ashton says, an uncomfortable silence seeping into the room after his words.

I finally turn away from the wonderful distraction before me and face the problem at hand, who happens to be exceptionally good-looking and harbouring an extremely apologetic expression.

"I'm sorry," he finally blurts out, brows pulling together and lips pouting. "I shouldn't have said all that stuff."

I let out a sigh, feeling myself crumble and knowing that there's no way I'm not forgiving him. "It's okay," I take a step closer to Ashton, letting him put a hand on my waist. "I just don't understand why you'd even feel the need to."

It's now Ashton's turn to let out a sigh. "I guess I just... sometimes... feel like you're so obsessed with this whole feud with Luke," he admits to my absolute bewilderment.

"Wait," I pull back slightly in shock. "You're... jealous of Luke?"

"Not jealous," Ashton argues, though by the sheepish expression on his face I can tell that I've found the source of his behaviour.

"Ashton," I place both hands on his cheeks, forcing those green eyes to stare down into my own. "Please listen to me. You have absolutely nothing to worry about with Luke. Okay?"

"Okay," he nods, though I don't believe him.

"Okay?" I ask again, pressing harder this time.

"Okay!" He responds, and I finally let his poor cheeks free. The moment I do so, however, he pulls me in closer. "I guess I just want you all to myself."

"Well, that makes two of us," I respond with a light giggle, the smile remaining on my face as he pulls me in for a sweet kiss - our first kiss.

In the seconds leading up to what should've been a milestone moment, my heart began racing in anticipation of what the kiss would be like. I hoped for fireworks - okay, perhaps not something that dramatic. But a spark, at the very least. However, when our lips finally did meet, my heart dropped when I felt nothing. Our lips met, we kissed, and I felt nothing more than the warmth of our bodies between us. That wasn't how it was supposed to be, was it?

Nonetheless, I continue kissing the boy before me. Ashton's free hand finds it's way to grip my waist, and my hands tangle themselves in his curly hair. As we begin kissing more passionately, the hand around my waist begins to push me toward the bed in the centre of the room. Despite being slightly wary, I let our bodies fall against the mattress, Ashton climbing on top of me. After a few moments, his lips pull away from mine and drag themselves down to my neck, where he begins licking and sucking against the sensitive skin there. In conjunction, both hands now find themselves roaming my torso, running over my breasts before beginning to slide the straps of my dress down my shoulder.