Thin White Lies | a.i.

Two

The next week consisted of Luke and his band practising every second afternoon after school, and Ashton coming as soon as he finished work at his part time job. Lily learned a few days after meeting him that Ashton worked some days after school at the KFC near her school. It wasn't something the curly haired boy had told her, exactly, but something she learned upon being served by him on a Tuesday afternoon.

"Hey, what can I get--" Ashton stopped abruptly, eyes growing wide at the sight of the younger Hemmings. Lily was yet to notice the blond. ". . .you," he finished. "Hi, Lily."

Lily's eyes snapped toward his hazel one's, shock clearly readable on her expression. She took the dimpled boy in curiously, surprised to see the boy so undoubtably punk-rock in a red fast food uniform and visor cap.

She must have been staring for a fraction too long, because Ashton soon cleared his throat, blinking at her as politely as he could. "O-oh," she stuttered, tucking a strand of loose hair behind her ear. Ashton's gaze followed her hands. "Hi, A-Ashton."

"Hey," he said, once again. "What can I grab you, pretty girl."

Ashton seemed to pick up on his mistake almost instantly, for his cheeks burned a deep shade of pink, almost an identical match to that of Lily's. Not only had be made himself blush from the pet name he'd just given the younger girl, but he'd made her blush too.

Great, Ashton thought. You've known the girl all of two days and she's already going to avoid the hell out of you.

"Um," Lily smiled shyly, already reaching into her small backpack for spare change. "Maybe just a large chips if that's okay. Here I've got the mo--"

"Uh, no!" Ashton blurted, cutting her off completely. "Don't worry about paying. It's my time to sign off, anyway. I can put them under my name."

Lily cocked her head at the boy, bewildered. Why on earth had he just insisted he pay for her food? Even if it was something as simple as fried chips.

"Really, Ashton," Lily smiled. "It's fine. I can pay."

"Too late," he smirked, closing the register and placing a receipt in her small hand. "I'll make them for you now, kiddo."

Lily smiled, hugging her chest as she stood to the side, waiting for her food. Barely more than three minutes passed before a very flusted Ashton Irwin came barreling out from the kitchen, now changed out of his red shirt and hat and into a black bandana and black band tee. He slung a backpack over his shoulder, smiling brightly as he passed Lily's chips over, his dimples showing.

"Thanks," Lily mumbled, before turning her attention back to her feet.

"Yeah," Ashton said, waving his action off as if it were no big deal. "You headed home?"

Lily nodded, unsure if she should begin her walk toward her house or if she should stand her ground, continuing to make small talk with the taller boy in the middle of KFC. She rocked back and forth on her feet, wanting so badly for a distraction so she could run like hell in the opposite direction to Ashton. He was so gorgeous it made her head spin.

"Can I walk you?" Ashton asked sweetly, gazing down into her baby blue eyes.

She smiled shyly once more, pink rising to her cheeks. Damn it, this was the second time in under a few minutes that Ashton had made her blush. Damn it, damn it, damn it! "Sure," she spoke lightly. "Though you don't have to after buying me food."

Ashton shrugged, saying, "but I want to."

"O-okay then," she numbed, turning on he heels and heading immediately for the door, Ashton smiling like an idiot as he followed closely behind her.

The moment they stepped out into the Australian sunshine, Lily regretting wearing her school skirt over her shorts. It was windy as hell this afternoon. Had it been this windy all day? She clutched onto the hem of her skirt instantly, silently willing it to grow a few inches in length, if only to cover herself up from the eighteen year old.

Ashton shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans, smirking mischeviously. He wasn't about to say anything that would embarrass the little girl, but damn that tiny skirt was the wrong descision today. It took all of half a minute before Ashton noticed the sly looks Lily was recieving from the other guys around them, a lot of them peers among Lily's high school. He hardly had time to think about what he was doing before his body was doing it.

Lily welcomes the feeling of warm skin on her shoulders, neck and upper arms before she realised what exactly was giving her that feeling. She almost jumped out of his hold, shrugging his arm away form her shoulders, but this only fuelled him to grip her tighter. Lily turned her head toward him, gazing curiously toward the drummer. His stare was cold as stone and directed at Brendan Holmes, a brunette boy in her history class.

"What are you doing, Ash?" Lily questioned, noticing the way he tugged her even closer to him, if that were even possible. At this rate, he could probably feel the beat of Lily's heart, and how fast it was thumping in her chest. "Why is your arm around me?"

"Uh," Ashton blinked, retracting his arm instantly. Lily amost pouted at the sudden loss of contact. She didn't say that it was a problem, Lily was merely just questioning his motives. And where the sudden need to hold her came from. "I didn't like the way that guy was looking at you . . ."

"Who?" Lily asked curiously, looking up at him with doe eyes. "Brendan?"

"Sure, Brendan," Ashton rolled his eyes, hands being shoved back into his pockets once more as he trudged along.

"Why?" Lily went on, not bothering to think of the consequenses with asking too many questions to a more than impatient guy. "How was he looking at me, Ashy?"

Her cheeks flushed chrimson, immediately regretting ever opening her mouth. Why had she ever opened her mouth? What kind of kiddish nickname was Ashy? Now he was bound to only ever see her as is annoying little sister. Or at best, the annoying little sister of his mate. Ugh. Idiot.

"Like you were some kind of prize," Ashton growled, lip twitching slightly. "Or like a peice of meat."

Lily's mouth formed an 'o' shape as she took in his words, and his body language. In the short amount of time she had known Ashton, she had hardly seen any other emotion than happy or excited. Or giggly. She loved it when he was giggly. But angry, this was completely new, and Lily decided there and then that she'd never be the cause of Ashton's anger. His smile was way too pretty to be wasted away behind anger.

"Boys should be looking at you like you're a princess," Ashton continued, justifying himself. "Or not at all. And if they don't, well, they better hope I'm not around or they're sure as hell not getting past me."

Lily furrowed her eyebrows, puzzled at his explination. What was Ashton saying, exactly?

"Also," he said. "Ashy?"

Lily snapped her gaze to his, head tilted toward him, her chin resting on his bicep.

"Can you keep calling me that?"