Thin White Lies | a.i.

PRESENT DAY

The entire car ride home from Los Angeles International was spent mostly in silence. Well, for Lily and Ashton, anyway. While Liz, Luke, Michael and Calum happily chattered away about being home for the holidays, their entire families coming to spend a few weeks in SoCal too, Lily and Ashton chose to stay uncharacteristically quiet.

Lily kept sneaking glances at the dark haired boy in the side mirror of the car as they drove down the freeway, neither of them speaking much at all.

"So," Luke began, smacking his sisters arm lightly, a huge grin plastered on his face. "What's life like living out of home, baby sis."

Lily couldn't help the tiny grin that grew on her lips, unaware at Ashton's hazel eyes as he glanced at her reflection. He hadn't known she'd moved out, when did that happen?

She started a reply, with full intentions of telling Luke in classic Lily style how amazing it really was. "It's actually--"

"Since when don't you live at home?" Ashton cut her off, eyebrows furrowed as he seemed to process this new information.

The last time Ashton saw Lily, she had just started a new relationship, really new. Barely even a relationship. A casual fling, even. The pair had fought about it, as usual. They always found something to be mad about, usually with each other. Almost always with each other. Ashton wished he could be happy for her, truly. But she was his. She's always been his. It was hard for him to see her as anything but that. So the news that Lily had left home, was one that punctured straight through the skin of his chest, slicing at his already fragile heart.

She's too young to move out. She's just a little girl.

But that wasn't true at all anymore, and Ashton knew it. He was simply just holding on to the days when Lily would gaze up at him with big doe eyes. He'd never seen such amazing eyes.

Lily suddenly looked uncomfortable, her shoulders slumping slightly, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip. Her eyes met Ashton's, and he swore she was trying her best to blink back tears. He knew she hated it when he was mad at her, and honestly, he had no reason to be. Things had just changed. Lily was still seeing that loser of a guy, James, or was it Jordan? It didn't matter. And the two hadn't said a word to each other since the night she'd run right back to him. Right after Ashton had kissed her with everything he had.

"Um," she began, seeming like she wanted to be anywhere but in the front passenger seat of the car. "About a month ago. With Jake."

Ashton rolled his eyes dramatically, crossing his arms over his chest. Of course. That piece of shit had everything he wanted and he hardly deserved a single bit.

"And Jake's friend, Tiffany."

Tiffany? Ashton perked up at the name of another girl. Why on this earth would Jeremy need to live with another girl if he already had the best one possibly in his bed every night.

"I get my own room and everything," Lily finished sweetly, completely oblivious.

Ashton smirked. "Is she cute?" He asked. "Tiffany, I mean."

Lily whipped around in the car seat, glaring daggers at the dimpled boy. "Of course you'd like to know," she spat, venom coating her every word. "Looking for another one night stand?"

"Guys," Calum groaned, rubbing a hand over his face, looking just about done with the pair. Michael placed his second headphone in his ear, turning his music all the way up. Luke rolled his eyes.

"Maybe I am," Ashton smirked, enjoying the way he wound her up. Lily jutted her bottom lip out, pouting like a child. Her eyebrows knitting together as she let out a slight huff. There it was, Ashton had pissed her off. He was winning. "Why does it matter to you? Don't you have a boyfriend, Lily?" Ashton mused "What's his name again? Jamie? Jackoff?"