The Scandal (Under Edit)

CHAPTER 22

AN: The vibe of this song (Los Angeles by The Midnight) perfectly matches with this chapter. Please do give it a listen once. 

The roads were mostly empty since it was late night. We were going through the highways now. I turned on the radio just when the last song was ending, and when the next song started playing my body thrummed with energy as it was one of my favourite songs.

Right when the familiar beats of Los Angeles by The Midnight started, raising the volume I leaned my head out of the window to feel the wind against my face. I didn't care what Ashton was thinking because this moment I was feeling free.

Suddenly the top of the car disappeared and it converted into a roadster. I grinned looking at Ashton and stood up raising my hands not caring about how my hair looked belting out the lyrics of the song.

"Want to go to the beach road?", Ashton yelled over the loud music.

"Yeahhh!!", I yelled back.

The car roared picking up speed and we took a turn on the highway that now changed into road with palm trees and beach. We were driving along the beach road and it was exhilarating. I was feeling high and happy.

Cruising through the road when the song ended Ashton stopped the car on the side of road near the beach. I was breathing heavily due to all the excitement and my mouth was spread in a huge ass grin from ear to ear.

"That was fun", I said looking at him.

"Want to go the beach?", I asked him since the beach was mostly empty except for a few couples here and there in the distance.

Turning the car off, he hopped out. Removing our shoes, we left it in the car and walked bare foot to the sandy beach.

"I've never done this and this is so much", I exclaimed.

He was just looking at me with a fond look which was unlike his usual teasing self.

"I bet even you didn't do this before, did you?", I asked him.

"No, I've never been out in public so openly in a very very long time and driving around, going out to beach at this time is definitely a first for me", he said.

"I'm glad then. Loosen up a little and have fun", I said smiling up at him.

"I want to go in the water but let's do that some other day", I told him and both of us sat on the sand.

The breeze was cold here and I was rubbing my arms. Noticing this Ashton removed his jacket and draped it on my shoulders, pulling me into his chest from the back. Almost 70% of me wanted to move away from his touch but the 30% wanted me to lean back on him. Finally the 30%, that is my heart, won over the 70% (my mind).

I leaned into him and he draped his arm around me. We were talking about a lot of things; about my sudden happy mood, about today, about my new friend Wilde, about our likes dislikes. Amidst all these I slowly started to realize that maybe I'm falling for him.

"We should head back now", Ashton said.

"Yeah, I've got  work tomorrow", I told him sadly not wanting to face tomorrow and wanting to just live in this moment here.

Ashton got up and holding my waist pulled me to my feet. Both of us walked back to the car and started for home. This time I was quiet and was caught up in my thoughts. He pulled the car roof down when we reach the internal part of the city and after sometime he stopped the car in front of my apartment.

"Tonight was perfect and I'm glad it was with you", I nodded shyly after all of my courage from before disappeared and inhibition took its place.

Moving my hair behind my ear, he came closer to my lips. My heart was thumping inside my chest. He was directly looking into my eyes and slowly coming even closer. We were only a breath away from our lips touching and honestly I wasn't trying to stop it from happening too.

Right when I thought he was going to place his lips on mine and was about to close my eyes, he changed the direction. I felt his soft lips on my cheek. 

Was I feeling disappointed? Strangely yes.

"You can come around the noon tomorrow. Good night Aubrey. Sleep well", he says moving back now.

I shyly wished him back getting out of the car and went to my apartment after which his car leaves.

Only after changing out of my clothes, getting refreshed and lying down on my bed; I realised I left my shoes in his car. I mentally made a note to get it back from him later. 

Lost in my thoughts about tonight and Ashton I fell asleep.