Loving Him (Ashton Irwin a.u.)

Chapter 6

Just over three weeks had passed since Ashton asked me to be his girlfriend in the park and we had become as close to inseparable as two full-time workers (one of whom was constantly babysitting) could get. We had been on three more dates (after two of which he slept over) and he was often at my apartment with Aiden, who seemed closer and closer to walking every day. A week ago he had successfully pulled himself up and managed to hold onto my coffee table for support before reaching to play with his sock and falling over. He cried for a few minutes after that, but Ashton was amazing at calming him down. That had been the first time I heard Aiden cry since meeting him five weeks previously. I'd always expected it to be loud and annoying but it was actually heartbreaking, hearing the sounds of a small child in distress. It made my heart yearn for him, to comfort him.

Now I was in my apartment waiting for Ashton to arrive. He was going to introduce me to his friend Luke and Luke's girlfriend Alexis, and all four of us were going to go on a double date to the bowling alley. It was to be our sixth official date and our fourth as boyfriend and girlfriend.

Boyfriend and girlfriend. That made me feel like a high-school teenager. For a period of time I had been alone, just living with Kia and getting on with my life and my career. I was satisfied with my wages and my lifestyle, but I constantly had a thought in the back of my head that I wanted a partner, a boyfriend to cuddle at night. And now Ashton was there for me, picking me up in the afternoons with a bouquet of carnations in his hand because I had told him they were my favourite; making me giggle and feel lonely when he wasn't there. I was drunk on the feeling of a new relationship.

And suddenly the doorbell rang. Kia called from her room, "Can you get that, Mais?" and I complied because I knew she was with Jason and was almost-sure it was Ashton at the door with his friends.

I swung the door open to reveal Ashton leaning against the frame with a fresh set of purple-detailed white carnations. His friends stood behind him slightly awkwardly as Ash kissed my cheek and I welcomed them all inside.

"I'll just go put these in some water for you, Mais?" Ashton said and I nodded, giving his hand a slight squeeze as he walked past me.

"Hi, I'm Luke, nice to meet you," the tall blonde boy with piercing blue eyes greeted me as he held out his hand.

Wow, I thought. I know I have a boyfriend, but now would be one of those times where I need to think before I say something embarrassing. Because Luke was the kind of guy that no girl wanted to look stupid in front of.

"Maisie. Nice to meet you," I returned with a smile.

"This is my girlfriend, Alexis." Luke placed his hand gently on the small of his girlfriend's back and encouraged her forwards.

"You can call me Lexi," she offered with a dazzling smile.

Wow, I thought again. It was no surprise that a girl like Alexis would be dating a guy like Luke.

With formalities out the way, and Ashton back from the kitchen with a vase in hand (which he placed on the small coffee table in the front corridor of the apartment), we collected our things and set off to the bowling alley. Ashton and I took a seperate car to te others.

"What did you think of Luke and Lexi?" Ashton asked curiously. "They're nice, aren't they?"

"You have some very attractive friends, Ash," I teased, and Ashton shot me a playful glare out the corner of his eye before turning a corner down a different road.

"You have a very attractive boyfriend, Maisie," Ashton retorted. "A very attractive and generous boyfriend that likes you and lot and brings you your favourite flowers whenever he sees you."