Begin Again - A.I

PROLOGUE

July 18th, 2001

 

"El, you coming?"

I watch as Ashton sprints across the field, his head looking over his shoulder as his eyes focus on me. He grins playfully, a mischievous glint in his eyes. He always does these things because he knows that I retaliate. Of course I have to seize myself up against him and do whatever he does. It proves that I'm equal to him. That I can do whatever he can.

"Yeah, just wait up!" I race after Ashton, my pants becoming louder with each quick step. "Stop running so fast!" I cry.

Ashton stops and grins, it spreading across his entire face. "Can't keep up, El?" He teases.

I put my hand to my side, clutching over. "Can ... so," I huff.

"Oh yeah?" He continues, his voice laced with amusement. He always finds it so funny teasing me like this and it makes me mad.

I stand up straight and fold my arms across my chest, blowing my wild hair out of my face and puffing out my red cheeks. "Yeah, Ashton," I spit. "Anything you can do, I can do."

"Can not," he cries.

"Can so!" I cry back.

"It's impossible." He messes up his curls that sit atop his head and shrugs. "You're a girl."

I scowl, my eyebrows furrowing. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that girls can't do things that boys can," he shoots back.

"You're mean, Ashton Irwin." I uncross my arms and turn to walk away, my limbs tired and my mind sick of Ashton's teasing.

He reaches out and places his hand on my arm, stopping my movements. "Aw, El, I'm sorry."

I turn back and slowly glance at him. "You mean it?"

He smiles kindly. "Yeah." Then he looks down at the ground as he scuffs his sneaker. "You're not like most girls anyway."

I raise my eyebrow but smile anyway.

"Come on." Ashton starts walking in the direction we were going. "I'll go easy on you this time."

I roll my eyes and shove him playfully and he giggles before shoving me back. We both walk side by side towards the large rock that sits hidden in the forest. Ashton and I discovered it whilst on one of our adventures and have been coming back ever since. It looked out over the entire town and was completely secluded. We liked the fact that we could see everyone, but they couldn't see us.

Ashton grabs my hand and helps pull me up onto the rock and we sit down atop the flat surface. We lie our legs down flat, touching one another subtly.

"It feels weird being seven," Ashton speaks up.