"What is that outside?" Ashton mumbles after a while. I glance at him and find him staring out at the pool. His brows furrow and he bent down to look closely. "Is that-"
I move closer to inspect the matter and relax visibly when I see what he's pointing at.
"Grisbee?" I suggest. "Yes."
"Grisbee?" Ashton looks confused. "You named your cat what?!"
Oh yes, I forgot I hadn't told him her name the other day.
"Don't ask me what came upon me when I named her."
Ashton stares amusedly at me. "I didn't know you have such bad tastes of names."
I shove him. "What? I'm serious. Do the world a favor and leave it upon your husband to name your children."
"Children, huh?" I smirk. "How're you sure I want one in the first place?"
"Well for starters you look like one."
"One who wants kids?" I raise a brow.
Ashton shrugs. "And I might or might not have heard Derek saying he wants many of them."
My cheek turns red. He can't talk about something like that with his teammates. We're not that serious-okay, we are serious about our relationship, but babies? That's way too far.
"But don't tell him I told you that," Ashton says. "I don't think he'll be thrilled to know that you're talking to me."
And one can only wonder how he'll react if he finds out we're friends. I'm almost surprised that he hasn't brought it up to Derek yet, even just to provoke him. Not that befriending Ashton is anything illegal or something.
"I don't even want to know what else you boys talk behind that door."
"Oh, you'll love them." Ashton winks. "Anyways, mind explaining what's going on out there?"
He points at Grisbee again. She's floating on the inflatable float in the pool outside. It's nothing unusual. She loves doing things like that. I see Kat swimming in the pool too which means I don't have to worry about her drowning. Not that she ever drowned before.
I bet she can swim too.
Told you that the cat is crazy.
"She likes to believe she's a part of human beings," I say. "She does things like that. Floating, sunbathing, watching tv, her all-time favorite series are Friends and Vampire Diaries. If she's watching them, then you won't dare to change the channel. I bet she had a crush on Ian too."
Ashton looks amused. "If I didn't know any better, I would've assumed by now she's either Professor McGonagall or Mrs. Norris."
I gasp and look at him. "You're a Potterhead too?!"
Ashton casually continues his work, unaffected by my words. "Is it a crime for boys to read Harry Potter?"
"No, but it's YOU!"
"And that makes a difference because-" he looks sharply at me.
"I didn't peg you as one," I say honestly.
"Then I'll tell you that you're a smart one. I never read a single book of that series," he informs me. "I watched all of the movies though."
That jerk! I hit his arms. "For a minute you made me feel guilty for judging you!"
"Ouch! That hurts, violent woman!" He nurses his arm.
"And I won't apologize," I cross my arms.
He murmurs something under his breath and washes the last dish. I dry it.
"Your pool looks cool by the way," Ashton says. "Bet you have lots of fun spending the whole summer there."
Fun? Hell yeah. So much fun watching my sister winning medals practicing swimming in that very same pool where I can't even step in without a float. I can't remember when was the last time I spent my day out there.
Probably never.
I reply to him with a nonchalant 'yes', trying to avoid the topic. Ashton doesn't press further.
"I was thinking," he says again on our way back to my room.
"Oh lucky me."
He ignores the sass. "After reading a glimpse of that book, I might start reading a certain genre." His eyes shine mischievously.
"You-you-" before I could hurt him again, he ducks out the way and gets in my room. Closing the door behind him.
But I was too late to notice that. As a result, I bump into the door and fall with a groan.
I think it'll leave a bump on my forehead. Great, just what I needed.
When I open the door again, Miles is still on the couch, Grace on my bed, and Ashton coming from my closet with my-
I jump on him and snatch the Survival Theory and Nikon from him. "Don't touch them."
I slap his hands away when he tries to reach for them again and put them back in the closet again, a safer place this time.
Miles was right, I shouldn't have made the poster, the diary was enough. And about that camera, I should've sold it long ago.
Could've made lots of fortune with it. It's not like I'm ever going to use that camera again.
"You don't need to be rude," Ashton says when I come back. "I was just checking them."
My cheeks flare and I send him a death glare. That shuts him off. He sits on my desk chair backward and pouts.
"Interesting theories to be honest. Especially that saving 'Miles ass' and staying away from 'Ashton Fuckin Fellan'," Ashton's eyes glints.
That's it. I'm going to kill this-
Before I can launch on him, Grace catches me from behind.
"Take it easy Kiara. He doesn't mean it," Miles says from the couch.
Ashton smirks. The heck of him to enjoy my misery.
I calm down and Grace lets me go.
"Now you're his BFF, huh?" I ask Miles.
"Of course we are, we're partners for history assignment remember?" Ashton adds.
Let me show how much of a partner he is. I turn around.
"Miles why don't you tell him then?" I say to him sweetly.
Miles furrows his brows. "What are you talking about?"
"Kiara-" Grace warns. "You won't do that, right? You know how much he's afraid of him."
I take a deep breath. Of course, I won't. What was I even thinking? Throwing Miles in the lion's cage?
"Afraid of who? What are you talking about?" Ashton looks between us.
I sigh. "Doesn't matter. Forget I even said anything."
"No seriously you can tell me, we're all friends right?" Ashton keeps going on.
It doesn't look like he will give up anytime soon.
But that doesn't mean we'll give it to him.
"He's right you know, we're friends now," Miles the idiot says. "He'll understand."
"Miles-" Grace and I say at the same time.
"They're talking about me and you. Honestly, you used to scare the shit out of me."
I look at Ashton, hoping he won't bury him alive.
But Ashton just blinks and leans on the chair "I'm sorry what?"
Of course, Miles can't form a sentence well. "What he's saying is," I say. "Miles is afraid of you."
"I get that much, but why? I'm not scary."
"Really?" I snort. "Well let me remind you, you beat the life out of him on your first day and wasn't even enrolled in our school yet."
Ashton furrows his brows. "And you witnessed the event yourself with your two eyes?"
"No, but-" he cuts me off and looks at Miles.
"Did you tell them the whole story? Why will I beat the life out of you?"
All of us look at Miles. He gives a shaky laugh. "They didn't seem interested to know the whole story."
"And?" Ashton arches a brow.
"And I might or might not have exaggerated the event," he lowers his head with a sigh. "I'm sorry."
"For what?" Grace says.
"Allow me," Ashton says. "That was the day we arrived here. I spent the whole day unpacking things. It was April and after day-long work, I thought a drink would be nice. I was sued by dad after the events in my old school and-"
"Cut the crap and get to the point!" I tell him.
"Okay. So I left my drink on a table to get the change from the cashier. But when I returned, you know what I saw?"
He points at Miles. "This fucker here was seeping my drink and ate half of my burger!"
Grace and I gasp. "Miles!"
"Now come on, it was a hot day. I was starved and I thought he left without eating," he says. "How was I supposed to know he went to get change?"
"Who leaves uneaten and untouched food?" Ashton asks.
"And who leaves them on the table to get change unguarded?" Miles says and immediately clasps his hands on his mouth.
"So let me get this straight," I say. "You beat-"
"Just one punch."
"Okay, you punched Miles because he ate your food?"
Ashton glares. "You're saying as if you're letting him eat your fries all the time."
"Don't bring up my fries here!"
"Stop quarreling like old couples and get back to the original topic," Grace interrupts us.
"Okay," Ashton says after throwing me one last glare. "Yeah, that's why I punched him. But that was long ago. I forgave him for it. Moreover, he's my partner now."
"So you're saying we're buddies now?" Miles says.
Ashton grins. "Of course buddy."
They do those weird bro hugs. Grace leans closer. "Uh, mind explaining what's happening here?" I roll my eyes.
Boys are so hard to read.
"So you sure you won't bury me alive if I tell you that photo of yours might have leaked from under my custody?" Miles blurts after a while. "That I haven't destroyed the photo as Kiara told me and brought it from Uganda?"
Does he have a death wish?
Ashton freezes and tilts his head. "You what?!"
"Oops!" Miles realizes what he has done and runs out of my room by the time Ashton wraps his mind around the new information.
"Wait till I get my hands on you-you dipshit!" Ashton yells and runs after him.
Uh oh.
ð¸
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