Ashlan.

The sky was dimmed, and sprinkles of rain dusted over my rain coat. It was fairly cold out, and the wind whipped the rain around as I walked up the driveway.

Honestly, I was just glad to get out of the house. After 14 days in there, I felt as if the walls were closing in around me, and my bed sheets were eating me alive. So, I was more than eager to take Mathew up on his offer to see his band practice.

Back in Mass, my grand-mère would always keep me busy, so I never worried about being bored. Along with that, I also had 4H meetings, worked at the barn, and did a lot of horse back riding. My life was never boring back home, full of color and my favorite pastimes, but here, it seemed dull and in black and white.

I finally admitted that I needed some friends. And my solution to that was Mathew. He and I talked for hours over the phone. He held up a good conversation, and I could feel a friendship blossoming.

He had told me he was in band over the phone last night. We talked abut his band for hours. He’s in it with four of his friends and he plays bass. The bands name was Bring Me The Horizon.

Already at the front door of the house, I heard loud talking, laughing, and clanking. I knocked loudly on the door before ringing the doorbell.

I knew this wasn’t Mathew’s house, because he was supposed to be my Aunty’s neighbor, and this was no where near their neighborhood.

I heard foot steps coming towards the door, and it swung open to reveal a boy with long brown hair that fell lightly onto his shoulders, and bangs that were swept to the right. He was very attractive, and his eyes were a brownish hazel color.

“Hey… Um, Mathew Keane told me he was having band practice here…” What if this was the wrong house? Oh God, that would be embarrassing.

“American? Oh, yeh’re the bird Vegan’s been goin’ on ‘bout. Well, come in. I’m Curtis, by the way,” he said, stepping aside from the doorway and letting me walk into the house.

I turned my head to thank him, but instead noticed that he was staring at my rear. Rolling my eyes, I chose to ignore it.

I followed the noise to what I presumed was the living room.

I instantly saw Mathew, and a grin found its way onto my face.

“Ashlan!” Mathew exclaimed as he got up to hug me. Once he had let go, I took the opportunity to examine the room.

It looked very homely and warm; the colors mainly brown, cream, tan and white. There were family pictures scattered across the walls, and a plasma screen in front of two tan couches.

On those couches sat three very familiar guys, and the moment my eyes landed on them my grin disappeared, and was replaced with a frown.

The heavily tattooed one gave me a smirk from his seat on the couch, but chose to not say anything.

I felt a tug on my hand, and I was pulled down beside Mathew. I had noticed quickly that I was the only girl in a room of 5 boys, and I began to get a little nervous.

“Wha’s wrong?” Mathew whispered to me, gently squeezing my hip. Shaking my head, I gave him a small smile.

//

Mathew’s band wasn’t one I’d actually want to listen to. They were good if you liked that kind of music. But me, I was more into acoustic than any other genre of music.

“So what yeh think?” Mathew asked excitedly, a wide smile on his face.

Shrugging my shoulders, I gave him an uneasy look.

“Oh.” His face dropped, and I could see the hurt in his eyes. “Tha’s fine,” he finished.

“It’s not that you guys weren’t good, just not my genre of music,” I explained, a small smile on my lips as I lifted his head up.

He smiled at me in return, and we headed over to the chairs in the corner of the room.

“So… Ashlan,” the one I’ve learned as Matt Nicholls started, “‘Ow old are yeh?” he questioned.

Instead of answering him, I did what I do to most people I don’t know; I looked down and completely ignored the question.

“She’s seventeen,” Mathew answered for me after a few minutes had passed.

I could feel everyone’s eyes on me.

“Yeh’re really young,” I heard one say. I looked up for a brief moment to see Oliver staring at me intensely like he was trying to figure me out.

I ignored the comment and refocused on my knees.

//

“It were great teh see yeh, Ashlan,” Mathew smiled at me. I nodded back at him, a smile on my lips as well.

“Um… Ashlan?” he hesitated.

“Curtis an’ I are hangin’ this weekend, an’ I were wonderin’ if yeh’d like teh tag along. His girlfrien’ will be there, so it won’ beh awkward or anythin’,” Mathew stuttered out. Was he asking me out?

Smiling, I nodded.