Second Chances, Bad Habits

I couldn’t help but frown about Ashley’s friend Andy. I don’t remember having said anything to make him hate me, and I’m pretty darn sure I haven’t met him before today really. It just seemed so stupid and odd. Maybe Ash would know. I was about the text him, when a knock came at the door. Hoisting myself up from the front of the TV I walked over.

Opening the door, I saw Ash stood, looking very afraid to be honest. I didn’t think I was that scary looking.

“Hey?” I said, looking confused as to 1, why he was stood at my door, and 2, why he looked so afraid.

“Hey! I’m sorry I never met up with you at the mall again.” Ash said. Honestly this boy is too sweet, I giggled at his excuse, and hugged him as if he might disappear. I didn’t want any of this to go away.

“Its fine.” I said, hoping he’d calm down a bit. It must have worked, because he quickly kissed the top of my head and hugged me back.

“Are you sure?” He worries way too much, so I tried to end the conversation by pulling him in the house.

“That I am, but um… does your friend Andy seriously hate me or something?” I asked nervously, thinking back to what I’d thought about a minute before Ash arrived. Leading him over to the couch, I noticed his small smile he does when he lies.

“I don’t think he hates you, he just doesn’t open up to new people well.” Liar. He hates me, but I didn’t really care at the moment, in all honesty I wasn’t too sure I wanted to know what his problem was. So I just smiled back.

“So there’s a possibility that he won’t hate me?” Chuckling he kissed my forehead.

“Of course there is a huge chance that he doesn’t hate you.” It sounded more like he was trying to persuade himself rather than me.

“Oh, okay.” I bit of my lip, knowing that he wouldn’t tell me, but I was also thinking that maybe he didn’t know either.

“So, um, Deli?” Holding one of my hands tightly he ran the other through his hair nervously. My heart started racing out of fear of what he might say next.

He looks so adorable when he’s nervous, and by the way he’s acting, he’s definitely not use to feeling like this either.

“Yes Ash?” I said, biting back my smile as he started to look more and more nervous by the second.

“Um, I was wondering if tonight you’d like to join me and the rest of the guys to dinner at Jinxx, my guitarist‘s, house.” This guy is unbelievable, I smiled and nodded, excited that someone actually like me enough that they’d want to show me off.

“I’d love to go with you. But Andy-” I was interrupted by Ash putting a finger on my mouth.

“Don’t worry about him, he’s not going to mess with you anymore.” Yeah right.

“Oh….okay?” Kissing my head again he chuckled. At least he’s confident that his friend will be okay with me.

“Haha, Okay then. I’ll come back to pick you up in like an hour?” I nodded while smiling. I wonder if I should get all fancy again, well maybe not as fancy as last time, but you know, a bit nicer than normal.

“Okay.” I wasn’t so sure that Andy being there was going to be such an alright thing, I was still trying to convince myself using Ash’s words.

A look of guilt flashed across Ash’s face, but before I could even blink, he kissed me, pressing his lips to mine softly. It took me a second but I managed to kiss back and wrap my arms around his neck. I love moments like these, he makes my heart skip and the whole cheesy side of me comes out. Biting down hard on my lip he smiled into the kiss as I moaned a little. If we weren’t in the living room, and everybody was home, I was so get lost in him. Pulling away he smiled at me before kissing me again. Our lips brushed against the others again before I pulled away.

“I’m sorry.” Ash said looking extremely guilt now.

“Don’t be.” I giggled and kissed him softly once more. I love the way his lips feel on mine. Trust me, I’ve done drugs before and they don’t compare to this.

“Oh. Well.” I blushed a little as I smiled. He really was not use to this at all, and I thought I was the inexperienced one.

“Aww you’re blushing Ashley!” He yipped a little when I poked my sides. Ooo he’s ticklish, he’s so doomed now.

“Are you?” My eyes got wide as I poked his sides again. He’s ticklish!

“I’m not anything!” Ash said trying to slip away from my hands. He never learns. I quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him back on the sofa, and straddled his hips so he couldn’t move. Tickling all up and down his sides.

“Oh god! Deli! Stop, please stop” Ash cried, but I knew he could handle more.

“I can’t breath Deli!”

“Yeah right.” He’s not out of breath, he’ll be alright. Just as I lost one second of concentration, he managed to turn the tables and pin me underneath him, and started tickling me back. Pay backs a bitch!

“How do you like it?” Ash called over my giggling, I could guarantee that my face was like a tomato.

Straddling me waist Ash chuckled and continued to listen to me squeal and giggle as I squirmed away from his touch.

“Ashley. Oh god Ashley! Stop!” He is so dead when he’s done, but Ash didn’t seem to realise this as he continued to attack me.

“I-I can’t b-breath.” I said, winded from all the tickling and laughing. Ash immediately stopped and looked at me in horror. He really needs to stop worrying so much about me.

“Oh god, Deli, I’m sorry.” Pushing my matted hair behind my ears he kissed my flushed cheeks softly.

“It’s okay Ashley, my ribs don’t hurt anymore.” I smiled at his huge grin, obviously pleased that I was no longer breakable.

“Really? That’s great!” Bringing my lips to his, he licked my bottom lip just begging me to let him in. Just as I was about to grant him access, a shriek of my name sounded around the house.

“Deli!” Shooting out from underneath Ash, I instantly recognised my mum’s voice. Shit, this is gonna be brilliant. Please, please, please woman! Don’t do anything in front of him I don’t want him to know. Not now at least.

“What the FUCK do you think you’re doing? You stupid little slag!” She screamed at me, grabbing my arm and pulling me up the stairs. I was too scared at this moment to really notice what Ash was doing, and what anyone else was doing for the fact.

Quickly, out of nowhere, Mat grabbed my arm and pulled me behind him. Spinning around I say Ash pushing my mum away from me. I could see that he was screaming and that she was screaming back, but for some reason, I couldn’t hear what they were saying. Inside all I could hear was a loud, constant, high-pitched noise.

“FINE THEN THE STUPID WHORE CAN STAY WITH YOU!” I heard when my ear’s popped, I looked in pure shock as my mum stalked back to her room, and slammed the door.

I looked up at Mat, who was also just staring in shock. By this time Hawise and Evangeline had come out of their rooms too. Ash as stood there shaking with, I assume, anger. He had his eyes squeezed shut, and his hands were balled into fists.

“Don’t worry about Delilah, we know what to do. You can go if you want.” Mat said, staring at me, tears filling up both of our eyes.

“No! I’m not letting her stay here with that bitch! You can stay here if you want, but Deli’s coming with me.” Ash said through gritted teeth, as he finally stopped shaking, and opened his eyes to look at us.

“Go pack what you need, you can stay with me.” He said. I can’t believe he was really gonna do this. Usually most people would leave and not want to come back. But Ash was different.

I rushed off into my room and pulled out one of my rucksacks, and started pulling things out of cupboards and draws. I was done in literally 2 minutes, I didn’t exactly have a lot of things I wanted.

Walking out of my room, it looked like I wasn’t the only one who was going. Hawise, Evangeline and Mat, were all stood behind Ash with their bags too.

“You’re all coming?” I said a bit rudely than I intended. They just nodded in response. Ash walked up to me, grabbed my bag and slung it over his shoulder. He quickly grabbed my my hand and started pulling me towards the door. The rest following behind. It kind of scared me how quiet he was. But I knew he wouldn’t hurt me.

*********************

“What about the meal with your friends?” I asked, and he put my bag beside his bed, after he’d shown the others to a spare room.

“It can wait till another night.” He’d calmed down to his normal self now. Which a sigh of relief, but I felt guilty for being such a burden, especially seen as we’d all come along.

“No I still want to go. It’ll take my mind off of things.” I said hoping that he wouldn’t guess the real reason why I didn’t want to not go.

“Are you sure?” I just nodded violently in response.

“Ok, well…I’ll go ask to see if the other 3 want to come. You can get ready in here.” He smiled before closing the door behind him. I felt so bad for him, he’s in one night, witnessed; my psycho mum, he’s had my family put on him, and now he was choosing me over his friends. I felt like crying, but I knew now wasn’t the time or place. I just hope that the night doesn’t get any worse, specifically, that Andy doesn’t start anything.