The President's Daughter

The next morning, I was woken my rays of light shining in from the window. Slowly, I opened my eyes letting them adjust to the harsh light taking me from my slumber. Realizing the foreign environment surrounding me, I quickly sat up in the bed. My sudden movement sending pounding through my head causing a groan to escape from my lips. Looking around, I noticed a glass of water and Tylenol sitting on the bedside table. After swallowing the pill with a gulp of water, I quietly exited the room. As I walked out from the hallway and into the living room, I heard Tyler call “Good morning, sleepy head” from the kitchen as he saw me enter the living room.

Walking into the kitchen, I noticed Tyler cooking an assortment of breakfast food. “Hey,” I said while lifting myself so that I was sitting on the counter.

“Hungry?” He asked while he continued to make some eggs.

“Look, Tyler I'm sorry about last night,” I began nervously.

“For what?” He asked while putting the cooked eggs on a plate.

“Unloading my problems on you. You probably didn't want to hear any of that,” I said while focusing down on my feet.

“Hey,” he said coming over to me. He gently put his hand under my chin lifting my head so that I was looking at him. “Don't be silly, I'm glad you told me. You shouldn't have to hold these things in until you explode, Ashton.”

My heart skipped a beat as he continued to gaze deeply into my eyes; my breath only coming back as he stepped away and took a few steps back to the stove.

“Now eat up,” he said handing me a plate of food. Hopping off the counter, I sat at the island to eat the food he had given me as he took the seat next to me. For some odd reason, I felt abnormally comfortable sitting here with Tyler after breaking down in front of him only hours ago. I occasionally caught Tyler's stares out of the corner of my eye as we sat and ate breakfast.

After finishing breakfast, Tyler took my plate from me and put the plates into his dishwasher. “So what are you going to do now? Go back to your parents' house?” Tyler questioned me knowing that I probably didn't even know myself.

“Um I don't know, I guess” I said lightly.

He walked to over to where I was still sitting at the island, “Look, Ashton I know what we obviously haven’t known each other very long, but I have an extra guestroom that you could stay in if you want,” he said while leaning against the counter.

“No, definitely not. I would just be a bother to you,” I said while standing up getting ready to go look for my shoes so I could get out his hair.

“Ashton,” Tyler said while grabbing my wrist forcing me to turn around to look at him. “You would not be a problem. It would actually be nice to have someone in this apartment after my roommate Freddy moved out,” he said in all seriousness.

“Are you sure?” I asked skeptically raising my eyebrow.

“Of course I’m sure, Ashton. I wouldn't offer it if I wasn’t sure,” he said.

“It will only be a few days and then I promise I’m out of your hair,” I responded.

“Ashton, you could stay here for months for all I care,” he said while wrapping his arms around me. Normally, I got antsy when touched, but with Tyler it felt natural for his arms to be around me.

&&&

Tyler's POV

I glanced in my rear view mirror making sure that Ashton was still following behind me. After eating breakfast this morning, we decided it would be a good idea to go get her car from where we left it. Why I offered to let her stay at my apartment is beyond me, but I wanted her to stay with me. I continued to drive as I let my thoughts of her consume me.

Pulling into the parking garage of my apartment building, I rolled down my window and signaled for Ashton to pull into the parking space next to me. Grabbing her bags from her hands, I lead her back up to my apartment and into the guestroom where I sat her bags down on the floor.

“Why don't you go take a shower while I make this bed?” I suggested.

“Don't be ridiculous, Tyler. I can make a bed myself,” she tried to argue.

“You're so stubborn,” I said while gently taking her arm and leading her to bathroom where I pulled out a towel from the closet and handing it to her. Without giving her a chance to protest, I walked out of the bathroom closing the door behind me.

Grabbing a set of new sheets and walking back into the guestroom, I began to make the bed. Once finished, I was getting ready to walk out of the room when I heard a loud knock on the door of my apartment. Confused, I walked to the door and opened it. Surprised to see Brad standing on the other side of the door, I quickly asked, “Brad, what are you doing here?”

Chuckling, he pushed my door opened while joking “What I can't come visit my best friend?”

As Brad pushed pass me and walked into my apartment, I quickly shut the door and followed behind him praying that Ashton would stay in the shower a little longer knowing that if Brad saw her that all hell would break loose.

Quickly rushing to catch up with him, “Marshy, man, I’m kind of busy right now,” I rushed out in attempt to get him out of my apartment before he could see Ashton.

He must of heard the running water of the shower because he wiggled his eyebrows and asked, “You got a girl here, Segs?”

Hearing the water shut off, I began trying to push Brad back to the door: “Man, you gotta go now.”

“What! No, I want to see this girl Segs,” he said while holding his ground firmly.

Once I heard the bathroom door open moments later, it felt as if my stomach was in my throat as my heart beat seemed to go in overdrive. Closing my eyes and slightly praying that Ashton went into the guestroom, I continued to try to push Brad out of my apartment. Brad pushed back at me trying to stay in my apartment obviously interested to see the girl I had in my apartment. I suddenly felt Brad stop pushing back as his eyes locked on a figure behind me.

Slowly, I turned around and noticed the one thing I was trying to keep Brad from seeing. Ashton stood in the doorway in a tshirt and sweats with her wet hair framing her face. She stopped at the sight of me and Brad which I knew suddenly made her feel out of place.

Automatically feeling bad that I made Ashton feel uncomfortable, I attempted to get Brad back to the door while I said, “Brad,” in a warning tone to make sure he knew that I wasn't messing around. This time he didn't protest as I lead him back to the door.

I was about to open the door for Brad to exit when he turned around and said with a mixed expression of anger and confusion, “What the hell is she doing here, Tyler?”