The President's Daughter

Tyler's POV

The loud, excessive beeping of my alarm on the phone woke me up from my sleep. Realizing I had slept on the couch made me let out a soft sigh knowing that I would have a stiff neck all day and I had to be a practice in the next hour. All the complaining I was doing in my head came to a quick halt as I looked down at the sleeping figure in my arms. We've must have fell asleep during the movie we were watching last night because Ashton was curled up in a ball in my arms.

I couldn't help but smile about how serene she looked. Her caramel colored hair haphazardly falling around her face. Her faint smile that if not looked at closely would be missed. The rhythm of her breathing putting her at ease.

Running my fingers through her hair, I realized there was a lot more to Ashton than I realized. This wasn't just a girl who feels attacked by her family, no Ashton could handle that. Instead laying in my lap I held a girl who was constantly told she wasn't good enough, a girl who has been kicked too many times when she was down, a girl who felt she was worthless. It confused the fuck out of me how a girl so amazing could be filled with so many insecurities. Ashton may hate to talk about her problems, probably thinking no one cares, but I felt my heart breaking knowing this girl thought she wasn't good enough. I don't think she even realized this, but the way she carries herself reveals her insecurities without her even noticing just like they did last night.

“Ashton, what do you want to watch babe?” I said while sitting on the floor of the bookshelf containing movies in my living room.

From her spot on the couch, she mumbled a “Whatever you want.”

I looked up at her, getting frustrated. This is how its been all day, whenever I asked for her opinion on something she would just say whatever I want is fine. “What about this?” I asked while holding up some ridiculously crappy action film that no girl would ever want to watch.

“Yeah, that's perfect” she said nodding her head like she actually wanted to watch it, but I could tell from her fake smile that she was lying.

“Ashtonnnnn,” I whined as I set the movie back down. I stood up while saying, “I'm going to make some popcorn and by the time I get back you better have picked out a movie.”

Walking into the kitchen, I was so confused as to why she was being so difficult. All the girls I’ve dated in the past were always so quick to tell me what they want and always expected me to do what they want, but Ashton was different. Sighing I began to make the popcorn, I occasionally would look around the corner to make sure she was actually looking at the movies. Finishing the popcorn, I grabbed two Gatorades out of my fridge and brought everything back into the living room setting it down on the coffee table.

“So what'd you decide?” I asked walking up behind her.

“I think we should watch this,” she said holding the movie that I had 'suggested' that we watch earlier.

Taking the movie out of her hands, “Ashton, you don't want to watch this. The only reason you chose it was because I said something about it.”

Wrapping my arms around her from behind, I whispered in her ear, “Please just pick a movie.”

Turning around suddenly she looked at me and snapped, “Tyler, why do you even care so much about what I want to watch anyway?”

“Hey, why wouldn't I care?” I asked while trying to wrap my arms around her again to calm her down surprised by her outburst.

Trying to unsuccessfully break away from my hold, she snapped again with an edge to her voice that made me sick to my stomach “No ones ever cared before, Tyler. I've always been told what I was going to watch, what I was going to eat, what I was going to do by everyone; no one ever asks for my opinion. Don't you get it, Tyler! No one cares what I think as long as I do what I'm told, so I don't get why or how you're any different!”

By then she had managed to slip from my grasp and was standing a few feet from running her hands through her hair. My heart felt like it was being stabbed with knives as she expressed how unimportant she felt with a sense of brokenness in her eyes.

“Ashton, I'm different because I care. I care what you have to say; I care what you want. I don't care what anybody has ever told you in the past, Ashton. Listen to me when I say, you are important and what you say matters.”

She didn't answer me instead she just walked over wrapping her arms tightly around my waist. I held her tightly for what seemed like hours, but was probably was a few minutes. As she loosened her grip around me, I loosened my hold on her allowing her to get out of my tight embrace.

She walked back over to the bookshelf pulling a movie off a shelf before turning around saying, “I think I want to watch this,” while holding some Adam Sandler comedy up in her hands.

Smiling at her, I took the movie from her hands after giving her light kiss on the lips before putting the DVD in the player. Grabbing the blanket off the couch, I pulled Ashton down on the couch so that her head was against my chest. “Thank you,” I whispered in her ear with a small smile playing along my lips.

The fact she felt important made my stomach turn because she was quickly becoming one of the most important people in my life. I know we haven't known each other long, but I felt as if I've known her my whole life.

Knowing I had to get up and get ready for practice, I gently wrapped my arms around her so I could carry her to bed. Halfway to the guest room, her eyes fluttered open in a way that made my heart skip a beat and wide smile to form on my face.

“What's going on?” She grumbled in a voice laced with sleep.

“I'm putting you in bed so go back to sleep. I have to go to practice in a little bit, but I’ll be back soon,” I said lightly. Instead of replying, she just snuggled her head back into my chest and closed her eyes again.