Wherever You Are

As we walk up the stairs to his house, I have a strange feeling. I think it's a bad idea. They are famous. A lot can happen. Kat knocks on the door. And it opens in seconds. I smile politely and the boy with the lip ring introduces himself. I do, too.

His house is amazing. It's huge and looks very expensive. It's neat, which surprises me. Usually boys are messy. He probably cleaned up because he was having company over.

I see Ashton inside the house. My heart beats rapidly. I walk over to him. He smiles when he sees me.

"Hi," He says.

"Hi."

After our awkward greeting, Ashton motions me to follow him and I do. Loud laughter comes from Kat and the other boys. I follow Ashton to the finished basement where everyone is. There's an arcade, a fooseball table, and a air hockey table. I smile and walk over the air hockey table. I

"You play?" He asks.

"Yeah. I'm pretty good."

"No one's as good as me!" Calum says.

"We'll see about that." I say.

Calum comes over to the air hockey table. We play air hockey for hours. And I mean, hours. I end up winning all the games we play. Calum is getting angry. He keeps wanting to play another game so he can win. He doesn't.

As Calum and I continue to play air hockey, I notice Ashton watching. My cheeks heat up.

Ashton makes the butterflies in my stomach explode. He makes me blush. He makes me happy and being happy. I smile.

I look at Ashton. He's talking to Michael. He looks at me and grins wide. I smile, too. I look at the time on the clock. Time is flying by. And I'm having fun.

In didn't think tI would have this much fun. I love hanging around these boys. They're fun and funny. I feel myself laughing more than I ever have.

Luke decides to order pizza, which is good because I'm starving.

When the pizza comes, we decide to eat outside. It's beautiful today. I soak up the sun as the boys get everything ready. I sit with Kat and she smirks at me.

"What?"

"Ashton can't take his eyes off of you." Kat laughs and I push her lightly. "He definitely has a thing for you."

"Ha!" I laugh. "Ashton does not have a thing for me."

I look into the house where the boys are. Ashton is talking to Michael again. I wonder what he's talking about. He spots me looking at me and I smile. He's drinking a beer and smiles. The liquid spills out of his mouth. I cover my mouth with my hand, holding back a giggle. He's cleaning up the spill on his shirt.

I look at Kat, but she's not there any more. She's talking to Luke...again. I roll my eyes.

Ashton picks up two plates with pizza. He walks over to the sliding glass door and opens it. I walk over to help him.

"Thanks." He says. "Calum and Michael are annoying me, so I thought I'd join you."

"Okay. Why are Calum and Michael annoying you?"

He shrugs, but I have a feeling he doesn't want to tell me. We begin to talk about something else, but I still wonder why Calum and Michael were annoying him.

I look over Ashton's shoulder. I notice that Kat and Luke are not there. Michael and Calum aren't there, either. He's showing me pictures of the tour.I look at the pictures of him and Harry Styles from One Direction.

They look like they can be brothers. I smile and then I see some videos of him and the boys of One Direction. I smile laugh because they're a riot when they're in one room.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" He blurts out.

"No?" I said. "I don't want one. Not right now."

"Oh. Too much to handle?"

"Yes." I say to him. "I need to focus on my school work."

"What are you majoring in?"

"Education." I say. "My mom was one. She inspired me."

"Was? Like, she's not around any more?"

"Yeah." I say quietly.

He smiles and puts his hand on mine. I stare at our hands and the smile never fades. I look at him and he looks at me.

"I know you don't want a boyfriend now, but maybe we can go slow? Whenever you're ready...?" He looks hopeful.

"Why are you so interested in me?"

"I dunno. You make me happy and I get a funny feeling when I'm next to you. I've never felt this way before. So...slow?"

"Slow." I agree. He grins again.

Ashton stands up and he gathers up our empty plates and beer bottles. He opens the sliding glass door and walks inside to throw out our plates.

I sit back and close my eyes. I can't believe this. I have a feeling that everything was going to change. Maybe change is good. And Ashton is definitely a good change.

"Things are finally going to change." I say.

"In a good or bad way?"

"A good way." I smile at Ashton. He smiles at me, too. "Definitely a good way."