Status: Active
Are You Happy?
Milky Twilight
"Are you ever gonna kiss me or are you just leading me on?" I propped myself up on my elbow, waiting for his response. He looked surprised at my sudden outburst and I immediately felt self-conscious. I'd read something into this thing between us that wasn't there.
"I didn’t know that’s something you wanted," he said, his face devoid of his ever-present smirk.
"I… wow, sorry, forget I said anything. I'm just, I'm gonna go," I tripped over my words. I started to get up but he pulled me back to him, turning onto his side to face me and bringing me closer than before. "No, I get it. You really don't have to."
"I want to, believe me. I've wanted to since we met," he chuckled before pressing his lips to mine. It felt right. I didn't want to stop kissing him, and he didn't stop kissing me. It was long until we were in a full on make-out session, my leg hitched up over his hip. He grew against my thigh and I decided to pull back for air, just long enough for him to ask, "You really thought I didn't want to kiss you?"
I jumped awake on the couch next to Ashton with a stomach full of butterflies. What the hell was that dream? I could see sunlight seeping through the curtains though I wasn't sure of the time.
"Good morning, sleepyhead."
"What time is it?" I yawned, sitting up because I was getting too comfortable with how close we were.
"You know you talk in your sleep?" he smirked, ignoring my question.
"What did I say?" I asked seriously, concerned with what he might have heard, especially with the dream I had.
"Wouldn't you like to know," he laughed, "it's almost noon."
"Crap. I'm gonna be late for work."
"I'll drive you," he offered, getting up and pulling his shoes on.
"You're awfully quiet. Something wrong?" He asked when we were almost to Darby's.
"No, I'm okay. Are you?"
"Yeah, I'm good," he smiled, "I'll call you later?" I nodded and he waited until I was in the doors before driving off. I practically ran to the back room to grab my apron and clock in, just as Jason was leaving for his break.
"Hey, do you have a minute?"
"Not really, I'm late for my shift. What's up?"
"Nothing, just wanted to talk. Maybe we can meet up later?"
"Uh, yeah. I could actually use a ride home around 6 if you're not busy."
"Yeah, great. I'll pick you up."
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"How have you been? I think this is the longest we've gone without talking since we were kids," Jason laughed, driving me home.
"I've been good. Really good, actually. What about you?"
"I'm good."
"So… what did you want to talk about?" I wondered.
"You broke up with me because you liked Ashton, right?"
"That's not… entirely true," I stuttered. I didn't know how to answer that.
"Oh, come on," he laughed, "anyway, my point is, we can.. See other people right?"
"Um, yeah, that's usually what happens when people break up," I told him, trying to stifle a chuckle.
"So, it's not weird if I ask someone out? It's a small town, so…"
"No, it's not weird. Would it be weird for you if I went out with Ashton?" I should have just said, 'if I went out with someone', but apparently we both knew who I had my eye on. I don't know why, but someone else saying it out loud kind of solidified it for me. I liked Ashton. I wanted him to kiss me last night, but he didn't. I liked him, but that certainly didn't mean he felt the same.
"No, I mean, maybe a little, but you seem happier with him. I'm sorry I wasn't a better boyfriend to you, I just didn't know how to handle things after…"
"I know, it's okay. I wasn't exactly a great girlfriend either," I said honestly. It was nice being able to talk to him as a friend. The awkwardness of the last few years had faded now that we weren't spending time together because we were supposed to. I was glad he wanted to date. At least one of us could have a little fun. "Do you want to come in for a bit? My parents got home today, I'm sure they'd love to see you. I haven't exactly told them yet."
"yeah, okay," he laughed, unbuckling his seatbelt.
Mom basically tackled me into a hug as we walked through the door, doing the same to Jason shortly after. We said hi to my dad and sat in the living room with the intention of talking about their trip. "You look different Willow, everything alright while we were gone?"
"Yeah, everything was fine. How was Cancun?" I answered. I don't know how, but she always knew when something was up. I reached for Jason's hand, trying to throw her off the trail. Her eyes flicked down and she gave me a small smile before continuing.
"It was so beautiful there, you two have to come with us next time. The beach was amazing and the sand was so soft!"
"Yeah," Jason said, clearing his throat, "sounds like fun."
"Ugh, I spent weeks trying get this Van Gogh original. It wasn't even supposed to be in the auction but this old woman…" I tuned out. A vacation was never just a vacation. It revolved around my mom's work. I don't know how the two of them even stayed together.
The big fight was years ago. Mom was pissed when dad changed job titles. She cut back and saved the travel for summer. A compromise, but things changed after that. They stopped the weekly date nights. Not even a chance of sitting down together for dinner. Not until Emily passed, at least. I remember a few months after she died, I found Dad's wedding ring hidden in the drawer of his desk. He'd taken it off before going to work that evening. I went back and checked and found he'd done it every night. He'd been having an affair.
Dwelling on it just reopened the wounds. I tried to shake the thoughts from my head as my mom called out to me, "Willow?"
"Sorry, what?" She was looking at me expectantly and Jason looked uncomfortable.
"Did you lose your virginity? Is that why you look so grown up?" If I had to describe my mother in one word, blunt would definitely fit the bill.
"What?"
"I was just asking!" She raised her hands in surrender.
"No, Mom, that…. That ship's already sailed, oh my god."
"Well, I should be going," Jason said, standing up to leave and save himself from this conversation.
"I'll walk you out," I said, following quickly after him.
"I definitely don't miss your mom prying," he laughed when I got out onto the patio with him.
"I know, sorry. I'm gonna tell her about us when I get back in there, promise."
"I'll see you around," he waved as I walked back through the door.
"You're being safe, right?" Mom yelled to me from the couch, signaling for me to join her again.
"Mom! We're not having this conversation! Jason and I-" the doorbell rang just as I was about to break the news. "I'll get it."
I opened the door to see Ashton on the other side and quickly closed it behind me. "Missing something?" he smirked, holding my phone out in front of him.
"Thanks, I was wondering where that went." I wasn’t. I hadn’t even noticed it was gone.
"I found it in my couch. I would have brought it by a few hours ago but I wasn't sure when you got off work. Jason give you a ride?" He asked. It didn't sound accusatory, but I was worried he ran into him in the driveway. Had they talked?
"Uh, yeah. My parents got back today so he came in to say hi," I explained. He nodded in understanding and smiled.
"Right, well, I'll let you get back. I just wanted to drop that off." He'd started to back away but I found myself calling out to stop him. I couldn't exactly grasp the why yet, but I hadn't wanted him to leave yet and now he was standing at the bottom of the steps waiting for me to speak. I hadn't thought that far ahead.
"What are you doing tomorrow?"
"I didn’t know that’s something you wanted," he said, his face devoid of his ever-present smirk.
"I… wow, sorry, forget I said anything. I'm just, I'm gonna go," I tripped over my words. I started to get up but he pulled me back to him, turning onto his side to face me and bringing me closer than before. "No, I get it. You really don't have to."
"I want to, believe me. I've wanted to since we met," he chuckled before pressing his lips to mine. It felt right. I didn't want to stop kissing him, and he didn't stop kissing me. It was long until we were in a full on make-out session, my leg hitched up over his hip. He grew against my thigh and I decided to pull back for air, just long enough for him to ask, "You really thought I didn't want to kiss you?"
I jumped awake on the couch next to Ashton with a stomach full of butterflies. What the hell was that dream? I could see sunlight seeping through the curtains though I wasn't sure of the time.
"Good morning, sleepyhead."
"What time is it?" I yawned, sitting up because I was getting too comfortable with how close we were.
"You know you talk in your sleep?" he smirked, ignoring my question.
"What did I say?" I asked seriously, concerned with what he might have heard, especially with the dream I had.
"Wouldn't you like to know," he laughed, "it's almost noon."
"Crap. I'm gonna be late for work."
"I'll drive you," he offered, getting up and pulling his shoes on.
"You're awfully quiet. Something wrong?" He asked when we were almost to Darby's.
"No, I'm okay. Are you?"
"Yeah, I'm good," he smiled, "I'll call you later?" I nodded and he waited until I was in the doors before driving off. I practically ran to the back room to grab my apron and clock in, just as Jason was leaving for his break.
"Hey, do you have a minute?"
"Not really, I'm late for my shift. What's up?"
"Nothing, just wanted to talk. Maybe we can meet up later?"
"Uh, yeah. I could actually use a ride home around 6 if you're not busy."
"Yeah, great. I'll pick you up."
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"How have you been? I think this is the longest we've gone without talking since we were kids," Jason laughed, driving me home.
"I've been good. Really good, actually. What about you?"
"I'm good."
"So… what did you want to talk about?" I wondered.
"You broke up with me because you liked Ashton, right?"
"That's not… entirely true," I stuttered. I didn't know how to answer that.
"Oh, come on," he laughed, "anyway, my point is, we can.. See other people right?"
"Um, yeah, that's usually what happens when people break up," I told him, trying to stifle a chuckle.
"So, it's not weird if I ask someone out? It's a small town, so…"
"No, it's not weird. Would it be weird for you if I went out with Ashton?" I should have just said, 'if I went out with someone', but apparently we both knew who I had my eye on. I don't know why, but someone else saying it out loud kind of solidified it for me. I liked Ashton. I wanted him to kiss me last night, but he didn't. I liked him, but that certainly didn't mean he felt the same.
"No, I mean, maybe a little, but you seem happier with him. I'm sorry I wasn't a better boyfriend to you, I just didn't know how to handle things after…"
"I know, it's okay. I wasn't exactly a great girlfriend either," I said honestly. It was nice being able to talk to him as a friend. The awkwardness of the last few years had faded now that we weren't spending time together because we were supposed to. I was glad he wanted to date. At least one of us could have a little fun. "Do you want to come in for a bit? My parents got home today, I'm sure they'd love to see you. I haven't exactly told them yet."
"yeah, okay," he laughed, unbuckling his seatbelt.
Mom basically tackled me into a hug as we walked through the door, doing the same to Jason shortly after. We said hi to my dad and sat in the living room with the intention of talking about their trip. "You look different Willow, everything alright while we were gone?"
"Yeah, everything was fine. How was Cancun?" I answered. I don't know how, but she always knew when something was up. I reached for Jason's hand, trying to throw her off the trail. Her eyes flicked down and she gave me a small smile before continuing.
"It was so beautiful there, you two have to come with us next time. The beach was amazing and the sand was so soft!"
"Yeah," Jason said, clearing his throat, "sounds like fun."
"Ugh, I spent weeks trying get this Van Gogh original. It wasn't even supposed to be in the auction but this old woman…" I tuned out. A vacation was never just a vacation. It revolved around my mom's work. I don't know how the two of them even stayed together.
The big fight was years ago. Mom was pissed when dad changed job titles. She cut back and saved the travel for summer. A compromise, but things changed after that. They stopped the weekly date nights. Not even a chance of sitting down together for dinner. Not until Emily passed, at least. I remember a few months after she died, I found Dad's wedding ring hidden in the drawer of his desk. He'd taken it off before going to work that evening. I went back and checked and found he'd done it every night. He'd been having an affair.
Dwelling on it just reopened the wounds. I tried to shake the thoughts from my head as my mom called out to me, "Willow?"
"Sorry, what?" She was looking at me expectantly and Jason looked uncomfortable.
"Did you lose your virginity? Is that why you look so grown up?" If I had to describe my mother in one word, blunt would definitely fit the bill.
"What?"
"I was just asking!" She raised her hands in surrender.
"No, Mom, that…. That ship's already sailed, oh my god."
"Well, I should be going," Jason said, standing up to leave and save himself from this conversation.
"I'll walk you out," I said, following quickly after him.
"I definitely don't miss your mom prying," he laughed when I got out onto the patio with him.
"I know, sorry. I'm gonna tell her about us when I get back in there, promise."
"I'll see you around," he waved as I walked back through the door.
"You're being safe, right?" Mom yelled to me from the couch, signaling for me to join her again.
"Mom! We're not having this conversation! Jason and I-" the doorbell rang just as I was about to break the news. "I'll get it."
I opened the door to see Ashton on the other side and quickly closed it behind me. "Missing something?" he smirked, holding my phone out in front of him.
"Thanks, I was wondering where that went." I wasn’t. I hadn’t even noticed it was gone.
"I found it in my couch. I would have brought it by a few hours ago but I wasn't sure when you got off work. Jason give you a ride?" He asked. It didn't sound accusatory, but I was worried he ran into him in the driveway. Had they talked?
"Uh, yeah. My parents got back today so he came in to say hi," I explained. He nodded in understanding and smiled.
"Right, well, I'll let you get back. I just wanted to drop that off." He'd started to back away but I found myself calling out to stop him. I couldn't exactly grasp the why yet, but I hadn't wanted him to leave yet and now he was standing at the bottom of the steps waiting for me to speak. I hadn't thought that far ahead.
"What are you doing tomorrow?"