Fan Cover by @Darkness_Arise827

Julie's pov:

When I walk in through the door of my house, I first notice that it is... cleaner than usual.

Holy crap did we get robbed??!?!!

"Julie don't freak out." My mom says laughing walking into the living room.

"Mom, why is the house actually... clean for once? Wait is Grandma coming!!"

Yeah, our house isn't always the cleanest. The only real time we actually do put effort in it is when my grandma from my mom's side comes over.

Because, and I quote, 'a clean house is a happy house.'

I mean, I'm sorry, but I don't think houses have emotions Grandma.

"Wait Grandma's coming??!" Jake says bursting through the front door.

"No, just because the house is clean doesn't mean Grandma's coming." My mom sighs.

Suddenly, the door opens again and in walks my dad. He looks around the living room and his eyes go wide.

Don't say it dad.

Don't.

Say.

It.

"Amanda is your mom coming??!!"

Oh dear lord.

"NO!!!" My mom shouts out in exhaustion, probably from cleaning all day because when I left the house this morning, it looked like Tarzan decided to move in.

"I invited the Rider's to our house for a nice dinner." She says in the calmest voice I've heard her in.

Trust me, the calm voice, is definitely the scary voice.

Wait a second...

Mrs. Rider...

Mr. Rider...

Ashton Rider...

Me and Jake make eye contact across the room thinking about the last meal we had with them.

Let's just say it did not end well.

"What time will they be over?" My dad asked.

"They should be here in an hour, Julie and Jake I would like you to clean your room's before they get here."

"Why??!!" Me and my brother both whine out at the same time.

"It's not like they are going to be in my room." I say to my mom.

She rolls her eyes. "Just clean them or no dessert for you!" She says walking back into the kitchen.

Me and Jake both start walking to the stairs but my dad cuts us off and pulls us to the side.

"If I were you guys, stay clear of the kitchen. You know how she get's when trying to prepare meals for guests." My dad says looking slightly afraid of the woman who was currently cutting carrots with a large knife in the kitchen.

You can tell who wears the pants in this relationship.

"Honey can you come help me?!" She calls from the kitchen.

Me and Jake both give my dad kisses on his cheek. "Be safe dad, it only gets harder from here." I say trying not to laugh how we all know that mom gets scary at time's like these.

"Trust me child, I will." And with that, he slowly walks into the kitchen.

~~~~~~~~~

After finally cleaning my room, the cleanest it has been in days if I may add, I finally get a chance to pull out my book and read at least a couple of chapters.

As soon as I get to the page, the doorbell goes off.

"Seriously." I whisper to myself. I put my book back on its shelf and walk downstairs when the door opens.

"Hello!" My mom says and hugs all three of them.

Mr. and Mrs. Rider looked really happy to be here.

Whereas Ashton...

Ashton looked like he was dragged here.

He shoves his hands in his pockets and finds a place on the couch.

At this time, I decide to make my appearance before my mom screams my name to come down.

"Why hello Julie." Alissa says with a smile. I smile back and hug her trying not to come off rude in any manner.

"Dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes. I think we can all file into the living room and talk while it's finishing up." My dad says.

He signals me and my brother to follow too and we take our seats...

On the ground.

It was Mrs. and Mr. Rider and Ashton on the three person couch, and My parents on the two person couch.

Yes, the floor is lovely thanks for saving me a spot.

"So Julie, I hear you are in your junior year of high school, have any ideas what you want to do in the future?" Mr. Rider asks me.

The question threw me off guard because everyone was just getting situated in the room.

It took me a moment, but I was able to come up with a truthful answer, "I honesty have no clue yet, there is just so much out there."

"That is true, you don't want to pick something too early and decide that you don't like it." Alissa smiles at me, to which I return.

"So what is Ashton looking into?" My mom asks.

But what I found weird was the question was directed towards Ashton, but his father butted in before Ashton even had the chance to speak.

"Ashton got some scholarships into a couple of different places actually. Mainly for his highest grades in criminology."

Although my mom just nodded her head and the parents continued to talk, I couldn't help but find it strange.

Ashton never mentioned criminology before, I kind of found it quite surprising.

You know, because Ashton loves breaking the rules.

From what I heard from the kids in our school, spray painting his old teachers car, putting a tarantula in the school library, and rollerskating in the school hallways at three in the morning...

Well...

Criminology?

Ashton breaks the rules, why would he want to enforce it?

While they are talking, I suddenly find the urge to pee so I quickly tap my mom's shoulder signaling and signal her that I'm going to the bathroom.

I walk up to the upstairs bathroom because it was more time consuming.

I'm sorry but parent talk...

Parent talk is boring.

After I did my business, I walk out feeling watched, which you know, is not a feeling you want when you walk out of a place like the bathroom.

But looking around and down the hallway, no one was there, so I thought I was just imagining it.

I start to walk back towards the staircase until suddenly I feel a hand on my wrist.

As quick as a flash, I feel myself being pulled into someone's chest before I even had the chance to scream a bloody murder.

"STOP!"

"Julie."

"No- no don't kill me!!"

"Julie."

"I don't want to die, I don't!"

"Julie."

"I don't want to die, I don't want to die!!"

"Julie...."

"Don't kill me-..."

"JULIE!!!"

That voice....

That voice is familiar.

Slowly, but cautiously, I open my eyes to see none other than Ashton.

He lets go of my wrist but I quickly grab his arm to steady myself from falling over at his sudden movement.

"Hey I know you're like deeply in love with me but let's keep the seductiveness sometime when your parents aren't so close."

"Wait... b- but.... Why.... why are you here?" I ask, holding my heart from the sudden panic.

If I was going to be murdered can I at least know in advance so I can eat everything without having to worry about body image.

Please?

"It was getting quite boring down there princess, you left me alone, cold, hungry-...."

"And they just let you leave?"

"Trust me, they were to busy catching up to notice my presence wasn't there." He says smugly.

I let out a small laugh and look down to see them in what looks like deep conversation while my brother is just sitting there bored out of his mind.

I realize that I really don't want to go down there so I slowly slide down the wall and sit down on the floor with Ashton following not too far behind.

"I see you really don't want to be there either." He says listening in on their discussion about all their experiences they had together as teenagers.

"Yeah." I say resting my head on the coolness of the wall.

"Awwe is it the princess's bedtime?" I hear Ashton say from beside me.

"Yeah, and as my servant I order you to stop talking."

"Trust me princess, you may princess of the nerds, but I'm king of the bad boys, I think I over rule." His face inches closer to mine.

It takes everything in me not to open my eyes and look over at him, because I know if I do, I probably wouldn't be able to look back.

"Admit it, you're affected."

"By you? Never."

"You're just saying that."

"You know, you shouldn't sneak up on people like that, I thought I was going to die."

"Yeah I know," he smirks, "I don't want to die, I don't... I don't want to die!!" He laughs as I hit his shoulder.

"You are so mean!"

"I take that word as a compliment."

"You know, one day someone is going to come and put you in your place."

"My place? What are they going to do, beat me up? Woah nerd, I never thought you had it in you to wish such things-..."

"That's not what I meant, someone's going to come in your life and wreck your cocky attitude, and when it does, I will be sitting front row with a bowl of popcorn in hand."

He laughs, not like that happy laugh, more like that cocky laugh, "You really think one person can change someone completely? You really are obsessed with your romance novels-..."

"It's true! No matter how much you deny it Ashton, you aren't going to be rollerskating in school hallways or spray painting people's cars in the future." I turn towards him.

And you know when you make a big mistake?

Yeah, well I just made one.

He. Was. Close.

His blue eyes were staring right into my hazel ones.

"Yeah, and that's why I'm having fun when I still have the chance." He shrugs looking ahead of him.

"You find enjoyment in spray painting people's cars?"

I watch as he smirks to himself, "Hell. Yeah."

I shake my head, but I couldn't help but laugh a little at his answer.

"You know, you are one of a kind, Ashton."

He looks at me, "How so, because I'm extremely attractive?"

I roll my eyes, "No..."

Even though he is pretty attractive, I would never admit to it and make him act more cocky.

"Then how so Princess?"

"Because you're confusing. You always mention countless times how attractive you are and mention how girls swoon over you, but yet you've never been out with a girl before. You fight other people when you feel you need to defend yourself, but you find enjoyment in breaking the rules and getting in trouble. Everyone looks up to you as this cool, rule-breaking guy who couldn't care less about anyone else, and yet here you are talking to someone like me."

I was staring at the wall while saying this, refusing to meet his eye as I felt him staring at me at the side of my face.

"I don't know if I should praise you for being so observant or scoot away because I'm sitting next to a stalker-..."

I hit is shoulder, "I'm being serious! You are confusing. You are nice for one second and then the next you are the cockiest person alive!" I groan as he laughs at my distressed face.

"Which one do you prefer?"

"Which one do you think?"

But as soon as he was about to answer, the sound of my mom's voice shouts from somewhere downstairs.

"Julie, Ashton, Dinner!!!"

We both stand up and head down the stairs, but I couldn't help but notice my mom kept smiling when she saw me and Ashton walking into the kitchen together.

Luckily Ashton didn't notice, but I couldn't help but wonder...

What in the world is going through her head?