Fan Cover By @alwaysbeachy

~Time Travel Back To the dinner~

*waves hands dramatically*

Whoosh!!!!!!!

Ashton's pov:

I viciously stab my chicken as I try not to explode on my father.

He doesn't even know what I put up through everyday, he thinks I only get myself in trouble with other people down because I'm a bad person.

...

Okay sure, sometimes I take it too far...

And sometimes people get angry...

But there is a difference between having a bit of fun, and hurting others for enjoyment.

I mess with people, but I f*ckin know the line between being annoying and being a bully.

I ignore the conversation that started to unravel and I try not to look up again.

But something soon catches my immediate attention.

"Um..I'm going to go grab some more napkins." I hear someone say.

My eyes snap up to see Julie quickly standing up and making her way towards a door that most likely led downstairs.

The parents start to talk again but I was just so annoyed.

"I'm going to go help Prin- uh Julie go get napkins." I say fastly catching my mistake.

I only get a small nod from my mom and next thing I know I find myself quickly walking to the staircase.

I curse at myself as the stair makes a large creek... but what does amuse me is the squeak I hear from a little frightened girl down in the basement.

Wow that really came off like I was a serial killer.

I watch as she tries to shrug it off and she turns back around towards the boxes.

She plays with her hair and pulls it to the side revealing her bare shoulder.

What I'm a guy? Get used to it.

I suddenly come up with a plan and I quickly make my way over and cover her mouth with my hand.

I feel her scream against my hand while her body freezes to a complete stop.
She then starts to turn around slowly and next thing I know I am met with angel face.

Huh, a new nickname.

"What the heck Ashton!!" She screams at me throwing her hands up in the air.

I laugh out when I finally see her facial expression. She looked like she was about to piss her pants.

"You should have seen your face!!" I say mocking how her face looked.

I try to catch my breath but every time I even get close, I look back up too see her totally embarrassed and I laugh out once again.

"That was not funny." She says when my laughing fit starts to calm down. I wipe loose tears that have escaped and I look at the girl who looked like she wanted to rip me to shreds.

"Trust me, it was funny beautiful." I say casually. I watch as she quickly tries to hide her blush by using her hair as a shield to block her face.

I don't know why but I had an urge to take her hair and tuck it behind her hair.

Stupid hormones.

"Why are you down here anyways?" She says causing me to keep turning up my cockiness level.

"I am protecting the princess, being a gentlemen."

"Yeah, some gentlemen you are." She says rolling her eyes and turning slightly to look at all the boxes stacked up.

"Need help?"

"Yes."

"Too bad, that might take awhile." I try not to laugh as I watch her hopeful expression completely drop.

I mean, I was going to help her anyway. Geez I'm not that rude.

But I wanted to have just a little fun so I turned around acting like I was going to walk upstairs but I feel her grab my arm and twist me back around. I feel tingles from her touch but I try not to look effected by it.

What the hell was that??

"Trying to seduce me princess? All you had to do was say the magic word."

"Wait. What. No!!!" She says frantically shaking her head.

"Already in denial.. I expected better from you nerd."

She ignores my comment as she leads me to all the boxes stacked on top of each other.

"You can either help me find napkins, or you can be my guest and go back upstairs where our parents are sitting at that table."

I think for a second.

She has a point.

I really don't want to go up there.

"Fine, but you owe me." I say kneeling down infront of one of the boxes.

"What do you mean, I owe you?? I'm not making you help me."

I try not to laugh again as confusion takes up her pretty little face.

Wait pretty?

I sound like an asshole who has a secret crush.

"Trust me, your body language was speaking otherwise."

"What do you mean... body language?"

"Oh Ashton, my sweet, sexy, hot Ashton, I don't know how on earth I will be able to do this all on my own." I say putting my hand on my forehead. I smirk at her but she just rolls her eyes again and goes back to looking through the boxes.

After about ten minutes of searching, I finally found the stack of napkins and we head upstairs.

But what instantly pissed me off again was how the parents looked like they were in deep conversation before we entered the room. They quickly shushed up and I got annoyed.

I totally pass by them and take my seat at the table once again and wait for dessert to be passed.

I groan when I remember that tomorrow is only Tuesday, but the good thing is that the football players won't be coming back until later in the week.

After everyone is finished eating, we start to get ready to leave and I watch Julie as she sits on the stairs... I decide to walk up to her.

"If you ever need anything nerd, I am only a window away." I say with a smirk.

She looks at me for a minute before she gives me a small smile.

I follow my parents out the door as we enter our household.

My dad instantly heads to his bedroom and I just roll my eyes as he didn't even bother to say goodnight.

Who am I kidding, he never does anyways.

I turn to look at my mom but I see she is already looking at me.

But not in that motherly, comfortable way, oh no, she was creepily looking at me with a smug smile.

"....Mom?"

"Oh nothing... just thinking about the dinner. Julie seems like a nice girl." She says brushing past me up to her bedroom, but not before giving me a wink.

I try to think of what she could be talking about, but I just roll my eyes and head to my bedroom.

~~~~~~~~~~

I lay down in my bed as I think about two things.

One, my dad.

Two, the girl next door.

I'm still upset with my dad and refuse to talk to him.

If he is just not going to give a shit about me then why would I care about him?

I hear my phone going off a few feet away from me but I find it best not to answer it, knowing where it is from.

Zander is completely convinced that I have a 'crush' on Julie.

I mean, just because she is the only girl I talk to, doesn't get under my skin, I sometimes like to actually be around her, and I wouldn't actually mind her hanging out with us again doesn't mean I like her.

I glance out my window to see her just sitting on her bed.

What? Her curtains are open, do you expect me to be respectful?

I don't know what's gotten into me but the next thing I know, I have pebbles in my hand and i'm throwing them at her bedroom window.

Don't ask why or how I have pebbles, I just do.

I can see her ignoring it for a second but I throw another one and this time she finally walks up.

She looks at me in shock but I hold up a finger signaling her to hold on just a second.

I scramble around my room trying to find a pen and paper which I luckily find in my bedroom desk.

I run back to the window and write something down. She reads it and steps back from the window.

I then jump into her bedroom in ease while she stands there speechless.

I grin as I walk past her and look around her room.

Books...lots of books.

At least it wasn't one of those all girly rooms.

Like pink here and pink there.

Posters of half naked guys everywhere.

Hah, that rhymed!

"Cute Room." I smirk at her baby pictures hanging on the walls.

I see in the corner of my eye her blushing a deep red and thinking hard about something.

"Um...thanks" She says looking totally embarrassed.

Adorable.

"Why are you in my room?"

"Please, I'm probably the first hot guy you ever brought to your bedroom. Don't get any dirty ideas." I say jumping on her bed.

Standing is too much effort.

But instead of joining me..

What a shame...

She sits on her desk chair.

"No but seriously, why are you here. You know my parents are right downstairs."

"Why? Are you going to cry to your mommy? Mommy there's a handsome, devishly good looking guy in my room and I don't know what to do."

"No." She says looking around the room trying not to meet my eyes.

My eyes suddenly drift down to her..attire.. and I realize she is only in a t-shirt and shorts.

Very short shorts.

To say she looked like a goddess was an understatement.

Like I said I'm a guy.

Jeez.

Do expect me not to react?

I watch as she starts to stare at the ground.

She was thinking.

"Watcha thinkin about princess?"

"The weather." She says quickly adjusting her glasses.

"No need, it is sunny with a chance of sexy neighbor tomorrow." I say as I lay back on her bed and stare up at the ceiling.

I swear these comments just slip out of nowhere.

But it doesn't help to relax when you're being stared at.

"Can you stop looking at me it's creepy."

"I'm not creepy, you're creepy."

"Hey, I'm not the one watching someone else."

"Well I'm not the one who jumped into an innocents girls' bedroom without warning so...."

I quickly sit up and look at her speechless.

Huh, so the nerd can defend herself.

We lock eyes and it's just like when we did at the dinner table.

Then, all the memories from only a couple hours ago start replaying in my head and it feels like a punch to the stomach.

"I'm sorry."

I watch as her eyes light up in confusion.

"Why are you sorry?"

I let out a large sigh and lay back on the bed with my arms shielding my eyes.

I feel the bed sink meaning she was sitting next to me now.

"For dinner being so....how do I put this in a nice way.....disgracious."

Well...

That's a.... long probably nonexistent word.

She still stands there speechless. I could almost hear the gears turning in her head.

"You.... could barely tell?" But it came out more like she was unsure.

I move my arms from my eyes at this and stare into her's.

Trust me, everyone at that table felt the awkwardness.

"He does this all the time."

"Does what?"

"Pretty much tells everyone how I am not the 'perfect son' and bla bla bla"

"He shouldn't think that way. You only get in those fights when you feel the need to protect yourself. You aren't the bully, you don't go around beating up innocent people who did nothing. You are not a disappointment Ashton." She says trying to convince me.

I suddenly start to feel angry.

Now she is pitying me.

"Are you sure you're not just feeling bad for me? Look princess, I don't need your pity." I stand up but before I can even take a step towards the window, she grabs my hand and pulls..

Literally pulls..

Me back onto the bed.

And you thought my hormones were bad.

"Ashton.. I know that you don't feel like your father understands you. But don't let that bring you down. Heck, who cares if you aren't your farther's perfect golden child, because you are smart, funny, caring, and okay maybe sometimes cocky and full of yourself, but that makes you amazing."

My eyes go wide as I process everything she said.

I have never heard ANYONE say something to me like that before.

I take a sharp intake of air as I realize how close our faces are.

Every bone in me is shouting at me to go for it.

To hug her.

To kiss her.

But I knew that I couldn't.

Heck, I just met her.

But.. she is just different.

A good kind of different.

Do I like her?

I never even came close to feeling this way with anyone before.

Before I can't control my actions, I stand up to head to the window and she follows behind.

But I couldn't hold back, I quickly turned around and pulled her in for a hug.

"Thank you." I whisper into her ear. And with that, I jump back into my room.

I close my curtains and lay on my bed.

Was Zander right?