Chapter 60

"You know I'm always in the mood for ice cream." As we pulled into the parking lot, I turned to look at him. "I really don't want to talk about any of it, let's just enjoy the ice cream and your shitty jokes," I sent him a small smile. Immediately going along with it, he faked offended. "My jokes are fantastic," he defended, turning the car off. "Mmm okay," I replied, grinning. "If not then why do you always laugh at them?" He raised an eyebrow. "Pity- duh," I answered, making him chuckle. "Funny, that's the same reason I asked you out," he said and I rolled my eyes. "The look on your face when I told you 'no' said differently," I rebutted. "Yeah- that was just cruel," he told me, as if he had been meaning to say that but kept forgetting. I chuckled and took his hand in mine as we walked towards the door. "Well, you love me now, so," he sent me a proud smile, "I win," we stopped in front of the counter. "I'd say we both won," I responded. He 'booped' my nose, earning a completely shocked expression from me, as that is the last thing I ever expected him to do. He clearly had done it as a joke, but still. He let out a laugh at my expression. We ordered the usual, Ashton letting me pay for both of ours.. only because I threatened to scratch his car if he didn't let me. I wouldn't have, but only because I hate the sound it makes. Not because of his randomly intense sentiment to his car. "Is it weird," I started as we sat down in our usual booth across from each other, "that I feel like we know each other more than anyone else, but we still have so much to learn about each other?" When I asked this, casual realization slid onto his face. Almost as if he had forgotten we weren't literally one in the same person. "Well, that's how I roll I guess," he said and I sent him a confused, lighthearted glance. "Gotta keep 'em guessing.. I have that whole mysterious thing going on for me," he said, shoveling the ice cream into his mouth. I always got mine in a cone, but he was avidly against cones apparently. He claimed that ice cream cones were an 'institution that makes people use their useless cones through relentless propaganda, while not adding anything to the actual experience of eating the ice cream besides making it more messy'. I, after telling him how fucking weird he was, respectfully disagreed, saying that ice cream cones were fun and that if he had such a problem with them then he could shove one up his- well... you get it. "You're ridiculous," I told him with an eye roll and a loving smile. He smiled back at me before his eyes landed behind me, immediately turning cold. My heart skipped a beat, immediately dreading who was behind me. George? My brother? No, Ashton doesn't know what he looks like- or does he? But when I turned around I just saw Layla.. with a boy. I turned back to look at him, holding back a chuckle at his overly brother-like reaction. "Who the fuck is that?" He asked. "He seems nice," I teased him, biting back a smile as the boy brought Layla into his side- his hand lingering on her waist. "I'm gonna beat his ass," Ashton all but growled, and I realized he was serious. I quickly got up and planted myself next to Ashton on the outside of the booth, smiling up at him stubbornly. "You'll have to get through me first before you ruin her date," I said to him as he clenched and unclenched his jaw. "You're lucky I love you," he said in a way that normally would sound threatening and annoyed, but I knew differently. "Still can scare the shit out of him, though.." He added, sending me a mischievous smirk. I knew there was no stopping him, so I just chuckled and sent Layla a mental apology. "Hey Layla!" Ashton yelled, immediately getting their attention. Layla looked like a deer in headlights and her little boy-toy looked over clueless. She said something to him, and he turned around to finish ordering while she came over to the table, shooting daggers at Ashton. "What do you think you're doing?" She asked rather urgently. He innocently shrugged. "Just wanted to say hi to little Romeo over there, he's cute," he mocked, making her glare at him harder. "I should've stayed with my foster family," she said to him. "Well, that was your mistake, Laylay," he responded, shooting her a smile. She grunted. "Please don't mess this up for me, he's a nice guy-" he cut her off. "Guy?? That thing over there, my dear sister, is a nothing but a little boy." He said to her, making her roll her eyes. "You say that like you'd rather me date an older boy- one of your friends, maybe?" She joked back, trying to get under his skin. Yup.. I definitely see the resemblance in these two. "Okay, I'm gonna pretend like you didn't just say that.." he said as the boy got their orders and started walking over to join us. "And you'll be happy to know that all of my friends would be more than happy to join me in kicking his ass if need be," he finished, sending an overly-fake smile to the newcomer as he arrived at the table. Layla looked pressed to say the least. "Hey, I'm Justin," He said to me and Ashton. I let out a laugh, but immediately stopped and cleared my throat. Justin #2 looked pretty confused. "Of course that's your name," Ashton said to him as they slid into the booth, sending a look my way. It took everything in me not to laugh. Safe to say that the name Justin is forever ruined in Ashton's mind.. "So tell me about yourself, Justin," Ashton kept the smile on his face but sent him a threatening glare nonetheless. "Well, I go to Bridgemont High, I uh play football, and uh, I don't know.. that's really it I guess," he awkwardly laughed under Ashton's intense gaze. I chuckled silently to myself as I continued to eat my ice cream- knowing full well what it felt like to be under that gaze. He looked over at Layla. "Sounds like a keeper," he said sarcastically, making her bring her palm up to her forehead. "How old are you?" He asked him. "I'm a sophomore," he replied with a stutter. Not an age, but okay.. "Awe.. cute," Ashton smirked. Justin looked pretty uncomfortable- Layla looking embarrassed as hell. Finished with our ice cream, Ashton and I slid out of the booth. Layla and Justin did as well.