Soulbond

Chapter 6

"I can't believe this." I almost shouted. "You gave me sleeping pills?" I asked folding my hands, clearly not happy with this. 

"A-a-..." Kaylee avoided my gaze. "It was Ashton's idea!" She said throwing the dirt on Ashton. He shot Kaylee a look. 

I shifted my gaze to Ashton who apparently was busy shooting deathly glares to Kaylee. 

"ASHTON!" This time I shouted, for real. 

"Woah. Calm down, woman!" He said raising both of his hands in submission. "Accept it now, you slept well. No use shouting." 

That was it. I've had enough of this. He was not only demanding but arrogant as well now. Not only he practically ordered me to eat last night but also gave me freaking sleeping pills as if I was going through some trauma and wasn't able to sleep. That stupid and silly Ashton was long gone.

"I hate you both," I said finally giving up while letting myself fall on the couch beside me. 

"No, you don't," Kaylee said, picking up her bag from the table. "Anyway Cel, there's this lunch party over Justin's. I'd have stayed but Ashton said he'll look after you and it's fine for me to go." Now I would not say that it was something not expected from Kaylee. She was an extrovert and barely stayed home. I could always expect her to leave the house whenever she got the chance to. 

"As long as he doesn't give me pills again, I am good," I said and rolled my eyes.

Ashton gave me a side look. Ha! As if I was scared of him.

"I gotta go before you throw another tantrum," Kaylee said grabbing her keys. I followed her to the door. She turned just before I could close the door, "Psst." 

"What?" I said.

"In case you feel like going out I've got a dress laid out in my room." Ok, something smelled fishy in here. She would never do an act of kindness without a reason.

"Umm, no thanks," I said, narrowing my eyes.

"Come on, you've got a hot guy in the room. I'd have grabbed the chance if I were you." Wait. What? I get it now.

Of course, she was trying to get me hitched! I just broke up with my ex-boyfriend and Ashton was just a friend. I was sure, I was not over Mike yet and even if I were over him, I would never "grab the chance" with Ashton. 

"Not gonna happen." muttering a goodbye to Kay, I shut the door and went back inside only to stop dead in my tracks.

Ashton stood shirtless, with his abs blessing my view. Now, I shouldn't have looked but somehow my eyes betrayed me and traveled up and down his mouth-watering abs.

Hot guy… Hot guy… Kaylee’s word rang in my mind.

The Ashton I knew 3 years back did not have this body. But I also didn't drool over his body back then. I didn't know how long my eyes were scanning his body until I heard Ashton. 

"My eyes are up here," he said smirking. 

Great, now he caught me staring. Could this get any more awkward?

"When did that happen?" I said pointing to his abs and then making my way towards the kitchen to pour myself some water. It was getting hot and sweaty.

Meanwhile, I wondered how had he changed so much since the last time I saw him. He didn't use to be the 'muscular' type of guy.

"A few years back. Probably when you decided to ignore me," My hand, holding the glass, stilled upon hearing this, and my creases formed on my forehead in confusion. I wasn't ready for this conversation.

Putting the glass in my hands back on the kitchen counter, I turned around to come face to face with Ashton. 

"Ashton…" I muttered, thinking of a reply to his taunt while looking straight into his gray eyes. Somehow, his eyes looked curious, as if he was expecting a good explanation from me, after what he had just said. I was dumbfounded right then. I thought he had forgotten all about the incident that happened years ago but his eyes said otherwise. 

His gray eyes were drilling into mine, and I avoided his gaze by looking away and stepping back. He started advancing in on me; I took a few steps back. Soon, my back collided with the counter, and I was stuck between the counter and him.

"Celine, were you trying to hide your guilt?" My breath hitched. I couldn't utter a single word. He still remembered. After all this time, he still remembered.

My mind raced back to three years. To the day I still regret the most, the day I lost my best friend. I couldn't help but stare in his ashy gray eyes and have a sense of flashback. 

FLASHBACK STARTS

"I've something to tell you," I heard my best friend speak beside me as we sat on a bench in this beautiful park near my college.

"Actually the same!" I squealed. "But you can go first," I said gesturing for him to continue.

It was a lovely afternoon after college. I had successfully completed my 2 weeks at the college and this week Ash decided to pay me a visit. It had been weeks since we last met, and I was dying to tell him about Mike. And how we had gotten into a relationship after dating for 2 weeks and how much I've started to like him.

"Okay, but promise me you won't get mad if you don't like it."

"Ok Ash. Spill it now!" I was curious now.

He started getting a bit nervous. I was more confused than ever. What could it be?  He never got nervous around me...

He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down.

"I've been wanting to tell you this for so long but I just never had the guts to but now after two weeks of staying away from you, somehow made it possible for me to say it."

What the hell was he talking about? I had no clue at this point. What didn't he tell me before?

No. Just shut up Celine and listen. If it was something important he could've told me before.

As I looked into his eyes, I was shocked when he said,

"Celine… I'm in love with you.”

FLASHBACK ENDS