ASHTON"I want you to come over for dinner. Lucy and I want...""Do you want to play house? I have better things to do," I snap."It's not that, Ashton. I want to spend time with you.""And you think I want to be with you? You've never been a father.""Don't you want your son to forgive you if you mess up?"Why the hell does she have to bring Owen into this? It's about him, about what a shitty father I was."I'm not going to abandon my son.""Ashton...""I have things to do, don't call me just to mess with me."I shove the phone into my coat pocket and wait. She exits her college, books stashed in her backpack, not even looking at me, walking with her gaze fixed on the ground and in the opposite direction. I have to chase after her, touching her shoulder, and she hits me with a notebook. Her green eyes widen as she looks at me."Don't sneak up on me," she scolds, but a smile creeps onto her lips."I was waiting for you. Where are you headed?"It wouldn't matter in any other case, but
PAIGE"Do you want to come to a market?" I dare to ask."What?"He pushes his tousled hair out of his face. We slept together again! I love it!"There's an organic market near home. I was planning to go today, do you want to come?""Do you want me to come?"I nod almost unconsciously."But I have to go to the apartment first to get his stroller. I don't think he'll walk that much, and it'll be cumbersome to carry him in our arms."Ashton nods. It's the first time we're doing something like this, it's the first time I do it with a guy and with Owen, and I'm glad it's with him because for Owen, it must be incredible to see his parents together. He doesn't let go of either of us; on the way to the car, his hand holds onto Ashton's fingers, and he has me by the sleeve of my sweater.Truth be told, I've never done an activity like this before. Ashton comes in my car; I don't mind driving that much because the trip is quite pleasant. Owen babbles from his seat, talking nonsense and playing
PAIGEI manage to successfully dodge Samuel every time I encounter him on campus; apparently, he didn't like me that much. But it's for the best because I can't get a bad boy out of my head. I don't know if we're something, I don't know where we stand, trying to understand Ashton's emotional method is difficult. We spend time together, we go out occasionally with our friends, and many times we've had quite family-like moments with Owen, not to mention the passionate hours we've spent at his apartment, mine, and even in the car. I feel like we're something, something I dare not say because it implies too much.Plus, how am I supposed to know now that he's ignoring me? Spring break is coming, and I expected something completely different from what it's starting out to be. It's just a week, I'm not studying or working, and I really wanted to spend more time with Ashton, but things start off badly a few days before the break. We don't talk (or rather, he doesn't talk to me), he picks up O
PAIGEWhat Ashton does to make me so happy is something I didn't expect to happen. I did want to be with him, it's something I want because I truly like him, and it seems to work much better than I expected. It's quite unique when we're alone or when we're together with Owen. He's close to graduating, and while I think it's a good option for him to work at his father's dealership despite how much he hates it, but in the face of his refusal, all I can do is help him become an architect. Today he was going to the company from the brochure I gave him, that's why he didn't wait for me outside my faculty before going to the nursery to spend time with Owen.I would like to do something if they accept him as a scholarship recipient at the company, my idea was to make a cake or something like that to have a snack together, but I don't have time, however, at one point at work I sneak away to send him a message.How did it go?Luckily there aren't many people around and I can pay more attention
PAIGEAshton has to take us back to the apartment because he brought us last night, and he stays fixing Owen while I shower. Today is a nice spring day and summer is just around the corner so the weather is quite pleasant, and I dare to wear a tight green dress that covers me up to the thigh and pair it with a white long-sleeved jacket. I want to look good because it's his graduation, and he looks amazing in a black shirt he decided to wear and black jeans. It's quite simple, but it stands out, and I want to look pretty, I want him to look at me and feel good about being with me.I rush out of my room still barefoot towards the bathroom. Jo is in her pajamas watching TV and Ashton at the other end of the sofa as far away from her as possible. He looks at me over the sofa."Are you ready yet?""No!" I shout from the bathroom. "Five minutes.""Lies," I hear Jo say."Ten," I correct.I dry my hair and braid it on each side, tying it with a small band behind in a crown style. It looks goo
ASHTON"Are you serious?" Apollo asks me for the fifth time.I nod.Summer has been rough. Even though Paige still works in the afternoons during the holidays, I spend most of my time with Owen, and I have to finish two jobs for the company before the vacation ends. Two samples I've already started because the upfront payment has been insanely good."Owen, no," I scold him as he tries to climb onto the TV stand. I take a sip of the beer from the pack Apollo brought. "Yeah, what's up? You've been nagging me for years to focus on life."He raises his arms and shakes his head. "I haven't said anything wrong, damn it," he laughs. "It's just that I don't see you living with Paige, or anyone for that matter. I don't think she's up for putting up with your bullshit if you're going to be messing around."I want to break his head. I've gone months without being with anyone else, only with her. Damn it, I love Paige, she's the woman for me. And now that I'm not studying anymore, now that I'll h
ASHTONI know they're the best family I have as soon as I see Paige's latest thong next to my boxers. It's the first time I have auntie clothes in my closet, and it's nice to open the drawers and see the lace bras she has and those tiny thongs.And I can't deny that I'm crazy about the life my house has now; it's no longer such a dark and cold place. It feels more like a home, even though Paige spends more hours at university and working than in the apartment, and Owen now that he goes to school leaves me almost all day alone doing my architect stuff. Still, the nights feel familiar because I cook dinner for when Paige comes home, Owen "helps" me set the table every night, and we dine sharing things from the day. And in bed when we lie down... that's another world. I didn't know I could be so comfortable with anyone. And living with Paige is peaceful; we don't argue much, and she's not one of those girls who cling to me. She lets me go out with my friends, and she goes out with her an
PAIGEAshton means everything to Owen, and I have more things, but he means a lot to me too. The ease I have now for everything is thanks to him because I have a better job now, more accessibility, and I live with a little family that fills me with love, especially in those most difficult moments of exams, stress, and headaches. I think I measure my life according to what Owen does; each day he gets smarter, bigger, more polite... Except my baby.When he finally learns to ride a bike, I find them often in the building's parking lot when I return from university in the afternoon. I park my super car with a smile; I love Ashton's gift! No one had ever given me a gift like this before. I pick up my backpack from the passenger seat and carefully close the car door when I step out. Owen pedals on his little bike towards me, and I have to stop him."Watch out for Mom's new car," I remind him."How was your day?" he asks in that adorable way.I tell him everything as if he knows what I'm tal