So here is the new and improved chapter three hope you all enjoy

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Ashton POV

I was still in the process of recovering from my meeting with mystery boy from the park when I woke up in the morning. God, is he gorgeous. Even more so up close.

However, I wish I knew his name. Maybe if I wasn't such an awkward hermit I could've asked him. Or maybe I could've done the whole, "Hey, wait! What's your name?" as he walks out the door, and he turns and replies with something dumb like, "trouble." Given, that's very cliché and kind of stupid, but I wouldn't even care if he hadn't told me his real name, it would still be something.

Well, I guess for now I can call him "Trouble." I mean, until I finally get up enough nerve to go and talk to him. It's really not that hard to do, to simply walk a few meters to the left when I reach the path that leads to the little pond that is home to the little ducks in the summertime, but I really can't do it. I am quite literally the most socially inverted person on the planet. It's amazing that I can even do my job properly, but I guess that's different. For me, I'm not all that concerned with making great friends with or impressing anybody that comes through the bakery. I mean, of course I want to be friendly and nice with them, but I don't really feel that I need to make a lasting impression. Those are the kinds of things that really get me anxious. The lasting impression kind.

That made it sound like I'm afraid of long-term relationships or something, which I'm really not. I'm just nervous about having to make a lasting impression on someone who I hope to keep in my life. How do I make someone like me enough to stick around?

I only really ever made it happen with Michael, and then Calum. Everyone else in my life had to love me by default, like my mom. What I mean by that is I didn't have to make them like me for them to stick around.

So you can see I have little experience in this field, and that would be the reason why I'm struggling so hard with this boy. With Trouble.

I really, really want to make a good impression on him because my goal is to keep him around and get to know him better. But I can't do that unless I toughen up. So right now I'm stuck.

I huffed out a breath and rubbed my hands over my face as I laid in bed and stared up at the ceiling. I rolled over and looked at the time on my alarm clock and read that I still had a few hours until I actually had to be dressed and decent to go anywhere. I had a shift at work at 11, and it was only 8. I'm a rather early riser, unlike the only two people that I actually hang out with (Michael and Calum), because I like to have as much time as possible during the day to get as much done as I can.

And so I got out of my large (and rather empty) bed and threw on a pair of fluffy pajama pants that were lying over the top of my desk chair and my old red slippers that my mom has tried to throw out every time she's come to visit. I opened the curtains in my bedroom and squinted my tired eyes at the brightness of the sun. I heard Meiji mewl from my bed and I turned around with a soft smile.

"Morning, sweet pea," I said and picked up my little princess. Honestly, I spend more time with my cat than I do with most people. I mean, yes she does live with me and I'm home a lot, but I really think it represents how much of a cursed introvert I am.

I'm really into symbolism.

My cat is a symbol for how little human interaction I have aside from my two idiot friends. Wonderful. It really feels like I'm slowly sliding downhill.

Honestly, I don't mind being alone most of the time, but it does get lonely, however redundant that statement may be. I don't really think there's a better way to phrase it.

I do hang out quite a bit with Michael and Calum, but the only problem is that they're in love. I'm not. I third wheel every time the three of us hang out. I kind of like it in a way because of how cute they are together, but in another way it makes me terribly lonely and I can feel this bitterness slowly eating away at my heart. I need someone else. Essentially what I'm saying is that I want to be in love.

No, I'm not desperate. I don't go out clubbing and I don't sleep around (however obvious these statements are) and I don't throw myself at any guy that comes around. I will give myself a little credit and say that on occasion I do get hit on, but I also have standards. I don't let myself get blinded by compliments or attention if the guy is a nasty douchesaddle, and most of the guys who've hit on me in the past have been. How tragic, I know.

There was this one time about five or six months ago that Michael and Calum convinced me to go out clubbing with them because they were sick of me complaining about being a third wheel all the time (I've mostly stopped complaining because I figure this is my fate). They like to go clubbing to get totally wasted and to grind on each other like dogs in heat. So naturally when we arrived they bought me a shot and then ditched me to go dancing.

I remember sitting at the bar alone, swirling my shot around because I wasn't all that interested in drinking it. I then felt a hand graze my waist and a warm breath on my neck as someone whispered in my ear, "Aren't you gonna drink that shot, sweetheart?"

At first I was into the attention I was receiving, but the guy turned out to be a total creep.

I haven't gone clubbing since.

Experiences like that only feed into my social anxiety and it doesn't really make talking to strangers very appealing to say the least.

However, there's something very appealing to me about this certain stranger.

I can't explain it but he has this magnetic pull to him and if I ain't a magnet.

I continued to mull all this over in silence as I ate my toast and vegemite as Meiji ate her cat food at my feet.

Normally I would have a class in the morning today, but I don't this week because of winter break. It's nice, really.

After I finished my toast I decided that I would take a bath because one, I had so much free time, and two, I love baths, especially when it's cold.

I filled up the tub with hot water and bubble bath before I got in. I had music playing from my phone and I immediately felt relaxed. I put on a headband so I could spread a clay mask over my face. After I had finally settled in my phone started ringing. Of course.

I audibly groaned and answered the phone. My clear irritation was heard in the grumpy "hello" I delivered.

"Hey, Ashton!" Calum called from the other end, drawing out the 'y'.

"What do you need, Column. I just got in the bathtub!" I whined back and I heard him snort.

"I need to ask you a favor. I'm starting an art class this coming semester, and I'm gonna need some supplies. Do you mind picking up some stuff for me at that art store right next to your bakery before or after work? I'll pay you back." I could practically see his puppy dog eyes.

"Yeah, sure. Anything for Cal Pal. Just a warning though, I know nothing about art and it's supplies."

"Fair enough. I'll send you the list of what I need. If you don't know about what some of the things are, just ask an employee or something. Thanks, Ashykins! Love you bunches!" Calum shouted before hanging up. I signed in relief when my music started back up and I could relax for a while more.

I stayed in the tub for nearly an hour before I got out and dressed. I wore a bright yellow sweatshirt and light blue skinny jeans. I put a white headband in my hair and grabbed my bag. (A/N imagine Ash like Harry Styles in his headband phase omg imagine how cute ash would be)

I made sure I had my wallet and gave Meiji a kiss on the top of her soft head before I put on my coat and mittens and went out the door.

I decided since I still had an hour and a half before work that I would walk to the Caribou Coffee that was near the park and grab a latte.

It was particularly cold this morning so I had to pull my earmuffs out of my bag to keep my ears warm.

As I neared the park I started to peek ahead to see if I could see Trouble on his bench. I furrowed my eyebrows when I didn't see anyone, but thought maybe I wasn't close enough.

However, when I was walking past the park I saw that he wasn't there. I was stunned. This was the first day since he started coming here that I haven't seen him here.

I mean, I know he probably has a life outside this park, but I was still surprised. I kept walking after I contained my shock.

Once I got my coffee I kept walking to the art shop Calum was talking about. I couldn't wait to get inside because it was really cold outside. Every day it kept getting colder.

With that in mind I hurried a little and sighed in relief when I saw the sign for the little art shop that hugged the bakery I loved so dearly.

I walked in the door and smiled as the warm air hit my numbed nose and a little bell rung when the door closed. I took off my mittens and earmuffs and put them in my bag as I glanced around the store. It was cute and had a lot of stuff in it.

I didn't see an employee so I just looked around as I waited for someone to help me because as I took one look around the store I automatically knew I was going to have trouble.

After a few moments I heard something crash and I looked up, startled. I walked towards what looked like an entrance to a back room and called, "Is everything okay?"

"Oh yeah! Everything's great, sorry I'm taking so long! I was just trying to get some crates to restock and- oh," the guy cut himself off when he emerged from the room and saw me.

My eyes widened and my cheeks heated up as I saw mystery boy from the park standing right in front of me.

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ooooooOooh

sorry this took 500 years! I'm the worst! bye!

love u

-Josie