Mike 

My aunt was always a damn sore on my side, and I always imagined myself happy and pissing on her grave once she passed away, but I'm having mixed feelings about all this. 

Dying naturally was one thing but being brutally murdered was on a level that I was not comfortable with. Also, the fact that Ashlyn was there at the exact time of the murder and was on the security tapes before and after the blackouts was confusing. 

Ashlyn would have no incentive or gain from killing my aunt. 

Of course when the police questioned me, I told them everything about the fight that ensued between Ashlyn, my aunt, and I and how my aunt refused to give her blessing to our future engagement. To them, that seemed like absolute incentive for Ashlyn to get rid of my aunt, but what they didn't know was that the the relationship between Ashlyn and I was ruse.

We were never going to get married. I would kill myself before that would ever fucking happen. 

I also may have- possibly- riled up a fight with the police and detectives about Ashlyn, saying how I knew she was not responsible for my aunt's murder. 

I swear, I would have kept my cool but after the argument with my aunt and the overall hell hole Ashlyn turned my life into, I was screaming at the top of my lungs and cursing with every moment they weren't speaking to me.  I was completely done with their shit because nothing could sway my one hundred percent confidence in Ashlyn's innocence, but that was when they slammed down one of her past files on the desk. 

Ashlyn wasn't only a suspect in my aunt's murder because she was the at the scene of the crime. She's been the suspect to another murder, where she was alone passed out drunk with her fingerprints all over the murder weapon next to a dead body. 

Although the case had been closed and the owner of the gun was sent to jail, the fact that Ashlyn had been at the scene of two murders the moment they happened forced them to reevaluate previous and current evidence.

The lead detective told me at the end to not worry since it wouldn't take long until they gathered the evidence to determine whether Ashlyn was innocent, but I couldn't help myself. 

What if she was innocent but evidence proved otherwise? Shit like that always had a possibility of happening. But what if she really was guilty?

I shook the ridiculous thought from of my head. Ashlyn may be a physically abusing maniac, but she would never kill anyone over anything. I know, it's crazy how I've only known this girl for a week and can make such an assumption, but for some reason I just knew. 

Sitting at the front of the police station with my head hanging between my legs awaiting the news, I sighed and looked down at my gold lined watch. It was three in the morning, and I would complain about how long I was sitting here doing nothing, but unfortunantly I can't even do that. I lost track of what happened when ages ago.

Today's been a long day. I'm tired, cranky, upset, angry, and confused, but, damn, I wondered how Ashlyn was holding up. 

From what I've seen from the video footage, Ashlyn witnessed my aunt being shot right in front of her very eyes. That sort of visual is traumatizing, I would know. 

Maybe I should go check up on her. My legs needed a stretch anyways. 

"Hello," I grinned, putting half the effort I usually put out. I was just so done with shit. "do you think I can just see my fiance, just for a little while?"

The officer looked up at me silently and nodded, leading me behind the desk to the little open cell Ashlyn was sleeping in. At least someone was able to find some way to snooze off all the hours of this painful torture.

"You have thirty minutes." The officer mumbled and turned to pivot out of the room as fast as possible. 

It was clear by her tone and expression that she did not want to be here, but I don't blame her. She had the worst, boring shift in the world. 

"Daniel, please don't leave me."

At first, Ashlyn whimpers echoing off the extremely acoustic walls caused me to jump, but I immediately spun around and found her curled up in a ball weeping into the pillow. All of her muscles were clenched, and her fingers clawed deeper into the bed sheets after each muffled wail. Her long brown hair was tousled and knotted over her wincing, drenched face- tears constantly dripping down her cheeks and sweat profusely forming above her forehead. 

I stared at her for a second amazed and at wonder over what sort of nightmare she was experiencing to cause her look so pained. 

"I'm so sorry. This was all my fault." 

Crying even harder, Ashlyn furiously shook her head and continued weeping. If misery or torture had a picture to fit it's term, this would be it. Just watching her made my heart break. Someone had to wake her up from that nightmare. 

I tried calling out her name a multiple of times, but she didn't seem to hear me. 

"I love you. Don't leave me."

In panic, my head spun around to the officer at the front desk, who must have been hearing all of this as well, but she was just sitting there with her back turned not even giving one shit. Ashlyn clearly needed to have someone by her. 

I was tempted to march up to the front desk and rant the fuck out of that officer, but I kept control of my nerves for the sake of hoping to get Ashlyn some help. 

"Excuse me?" I asked tentatively but with clenched fists. "My fiance, she seems to be going through something absolutely horrible, can you just please let me in there for a few minutes to comfort her? Please, she is going through so much pain right now. I can't stand it. "

Unfazed, the officer gave me a blank, stern stare. "No. It's for your safety. You will be able to meet with her once she is cleared."

My eye twitched as I restrained from slamming my hands down on her desk. I know I can be a dick on most occasions, but when I have an empty stomach, no sleep, and stress I turn into the worst damn, curse storm of a nightmare. I was so close to losing it, but I restrained it for now. After I comfort Ashlyn, then I will speak my mind. 

"Come on. She has nothing on her. The worst she could do is strangle me, which you would be able to stop. Please, she needs me." I asked with the remaining amount of manners I had left, which was starting to wear thin. 

"No." She answer bluntly with a slight raise to her voice.

Alright, I had it. 

Slamming my foot down on the ground, I glared at her. "I'm being nice damn it! I would have fucking cursed a shit storm right now and not giving one single fuck for being arrested under verbally harassing an officer, but I'm doing this for her. She needs me. She's not a danger. All I am asking is for a damn few minutes, that's all. She's suffering, damn it. Do you not fucking understand? She's human too. And she's probably goddamn innocent." 

Her face crumpled up into the dirtiest scowl, but she reluctantly slid off her chair and opened the cell. "Five minutes." She grunted crossly. 

Being able to calm down slightly, I sighed. "Thank you."

But once I got in, I didn't know what to do. Ashlyn's crying seemed to have ceased, but she looked so helpless, defeated, and exposed. That feeling was one I knew all too well, and putting aside all our past differences I wanted to help. 

Gently, I rubbed her shoulder and sat on the edge of the bed. "Ashlyn. It's all going to be alright. It's okay." I cooed, rubbing her shoulder and clearing the mangle of hair in front of her face. 

As I spoke, her face squinched together as in some sort of response to what I said. Maybe I was starting to slowly wake her up, which was good but I have no idea what I would say once she did. 

Slowly but surely, Ashlyn's heavy eyes fluttered open, and taking the tissue I took from the desk earlier I knelt down on the ground and lightly dabbed her tears dry.

It was what my mother used to do for me when she found me crying. She always told me that when you wipe away the tears of another person, it's like wiping off a bit of their pain and sharing the burden together. 

I know, that sounds like the most retarded crap that ever existed, but it was what felt right at the moment. 

I lightly smiled once she seemed to snap out of her daze and recognize me. "It's alright. It's all going to be alright." 

For a moment, she just stared at me shocked and amazed, which I was fine with until she looked right through me like I was a ghost and continued dozing off into space for a while. Then out of nowhere, she swung her feet over the bed and continued gaping at me- still looking through me like she was under some sort of trance. 

Maybe she really was psychotic or just snapped from seeing another murder, but either way this was creeping me out and I wanted out. I came to wake her up, and I did. My job was done. Now someone please get me out of here.

"I know I'm attractive, but you don't have to be looking at me like that." I chuckled nervously while I took a step back towards the door. 

Ashlyn completely ignored what I had to say, as usual, and shook her head- finally stepping down to reality. "What did you just say?"

I curved my eyebrows and took another step back. "I was saying that although I'm extremely attractive, you don't have to be staring at me like this is going to be the last time you'll see me. I mean-"

She cut me off in the middle."No, you idiot, before that." 

My shoulders slumped forward from relief and alongside came a content sigh. This was the Ashlyn Demoir I knew. Who ever thought that I would miss that? 

Remind me to never wake her up again if this was what she looked like in the mornings.

"I said that it's all going to be alright." 

A temporary look of despair flickered across her eyes as she she turned her head to look at the other side of the room. "That phrase will never leave me." Ashlyn sputtered wistfully while tugging with discomfort at the sides of her dress. 

My eyebrows furrowed together. "What?" 

She answered me with a dismissive sigh. "Nothing." 

When she looked up to study her surroundings and the bars of metal staring her down, she didn't seem as shocked as I expected her to be. It was as if she predicted to find herself here. However, when her eyes scanned over me, she gave me the most quizzical look. 

"What are you doing in here?" She asked stunned with her mouth gaping wide open, her eyes darting from one side of the jail cell to the other trying to make sure I was really on the inside. "Did you do something too?"

Leaning up against the bars, I shook my head and let my head hang down. "Nah. I asked to be in here." 

I was so tired, I didn't even have enough energy to look at what time it was on my watch. As soon as I find some flat surface to sleep on, I will sleep on it- I don't care if it's a germ infested park bench littered with trash- I need my sleep. 

"What?" Ashlyn squeaked. "Why?"

There was no way in hell that I was going to tell Ashlyn that I went in there to wake her up and comfort her from her nightmare. She would think that I had gone soft for her or something, which was absolutely not the case. I don't go soft for anybody.

Unlike most people, I can oddly relate to all that she was feeling and people shouldn't have to go through that alone. 

I huffed out a response. "I was-" my droopy eyes gradually looked up but opened wide once I saw the bed. "move over." 

Not giving her enough time to respond, I went behind her and slopped myself on top of the bed to take it all. If she had enough energy to ask me all sorts of questions, she didn't need this bed anymore. 

"Hey!" Ashlyn snapped as she hopped up from the bed and spun around to look at me. "Wow." She scoffed disdainfully. "I should have known." 

But once my face landed on the pillow, I lay still- petrified once I felt my cheeks land on the sweat and tear puddle Ashlyn created.

"What the fuck did you do to this pillow? It's drenched." I gawked.

Ashlyn rolled her eyes while plopping back down on the side of the bed. "Take it or leave it. Ugh, I did not need to have this when I woke up." She grumbled as she put extra emphasis on 'this', signifying that it was me she was talking about. 

I was about to say a generic snarky comment in response, but I just wanted to have at least a wink of sleep. Was that too much to ask for? 

"I hate you." She grumbled weakly, setting her arms down on her lap and resting her head in her hands. 

I let out a short chortle of laughter. "Yeah? Well, I hate you more."

That could not have been any closer to the truth. My life would have been normal and so much easier if I didn't have her in it. I would have been able to have a normal photo shoot, no constant phone calls from random interviewers asking me about my mysterious fiance, and no damn commitment to a fake girlfriend. 

Snapping her head in my direction and looking down at me, she frowned. "Oh, at least I'm not some inconsiderate jerk. You are so stupid and ignorant sometimes. I hate you even more than you hate me. Do you even know why I'm here?"

"Yeah," I answered indifferently with my arm over my eyes "my aunt got murdered and you were there. I know." 

I was too tired to give a fuck right now and process the situation. I just wanted my sleep. 

"Besides," I added "I hate you two times more than you hate me. That's a fact."

Ashlyn scoffed. "Oh yeah?" She challenged. "I can hate you from the moon and back."

"And I can hate you from the end of the galaxy and back." I responded, slightly moving my arm up from my eyes so I could look at her in the eye with the most deadpan look I could make. 

She crossed her arms and exchanged an indifferent air similar to mine. "If that's the case, my hate for you goes on infinitely."

This time, I couldn't help but crack a smile after I realized how childish we were being at the moment. None of this was making any sense. We were in a jail cell, for fuck's sake, with Ashlyn being contained for my aunt's murder, and here we are saying what third graders would say. 

After a second or so, Ashlyn seemed to be smiling as well, but she still seemed pissed. 

We were probably so sick and stressed we needed to forget about everything for a second and have a laugh.  

"Then I would hate you two times more than infinity." I responded with a weak smirk. 

Ashlyn laughed critically while giving me a belittling look. "There is no such thing as two times more than infinity. That's impossible." 

Grinning at the thought of her thinking she had the upper-hand, I chuckled. "That's exactly the point. I hate you so much that it's almost impossible."

She opened her mouth to counter me, but she shook her head and let her head fall down to her hands as she started weakly laughing. "What on earth are we doing?" 

To be honest, I didn't know, but I appreciated it. It helped me get my mind off all the crap that was happening to us at the moment. Hopefully, we wouldn't have to stay here for long because our whacked up brains could really use some sleep. We were clearly on the verge of crazy for laughing over something as stupid as this under these sort of circumstances. 

I started laughing with her. "I have no idea."

Now grinning, she turned around so she was facing me and held her out hand out in ultimatum. "How about this. We hate each other equally. Deal?"

Groggily holding up my hand to hers, I shook on it. "Yeah. Sounds good." I chuckled. "We sounded like those annoying couples that argue about how much they love one another."

Ashlyn let out a deep breath after her fit of laughter. "Yeah, I guess. But since we are a fake couple, that could be our thing. It could make things a little more bearable. Never mind, that would be stupid." She giggled, falling back into my legs to support her back. 

I was tempted to sweep my legs away and watch her slam into the wall, but I sighed it off. Normally, I wouldn't allow for such an invasion of my personal bubble, but I decided to allow it this once since Ashlyn had one hell of a bad day.

Mike Nor has a bubble? Yes, I do.

I know, I have a reputation of slathering myself with girls- that is the partial truth- but most of the time I want to be far away from any human being as possible. I prefer to be alone, and if I am having one of my moments, I will chase everyone away.

This moment was one of them but fuck it; I was too tired to make a ruckus. 

Holding my chin with my fingers in contemplation, I stared up at the ceiling. "I like it though." I muttered out my delayed answer thoughtfully. 

Ashlyn laughed. "The hate thing?"

I nodded my head. "Yeah. Not only does it have a nice ring to it, but it's the truth. Because really," I smirked while slightly lifting my head to grin at her. "I hate you."

Holding her hands up to her heart, she threw me a mischievous smile while tilting her head. "Aw, Mike. I hate you too." She sighed happily as she played out the part, giving me the whole loving eyes, the admiration intertwined with every word, and the typical, sick loving smile. 

"Shut up." I chuckled while taking the pillow from underneath my head and throwing it at her. 

This girl was really all too much. I was supposed to be the sarcastic, witty one here, not her. 

After playfully bickering around like two little kids, the police finally cleared Ashlyn from the crime, but that was after asking several more questions and then pulling me aside for questioning, which shocked me. At first, it seemed the tables turned and I was a suspect, but after much explaining they told me in detail how at the scene of the crime there were small traces of evidence from me planted throughout my Aunt's house, despite the fact that I had been at my house the whole entire time. They said it was almost as if someone was trying to set me up, and I had to take extra precautions and have Gardner on my watch at all times. 

All of it was pretty overwhelming, to be honest; the whole fact that my aunt got murdered, Ashlyn was there, and someone attempted to frame me for it. At the same time; however, it was all so unrealistic, and I couldn't wrap my head around it. The police told me it was just a speculation, but why would someone want to frame me?

Either it was because I was sleep deprived or my mind decided to shut every stressful event out, but I decided to not think about it, thanked the officers, and left after taking some of their coffee. Ashlyn and I were happy that we were finally able to head home so we could cuddle in our own beds and pass out, but passing all the fast food chains made it impossible and irresistible to not stop. 

Looking over at a drowsy Ashlyn slumped in the passenger seat next to me, I sighed. "You want to stop off to get food?" 

The idea seemed to wake her slightly but not quite. "Food?" Ashlyn asked deliriously- like the concept  was foreign to her. 

I chuckled lightly while quickly switching lanes, already heading to a place that I had in mind. "Yeah. Food. I know a good place that serves excellent, top end food that we could just pick up." 

Ashlyn crinkled her nose and buried her face into the black leather cushioning of the seat. From the look she had just given me, I assume she didn't favor the idea. But I don't see why not. Who doesn't want to start off the day- or end- with high end, five star level quality of oragasmic food? 

"That kind?" She asked disgusted. 

I looked at her slightly appalled. "Yeah-"

She tossed herself in the seat to where her back was turned to me. "I want something greasy, nothing fancy- shmancy on little plates with only a millisecond of flavor. I want something loaded with fat, grease, American-"

After a while, her voice started droning off into a quiet mumble after she spouted off her rant and then nodded off into a deep sleep.

Her eyelids were more than half way closed, and nothing that came out of her mouth was making any sense. Was that girl even thinking? A load of fat and grease does not, in any sort of way, light a candle to a culinary masterpiece. 

This was purely logic- something Ashlyn apparently did not have. 

Taking account of her financial situation, I assumed Ashlyn had never set eyes on food like this, but I just offered her a chance to go. If I was given that chance, I would have said yes without thinking twice. 

Something was seriously wrong with her.

I chuckled to myself as I took the turn to the restaurant I had in mind. She was like that from the first day I met her, why did this seem to occur as some sort of sudden revelation to me? 

Feeling satisfied with myself for the imaginary burn I pathetically imagined saying to Ashlyn in my head, I parked in front of the restaurant and turned to wake up Ashlyn but stopped. Staring right at me through the passenger window was the ghastly, hideous, yellow, double arch of McDonald's.

Immediately, I was disgusted by thinking about all the grease that was packed into their products, but then the french fries popped in my head making me involuntarily smile. 

The french fries reminded me of what happened earlier yesterday- how Ashlyn was practically making love to those fries. To be honest, it made me jealous. I never seen that much love shown to anything in my life. 

I started laughing as I could mentally imagine how Ashlyn gently closed her eyes before taking a bite, tentatively biting down, and just holding that position for several seconds. 

Wait, I had a picture of it. Pulling out my phone and searching through my photos, I found it and burst out laughing again. She seemed so happy. 

Pausing when the thought hit me, I looked over at her once again seeing a pained expression etched into the creases of her face. She's gone through a hell of a day, and maybe this once I could give up this beautiful, morning luxury. 

However, as I started pulling out I looked longingly at my favorite restaurant and slammed my hands down against the wheel. "What the hell am I doing?" I growled angrily as I rolled my car into the drive through of McDonalds. 

Rolling my eyes and throwing on my sunglasses to eliminate the chance of me being recognized in such a god forsaken area, I stopped in front of the intercom. 

"Hello, and welcome to McDonalds. What can I do for you today?" a indifferent monotone voice cackled above the static. 

This person seemed to hate life just as much as me. That was one thing that made my morning a little better, I guess. 

Pushing my sunglasses up and peering out my window, I stared at the massive electronic menu in awe, feeling stupid for not knowing where to look. It's been years since I ate at a McDonalds, let alone a drive through, and seeing breakfast on there threw me into a state of panic. 

When did they come out with that? Would they still serve french fries?

"Hello?" The person called out irritably. 

"Yeah, uhm." My eyes jumped to all the different parts of the board, not knowing where to look. "Uhm." 

"Should I give you a minute." belittled the voice, taking me as some sort of idiot for not knowing how to order at the most iconic fast food drive through in America. 

Thanks to my enormous ego, I rejected the offer and continued stuttering like a fool. "No, uhm. Like, uhm, there's breakfast on here, but I don't see any french fries. It's probably on there, but I just can't find it."

There was a pause, but the sassy server was back. "It's not on there because it's breakfast hour." Acting like that was common knowledge. "We only have hash browns."

My fingers curled around the wheel at the attitude and from my sheer embarrassment of not knowing how to order from a low ass drive through. I have gone to Michelin star restaurants, knowing exactly what to do, gone to restaurants in Japan and told the waiters what I wanted in Japanese, but here I am struggling to order some damn french fries.  

Holding back my rage, I asked again. "Could I just possibly request it? Just this once, really. It's been a long morning."

"No. We only serve hash browns at this time."

"Oh come on!" I exclaimed loudly, not holding anything back. "Just one fucking time." 

There was no hesitation and out came a point blank demeaning rant, "Who do you think you are to think that you deserve special service? You know how many times we get that? We have served hash browns to everybody, and you will be no different. So take the hash browns, or wait till ten and order somewhere else."

"Fucking- that is complete bullshit. You are McDonalds for fucks sake. You guys are known for your damn french fries. Why don't you serve it in the mornings? That is the worst business move you can make-" 

"Go complain to management about that. And sir, I don't appreciate your attitude. Either you order here or wait for somewhere else to open and order your fries there."

I can't believe I was picking a fight at a fast food place for something I didn't even want myself, but I couldn't stop. 

"For fuck's sake, this is Mike Nor, and I need those damned french fries, alright? I will give you a hundred dollar tip if you take a little bit of your time and make those for me. Fuck, I hate french fries, but this is for someone else."

There was a moment of silence. "That's the craziest excuse I have heard yet. You don't sound like him."

I rolled my eyes. I tend to get that a lot. A lot of people take a while to recognize me in person because I sound and look a little different, which I suppose was helpful against the paparazzi but not in this situation. 

"If I publicly complain, this will all be on you." I said while I narrowed my eyes. I could imagine all the lectures my father would be giving me if he knew about this. One person can ruin your PR. Do you really want to ruin that over a stupid drive through?  You can be such an idiot sometimes, Mike. Can you ever control that temper of yours? It will be the end of you etc. 

Taking a deep breath, I sighed. "I'm sorry. It's just been a long day. How about I drive to the window and you see for yourself. Again, I'll give you a hundred dollar tip. Please, just help me out here."

"Fine. One large fry?"

My stomach gargled in complaint, and even though I wouldn't settle for anything from a fast food restaurant, I needed something to eat. Also, Ashlyn had a monster of an appetite, so one large fry would be gone the second we laid hands on it. 

"Could I have ten?" 

I could tell from the other end there was complete and utter shock, but he accepted without question and got the order out in fifteen minutes. 

At the end, I felt terrible for giving the guy a hard time, but at least he had an easy hundred dollars.

Not stirring in my regret for long, I parked the car facing the beach and watched the sun splash the sky and waters with deep shades of purple and light pink, and then line the thin, wispy clouds with scattered splotches of orange.

The scenery was purely beautiful and made me realized that I spent my whole life working and not spending a single second to realize the natural perfections around me. I wish I had more time to sit back like this, but I can't afford such luxury. 

My whole life revolved around the fast pace of the world that if I didn't keep up I would be forgotten. 

I couldn't afford that. My acting career was everything to me that if I lost it, I wouldn't know what to do with myself. 

After completing my thoughts, I sighed and decided that if I waited any longer to wake Ashlyn up the fries were going to get cold. 

Lightly smiling, I held the huge bag of french fries in front of Ashlyn's face and slowly pulled the bag away, causing her to follow it with her nostrils - eyes still closed. 

I covered my mouth to hide my chuckles and big smirk. Seeing a tired Ashlyn led forward into a seated position by her nose was one of the cutest fucking things I have ever seen. There was even a small, light smile on her face, and once her eyes were creaked open they popped in surprise.

"Are those french fries?" She exclaimed, thinking that she was still dreaming. 

Smirking, I nodded and ripped open the bag and placed it on the dashboard of my car. "Yup. Help yourself to breakfast." However, my smile quickly transferred to concern. "Just don't get the oil on the car seat." 

Like usual, Ashlyn ignored me and lunged for the fries and basically inhaled one after another.

In about ten minutes, all of them were gone, and we both sat content in our seats watching the sun slowly light the world around us. You know what? McDonald fries weren't half bad, I might actually go again sometime. 

Slowly starting to become more aware and awake, Ashlyn turned towards me. "Wait, I thought you were going to get the gourmet food or whatever." 

I shrugged. "They were closed." I lied. "McDonalds was the closest thing, so I decided that it would be quicker if we went there."

A smirk slowly unfolded on her face. "Thank goodness for that." 

I shot her a look, and I was about to go off on how I actually sacrificed my meal and went through a fight to get her those fries only to get that sassy attitude, but I remained silent and angrily stared out the window.

So tired of her shit. 

Laughing, Ashlyn playfully nudged me. "Okay, fine. I'm sorry to hear that they were closed, but thanks for buying me food either way. The fries made this day slightly more bearable."

Once hearing that, my attitude immediately disappeared and I turned to her. "Really?" I replied in shock but happy to see that it had the results I was hoping for. 

I never really had the chance to know someone so well that I was able to get them the right thing when they needed it. Strangely, I felt a lot happier than I thought I would-  almost to a point where it made me breathless. And unlike anything I had ever felt before, there were feelings that were swirling inside me, and it was driving me insane. To get rid of them, I felt like I had to do more for her.

Ashlyn gave me a gentle smile, her hand reaching out and lightly resting on my arm. "Really." She confirmed. "I'm just glad that after all that happened, even though we don't know each other all that well, you are treating me the way you are now." 

Even though I was happy that I did well, hearing her say that she felt we didn't seem to know each other was a blow to my previous high. 

It may have been the case for her, but I didn't feel the same. Matter of fact, I felt closer to her than anyone else in my life. After everything I do, I could almost hear what snarky comment she would say to me in the back of my mind, and without her around I feel restless. I have also told her things that I have not whispered to another soul.

I couldn't understand how she did not feel anything when I felt so sure that there was something between us. 

Hiding my disappointment, I returned a weak smile. "Of course." 

Ashlyn hesitated, her hand resting on my arm becoming weaker. "Something wrong?"

My head shot up in shock from her sudden question of concern, and my eyes locked with hers. I didn't know what to say but stare into her hazel green eyes petrified with admitting my innermost thoughts. We came together on the terms of separating from each other's paths for good once my business had been settled, but I didn't know how to tell her that I didn't want her to leave. 

"I, uhm. No. I just-" I swallowed hard and finally tore my eyes away from her concerned gaze. 

Looking at her anymore would have turned me into a sputtering mess like Dane when he's around girls.

"I wanted to do something with you today." I randomly spat unaware of what I was saying until I saw a look of delighted astonishment sweep across her face. 

Her mouth closed and opened several times, and it seemed she was taken back by my sudden proposal. Eventually, she was able to utter something out. "Why? I mean, not that I appreciate it or anything. I was just thinking after what happened yesterday you wouldn't-"

Not meaning to cut her off, I nervously tried explaining myself and cover up my secret desire of wanting to be around her more. 

"You just looked like you really needed a break, and so do I, of course. So I just thought it would be great for both of us to take our minds off of things by doing some little things like mini golf or laser tag. Or both. We have all day, but maybe we should just go home and take a nap-"

Before I could put the proposal down, I was shocked by her eagerness. 

"No, that sounds wonderful!" Then her elated smile softened into a touched gaze, her green eyes open wide and staring deep into mine. "You would really do that for me?"

I didn't know what to say. "Yeah, I mean-"

Without another word, Ashlyn lunged towards me, and from habit and being used to her tackling me or putting my neck in a chokers hold I sealed my eyes shut. But when I came to the realization that her arms were around my neck, I opened my eyes startled to find that I was nestled in her embrace. 

I was about to say something, but I figured it was best if I didn't and slowly wrapped my arms around her back to complete the hug. 

"Thank you." she gratefully whispered into my ear delicately. 

Before I was about to respond, she chuckled. "I hate you, Mike Nor." 

My eyebrows furrowed together and I leaned back to look at her to see what her fucking problem was, but when I saw the sparkle in her hazel eyes I remembered our conversation from before and smirked back at her. 

"And I hate you too, Ashlyn Demoir."

A/N: Yeah... holy crap. It's been forever since I updated, huh? XD

But to all my readers, THANK YOU SO MUCH for your wonderful patience. I am updating super slow right now, but by December the 20th I should be able to update regularly. 

And you guys are so amazing!!! WE ARE ALMOST AT 10K! <3 Thank you so much for reading, I can't express that enough. And I can't believe you guys actually enjoy my writing <3 I hope I am doing you guys right and providing you entertainment <3

It would be great if you guys could vote, hopefully I can get in the Watty's? And comment if you think the Miklyn ship is sailing (hopefully it is XD)