25 My First

My heart sinks seeing her genuine smile plated with those hurtful words but, I ball my fists and smile.

Ashton: I hope so.

This is all I can say; I promised myself that I won't interrupt her life.

Claire: You know, I've been wondering; how did you suddenly come to know about.... you-know-what?

Ah, she's referring to the whole misunderstanding.

Ashton: I met Drake recently, he told me everything.

Claire:.. I see.

She turns her head away and keeps staring at a bench. I can't see her expression but somehow, I feel as though she's feeling uneasy. Is she tired?

Ashton: Do you want to sit down?

Claire: Huh? Oh, I guess so.

We both get seated on the bench at a suitable distance. I turn to face her only to find that she's still lost in thought.

Ashton: Is something bothering you?

Claire:... How much did he tell you?

Ashton: What?

Claire: Drake.. How much did he tell you?

Ashton: He told me about your mother's condition and the.. rumors about you.

Was there something more to it than what he said?

Claire:...

Ashton:..? Is there something more you want to ask?

Claire: I...

Ashton: Well..?

Claire: I was just wondering where you got that hideous ear piercing from.

Ashton:...

... She called it hideous..! But, I know for sure that she switched the topic. There definitely IS something that I'm still unaware of. But, as far as the piercing goes, it has a pretty embarrassing story of its own...

Ashton: I don't feel so good..

Neha: C'mon! Is this how a guy's supposed to react to just a few drinks?

Neha helps me stand up and carefully sits me back down on the bar stool. We've been training at the acting school for quite a few months now, fighting for the opportunities to appear in advertisements and stage plays. I was nervous about my first advertisement audition that's scheduled on the day after tomorrow so she'd brought me here to calm me down but, I guess she went a little too overboard with giving me the magical 'forget-your-worries-liquid'.

Ashton: It's my first time! And how could I be perfectly normal after you made me chug all that strong alcohol?!

Neha: You have to get used to all this, we'll always have to attend parties and drink what we're offered.

Ashton: I hate this... Hey, how many fingers am I holding up? I see ten.

Neha:..

I hold out my palm in front of my face and try to see it clearly. She casts me an annoyed glance and smacks away my hand. I have no strength in me.. I rest my head on my hand on the counter and she simply stares at me.

Ashton: Whar?

Huh, my voice's going all slurry.

Neha: I don't think looking cute is going to cut it. You should try to get your non-existent masculine aura to show.

Ashton: Mmn, I dunno whar y'mean.

I'm so sleepy, I could just fall asleep right here.

Neha:.. Come with me.

Ashton: H-Hey!

I'm about to surrender to my slumber when Neha grabs my hand and starts dragging me out of the bar. Where are we going? None of my questions are answered as I'm pulled out of the lively room and my vision blacks out...

The morning sunshine sieves through the curtains and falls on my face, waking me up. Morning already? I try to open my eyes but, the bright sunlight burns them. Ugh, I drank way too much last night; my head hurts. I use my arms to support my weak body up but, something tugs on one of them.

Ashton: Huh?

I look down at my trapped arm to see... a blonde woman clinging onto it, asleep. Where did she come from?! But, she's quite pretty and she's wearing... Wait, what?! That's the shirt I wore yesterday! Hold up, if SHE'S wearing my shirt, what am I wearing? I lift the sheets covering me slightly and face goes pale in horror.

Ashton:...

This can't be... What the hell happened last night?! I can't remember anything after Neha dragged me out of the bar. I hold my free hand to the back of my head trying to puzzle out yesterday's events. How did I end up having sex with a woman I don't even know?!

How did all this happen?! Think, think, think!!

As I'm battling with my memory, the woman blinks her eyes open. Oh great, now she's awake! She rubs her eyes and looks up at me. An unknown emotion stirs up inside me as she gently smiles at me.

Blondie: 'Morning.

Ashton: Y-Yeah.

She slowly gets up and bends over to pick up her clothes from the ground. I unknowingly watch her doing the same. My shirt, which is quite loose for her, slips down her shoulders to reveal her ever so slightly tanned skin.

Ashton:...

Heat rises to my face and I immediately look away. I try to forget what I just saw but the image has already been burned in my mind. Oh God, why?! I have to ask Neha what happened last night!

I spot my trousers thrown near the bed and quickly put them on. I open my closet and take out a t-shirt.

*Buzzt*

Huh? That definitely wasn't my phone. I pause and whip my head around to see that she's fiddling with her phone. She knits her eyebrows and pouts.

Blondie: I have to get going.

She says, looking up at me sadly.

Ashton:.. Huh?

Blondie: My roommate is worried about me, I forgot to tell her that I won't be returning to the apartment.

Ashton: Um, okay..?

I wear the garment in my hand and follow her out of my room, scratching the back of head in confusion. I spot Neha sitting on the couch, leafing through a magazine. She notices us and smiles.

Neha: Finally up, y'two?

Blondie:...

Her cheeks flare red.

Neha: I made breakfast, would you guys like to have some pancakes?

Blondie: Well-

Ashton: Her roommate is waiting for her so, she has to go home.

I interrupt her. I don't want her to stay here any longer or I'll die of embarrassment.

Neha: Is that so? Then, come by another time!

Blondie: Sure!

Ashton:...

... I'm going to kill her. I walk her over to the door and open it for her. She steps outside and turns around to face me with a gentle smile on her face.

Blondie: So... call me later.

... I don't your phone number OR even your name for the record.

Ashton: Uh huh...

Blondie: And..

*Smooch*

Ashton:..?!

She gets up on her toes and drops a peck my lips.

Blondie: Last night was fun.

Ashton:.. Yeah.

I don't think that it would sound fun if I actually remembered what happened yesterday! I smile vaguely at her and she turns towards the elevator.

Blondie: See you soon!

Ashton: Yeah.. you too.

I close the door and my fake smile immediately vanishes as I turn around to look at Neha.

Ashton: What happened last night?!

She doesn't even look up from her magazine and opens her mouth to speak.

Neha: Nothin' much.

I march over to her and point at the door through which the woman left.

Ashton: You call that 'nothing much'?!

Neha:.. Well, I guess more than that happened.

Ashton: What? Anyway, where did she come from?

Neha: We met her at the place you got yer ear piercing from; she thought you looked cute so, I set y'both up.

Ashton: Ear piercing?!

I touch both of my ears and feel something unfamiliar on my left ear.

Ashton:..

There really is a piercing on this one. But..

Ashton: How could you set me up with her just like that?!

Neha sets the magazine down and heads to the kitchen.

Neha: Why are you so angry? Kate's such an amazing person.

Ashton: Sure she is.

She comes out of the kitchen with a tray of pancakes and two cups of coffee and sets them down on the lunch table.

Neha: It had been killing me to be living with a twenty year old virgin, I had to do something.

Ashton:...

V-Virgin... How can she just say that so openly?!

Neha: Look at you blushing like a virgin maiden.

Ashton: H-Hey!

Although I was a bit of a rebel back in highschool, I was still very 'innocent'. Claire was the same and so our reserved personalities kept us from doing... 'that'.

Neha: Besides, judging by the hickey on your neck, it looks like you guys had a lot of fun last night, didn't you?

Ashton: That's- Wait, I have a what on my neck?!

I run towards the bathroom mirror and look at my reflection in it. There's a crimson spot on the side of my neck, about an inch above my collarbone. Holy mother of...! And the ear piercing looks hideous!!

Ashton: You've got to freaking kidding me!!

I sprint back to the living room to find Neha sipping her cup of coffee.

Ashton: I have an audition first thing tomorrow and I have a pierced ears AND a hickey on my neck! ON MY NECK! What am I gonna do?!

Neha: Wear a turtle neck shirt.

Ashton: It's like a thousand degrees outside!

Neha: Then use my make-up.

Ashton:.. I can't believe this. I mean, I don't even know her and then there's.. 'her'.

I flop down beside her on the couch. She casts a sideward glance at me and sets her now empty cup down on the table.

Neha: You need to move on.

Ashton: Don't you think I'm trying?

Neha: Nope.

She reaches for the second cup.

Ashton: What?

Neha: If a woman dumps ya, she dumps and forgets, okay? If you don't put yerself out there, you'll never get out the hole you dug for yerself in your post breakup despair.

Ashton:...

Neha: Y'get what I'm saying? F-O-R-G-E-T about her.

I would if I could but..

Ashton:.. Is Kate really like you mentioned?

Neha:..! You're seriously going to call her back?

She looks at me with a smile on her face.

Ashton: It won't hurt to give it a try.

Neha: That's great! Anyway, you should probably freshen up, the pancakes are getting cold.

I look down at the plates on the table.

Ashton: You didn't make me coffee?

Neha: Well, I kinda drank it.

She shows me the empty coffee cups.

Ashton: I'll go make some then....

I went out with Kate Bleu, who turned out the daughter of one of my father's business partners, for almost a year but, we broke up because she had to return back to the city, to her family. We haven't met since.

I loved spending time with her and her company but, I knew all along that it wasn't 'love' as such that could could describe my emotions; I was still in the healing process. I moved on pretty quick after she left and started having the so called 'one night stands' with other women occasionally. It did hurt to say goodbye to Kate at the airport 7 years ago though.

I guess I walked along the wrong path because the woman who meant so much to me, who made me forget my pain, left me. I had several sleepless nights, missing her but, I eventually started letting go of the feelings I had for her.

Shortly after that, I made by debut as a small background character with at the most 3 lines. According to Drake, that was around the time the news of Claire's engagement with Troy broke out.

Neha was right; Claire dumped me and moved on. I look back at Claire.

Ashton: It's not that big a deal.

Claire: Oh, really?

We both turn our gaze back at the park and watch the children riding around on their bicycles. We don't have anything talk about except for the interview questions. We could go talking on and on when we were in a relationship just to use it as an excuse to spend time with each other and now... Everything is different, even both of us have changed.

Claire: Hey, Ashton?

Ashton: Hm?

She calls me out in a doubtful tone and we both turn to face each other.

Claire:... What are we?