bio project part two

Chapter Ten

All of first hour I've been talking with Luke. He goes on to tell me about him planning a party soon. He goes on about past parties with his brothers and how he's taking ideas from them to include in his party, but I get lost through his endless ranting. I feel bad for not being as interested as I'm pretending to be, but I can't help it.

When I get to biology, I have a whole new mindset. Me and Ashton need to finish our project tonight.

As soon as he walks in, I bombard him with our needs to get it done, but I shut up when I notice something is off about him.

"You're wearing glasses." I raise my brows at him. A sight I thought I'd never see.

"Yeah, so what? I was running late this morning." He shrugs it off,

"And I know We need to get the project done, Emma." He rolls his eyes. I wave my hand at him.

"I would have asked to do it yesterday, but had no way to contact you."

"Are you asking for my number?" I just glare at his dimpled smirk. Of course he'd use this against me.

"Yes, okay? I am. Not for the reason you desperately want though." I smile sweetly at him.

We swap numbers and I put Ashton's name as 'pain in my Ash' because truthfully, it describes exactly how I feel about him. And I have to put nicknames on everyone in my phone. It's my right of passage in a way.

The rest of the day goes by extremely slow and I just hope after school goes by faster. Lunch was the same with the added glare of Sophie, which only makes me suspect that she's plotting something against me. She needs to learn that you can't always get your way.

I wait by. My locker like last time to wait got Ashton to show up. This time my brother shows up and I tell him to leave without me. He walked away with a fake pout saying how I really am 'replacing him'. After that exchange, me and Ashton set off to his car.

This time I'm greeted by an older woman when we arrive at Ashton's. This must be his mom. We had disagreed on who's place to go to, so I just agreed to go back to his. I don't mind it really, I just don't understand why he doesn't want to go to mine.

"Hi, I'm Emma." I introduce myself.

"Ashton, she's pretty and nice. You mustn't let this one go." She brings me into a hug, that I give back awkwardly.

"Mum, I told you she's my partner for biology." Ashton groans at his mom for the mix-up.

"I'm Anne by the way." She says ignoring her son. Ashton grabs ahold of me to go to his room.

"Leave your door open." Anne shouts down the hall. I laugh as Ashton blushes at his mom's antics. as he mumbles about how we should have gone to my house and I laugh harder at his embarrassment.

Once up in his room, I actually accept his offer to sit on the bed with him. I put the rest of my research in the presentation and look through it to see if we missed anything. Once happy with the end result we discuss who says what, but it ends up being I say every other slide which seems fair enough. We plan to practice it on our own time before next week.

Just as I'm closing my laptop, a kid comes running in scaring the shit out of me. I have to cover my mouth before letting a scream escape in fright.

The little boy darts right to Ashton and I sit back to avoid any impact. Was this his brother? I didn't know he was a brother, as there were no pictures of his family when I snooped in here last time.

"Ashy!" The little boy screams at him. Ashy? Oh, that was great. I'll be sure to use that against his will. And by the look on Ashton's face, it'd work great.

"Why are you so excited to see me?"

"I missed you yesterday, you left me all alone with Lauren. She made me play dress up. With makeup!" I can't help but laugh at the poor boy. I would give anything that this 'Lauren' did to him.

"You're still alive aren't you? Now go on, get." Ashton pushes him, what I'm assuming brother, out the door.

"So, you're a big brother." I say pointing out what had just happened.

"Yeah, I'm the oldest of two. That was Harry, and Lauren is my sister. She's eleven and constantly dresses Harry up as a girl for her enjoyment. We're all seven years apart."

I could barely handle one brother, two younger siblings would be a big hassle. I silently thank god for giving me just the one.

I pick up where I left off on packing, placing my laptop in my bag filled with my now cluttered notes. It was in this instance that I remember both tests I have tomorrow.

"Would you mind taking me home now? I need to study for my tests tomorrow."

"Sure."

With that, we set on the journey to my house. I think back to today's events and find myself thinking opal out how Ashton and his siblings are all seven years apart. Instantly my mind clicks. No wonder that came to my mind.

"You're eighteen." I stare at Ashton in shock.

"Yeah." He doesn't take his eyes off the road.

"That would make you a senior! Why are you in my biology class?" No wonder he was always in a foul mood in that class, he's out of place being the oldest. And come to think of it, he is none of my other classes, and I never see his 'friends' around.

"I simply just didn't take it last year, it happens." He shuts the conversation down as soon as I bring it up. I just turn away and ponder on my newly found information. I can't believe I didn't see this before.

Soon we're outside my place and I say a quick bye and thank him for the ride home before I step out. I walk in and head straight to my room to study for my history test again and then my biology test until I'm too tired to keep my eyes open.