Page 79 of Ashley & the A-Listers

Then they were on their way back to their seats, only stopping for two outrageously overpriced bottles of water before finally sinking into the plastic chairs.

“You good?” she asked as they sat.

Dylan sipped his water and nodded. “Yeah. When does the show start again?”

Ashley pulled out her phone and checked the time. “Another twenty minutes.”

She shrugged off her leather jacket and passed it to him. “Hold this,” she said, and Dylan did as he was told.

Ashley tugged the new shirt over her head and crop top and grinned at him once she pulled her long hair out of the neck. “Well?”

“Looks great,” he said, secretly pleased she was so excited about something he’d provided for her. Paired with the leather jacket that he’d also gotten her, he was weirdly elated.

What the fuck is up with me?

He was more afraid of the answer than he wanted to admit, so he turned his attention to the stage, where people were rushing back and forth to get the equipment ready.

“This is so cool,” Ashley said, leaning over to him so she could be heard over the loud murmur of the crowd.

“I know, right?”

The energy in the venue was electric, practically floating through the air.

“I would’ve gotten general admission tickets,” he said, and nodded toward the packed crowd inching closer to the stage. “But I figured you might not have been able to see,” he added, and elbowed her side.

She pursed her lips and tried to look annoyed, but her smile was breaking the illusion. “Well, as much as I hate to say it, you’re probably right.”

Dylan reeled like he’d been smacked. “What?!” he cried out.

Ashley was already waving him off. “I know, I know?—“

“You just said I was right?” He placed a hand against her forehead. “Areyoualright?”

She shoved his hand away. “Shut up,” she whined, and they chuckled together. “That was thoughtful of you. This whole thing was. So… thanks,” she said.

Dylan’s heart did another one of the flip and spins like it was at a skatepark, and he didn’t know what to make of it.

“Anything for the birthday girl,” he said.

She was eighteen today, technically a few months older than him.

“Seriously, what are the chances that this band comes to this city on this day?” she asked, turning to him with a wide grin.

“Fate,” he mused. “Must have been meant to be.”

“Must have,” she agreed, meeting his gaze. Time seemed to pause, and Dylan was stuck in the moment, suspended, before finally she turned back to the stage to await the show.

He felt like he was waiting, too… but not exactly for the band to walk out. He didn’t knowwhatit was. Something momentous, something weird and trapped beneath his skin, making him itchy and a little paranoid of all the people around them.

He shuffled closer to Ashley, knees brushing as he threw an arm over the back of her chair.

Casual. Cool. No one is going to fucking grab her or anything.Chill out, man.

He couldn’t shake this instinct to protect her, to be close to her.

When she leaned against his arm, all the voices went quiet.

She smiled up at him and Dylan’s heart stopped, and so did the weirdness bubbling in his chest. Having her close was… good.

---