Aston and I finally come up for air and decide to go back to the party, I’m sure people have noticed our absence because we have been gone for such a long time. I make sure to wipe my lipstick from his face and we walk out from behind the partition and immediately notice Caleb and Chad looking right at us and they’re grinning.

I look at Aston and he’s smirking.

“Do you think they know?” I ask and he shrugs.

“So what if they do? I like you Annie and I don’t care who knows it,” he says taking my hand in his and leaning in kissing my cheek. I smile as my stomach flutters and my knees feel unsteady as we walk over to a table and sit down with the rest of Staked. Aston holds my hand under the table for the rest of the night.

Later after the after-party, Rob sat us all down and talked about how well tonight went. He wants to amp up our shows. He’s organizing for us to play another few gigs this week to get the hype up before we go into the recording studio to record an updated version of our album. Then we’re going to submit to the record label that Dad was talking to tonight. They were impressed with our sound and chemistry on stage and they want to know what we sound like on disc, so we’re headed into the studios next week and we’ll go from there. It seems to be happening quite quickly. Dad was watching the Twitter feeds and Facebook posts intently and apparently Staked is a trending topic right now, so we’re all really excited that people have taken to us so quickly.

Dad seems to have forgotten about his no touch policy between Aston and me because I’m sure he saw us holding hands under the table. He frowned, but then Mum glared at him and he shook his head and said nothing. I’m pretty sure Mum has said something to him, and I couldn’t be more grateful. If anyone can change Dad’s mind about something, it’s Mum. She has an uncanny way of turning something bad in his mind into something good so that he thought it was his idea all along. I don’t know how she does it, but I guess after being together for nearly twenty years will do that.

We end up driving back to Oxfordshire and I’m utterly exhausted. It’s been a long day and an emotional one at that. The highs, the fantasies and the firsts were all wonderful and today might just have been the best day of my life. Ella is asleep in the car next to me, and Mum and Dad are talking about his upcoming tour in just under a year’s time. He is saying hopefully we’ll be able to go with him and maybe play on tour with them. I think having us as a backup band would be amazing, but I won’t count on that happening just yet.

My phone vibrates in my pocket and I pull it out and swipe the screen to see a message from Aston.

 

Aston: Thanks for tonight, u make my world spin in a completely new direction and I luv the dizziness I feel around u. A1 xo P.S. Ur boobs r amazing!

 

I giggle quietly so I don’t wake Ella or alert my parents. But his words are so poetic it makes me blush. I love the way he makes me feel and I never thought that he could make my heart skip the way it does. I’ve known him my whole life, and ever since I can remember my body has been reacting to him. My hairs stand up on end, the tingles I feel down my arms, it should’ve all been a warning sign. I didn’t know what it was, I just put it down to being normal. However, everything about mine and Aston’s relationship is not normal. It’s not normal to feel this way about your best friend. It’s only normal to feel this way about someone you care about deeply and have a connection with. That person for me is most definitely Aston and honestly I can’t wait to see where this relationship takes us. I can’t believe I never saw it before, but I’m so glad I’ve realised it now and that I can spend my life trying to make Aston happy. I hit reply.

 

Me: I luv the feeling u give me 2. I never knew whatever we were doing could feel so… good! All I know is that I want more and I hope u do 2. A2 xxxx P.S. My boob’s r amazing, hey!

 

I giggle and hit send and then watch the screen waiting for a reply. It comes not long after.

 

Aston: I definitely want more Annie. I want so much more with u! And it will come with time. This is new to both of us and I want to do it right. A1 xo

 

I smile and hold the phone to my chest just taking in the amazing and caring spirit of Aston. He only wants me to be happy and now that I look back that’s all he’s ever wanted. I hit reply.

 

Me: Well, so far ur doing it perfectly. I just hope tomoz we can find some alone time. There’s a song in my head I can’t get out and I want u 2 help me with it. A2 xxxx

 

I hit send and sit and wait for his reply.

 

Aston: Sounds perfect to me Lennox. I’ll be at your place by ten, and we’ll find a way 2 slip out somewhere. Your dad can’t keep us apart forever :) A1 xo

 

I smile and look forward at the back of Dad’s head and wonder if he really can keep us apart. What’s his problem anyway? Aston is a gentleman, and he obviously doesn’t want to get straight into my pants. Because, if he did, it would have happened tonight at the after-party and he was the one who stopped it, not me. So Dad really has nothing to worry about.

 

Me: Ur right, we’ll find some time to slip out to the Willow tree tomoz. It’s far enough away that we can talk about the song and cuddle while doing it. If you want to, that is? A2 xxxx

 

I hover my finger over the send button for a moment wondering if the cuddling part is something he would want or not. I go to delete the message and accidentally hit send instead.

I gasp and start quickly tapping away on the screen, apologising for being overly affectionate, but before I can finish his reply comes through.

 

Aston: I wouldn’t want to cuddle with anyone else, Lennox. I’ve been waiting to cuddle you my entire life <3 A1 xo

 

I swallow hard and stare at the message and my heart does a little dance and then a somersault. He always knows exactly what to say. I hit reply.

 

Me: U can talk sweet as well as dirty then? ;) A2 xxxx

 

I smile and hit send.

 

Aston: U have no idea how sweet I can be, but ur going to find out. That’s a promise. I’m so glad u stopped pushing me away. The last two days has been perfect for me. Other than your dad threatening to castrate me, but u well and truly make up for his downfalls. A1 xo

 

I smile and bite my bottom lip. I hit reply.

 

Me: Well, I’m glad that ur happy, and I’m sorry it took me so long 2 figure out what the hell was happening to me. It’s nice 2 finally realise what I was feeling isn’t just friendship, and that I want u in my life as more than just Aston the best friend. A2 xxxx

 

I hit send.

 

Aston: I thought I wasn’t imagining it, and that u felt the same surge of electricity I feel when I’m around u. Every time I’m near u I get a shiver down my spine that tells me when ur near. I luv that feeling. A1 xo

 

I open my eyes wide and gasp. I realise that he feels something like I do when we’re close by, and it’s so nice knowing that I’m not just some freak who feels things others can’t. It’s nice to know we’re on the same page. I hit reply.

 

Me: Oh no, I feel it, trust me, I feel it! Well, we’ve just pulled into the driveway so I better go before Dad catches me texting u. I’ll see u in the morning. Can’t wait. A2 xxxx

 

I hit send.

 

Aston: Sleep well my beautiful, Lennox. A1 xo P.S. I can’t wait to kiss you again, under the Willow Tree xoxo

 

I smile just as Dad pulls the car up.

“So did you have a good time at the after-party, girls?” he asks and Ella jumps suddenly waking up.

“What, huh?” she asks yawning and stretching.

“Did you have a good time?” Dad asks and I smile and touch my lips remembering Aston’s on mine, his leg between my legs and the way he made me feel like I was the only thing he cared about in the world. To me, that equals a great time.

“Yes, it was okay,” Ella says and Mum turns back to look at me and catches me touching my lips.

I quickly put my hand down and smile at her. “I had a blast,” I say and Mum smiles and nods, then turns around and opens her car door getting out.

We all move from the car and head toward the big beautiful manor we call home. I hear the dogs barking as we walk up to the front door and Dad unlocks it. They come rushing out jumping at our feet. I pat Sassy as she jumps on me, but then I quickly walk inside and straight upstairs to my bedroom.

“Night Annie,” Mum calls out and I look down and smile at them all.

“Night guys, I’m beat,” I reply and they all nod as they head into the kitchen.

I race to my bedroom smiling the whole way. I open my door and walk through closing it behind me quickly. I pull off my dress and bra and throw them on the floor and then pull on my Slayed T-shirt and kick off my combat boots, rushing straight to my bed. I’m excited and I can’t wait to see what tomorrow will bring. I jump into bed and pull the picture of me and Aston from my bedside drawer, and snuggle down in bed with only the soft purple glow from my lanterns as I trace the outline of Aston’s face in the photo. I exhale and welcome back the swarm of butterflies in my tummy as I think back to the after-party and the way he made me feel. I rub my thighs together to stop the dull ache and I lean in and kiss him in the photo. I place it under my pillow and cuddle into the soft sheets and close my eyes waiting for a magical, musical, dream-like-state to wash over me.