Pretty Girls Lie

It's 4am, the sun was still nowhere on the horizont. Hope was wide awake on her bed, once again staring at the city. She got up and left the room as quietly as possible. She went downstairs into the kitchen to get a drink but she wasn't the only one with that thought. Ashton was siting on the kitchen counter with one empty beer bottle on his side and a half empty one in his hand, slowly sipping it.

- Hey. - Hope's low husky voice startled Ashton.

- Hey, what are you doing up? - He asked her quietly, and put the beer bottle he was holding alongside the empty one.

- I've been up for hours... I haven't been getting much sleep lately. - She said. - How 'bout you, what's keeping you up?

- Just thinking. - He said and once again took the beer and started drinking.

- About?

- Just stuff. - He didn't seem to want to answer.

Hope stepped closer and took a seat next to him on the counter.

- I'm gonna go and take a wild guess and say that by 'stuff' you mean me...

He just looked at her without answering, but his look was enough of an answer.

- How come you looked so calm and perky yesterday? - She asked curiously with a little chuckle.

- I might have had a few drinks before you came. - He said and took another sip from the bottle leaving it empty.

- That's not it.

He looked at her hesitating to answer. - One of use was supposed to be calm and collected to help the other one sink it all in, and you seemed pretty confused and shaken so it had to be me.

- I'm not confused... It's just a lot of things have happend lately, it's gonna take a while... - She said. - But, thank you.

- I really am sorry about your mom. - He told her.

- Yeah, me too.

- How long has she been sick, before?... - He didn't finish.

- She's been sick most of my life really. Um, four months before she died they told us that she was completely healthy and cancer free, but then it came back again, and that happened a few times before. - She said with tears filling her eyes more and more with every word.

Ashton looked at her with worry and compasion. He put a hand on her back and slowly patted her.

- I know nothing would make you happier than her being by your side again, but it must make you at least a little happy to know how proud she must be of you for always being by her side and for being so strong. - Ashton said.

- Is it wrong that I don't want her to be by my side again? I mean, she's been sick and miserable all my life and was going in and out of the hospital all the time, and now she's somewhere better I guess...and I don't want her to come back, I want her to be happy. - Hope said with tears in her eyes.

- That's the most unselfish thing I've ever heard anyone say. - He said, still patting her back. - And it's not wrong.

They barely know each other and they were already telling each other stuff that you don't tell just anyone.

- I know we barely know each other, but I want you to know that I'm always here for you and I'm always gonna be here for you.

- God knows how many times I already told you this but, thank you.

- And God knows how many times I already told you, you don't have to thank me, we're family.

Couple of minutes late Ashton broke the silence that overtook the room.

- You want a beer?

- Hell yeah.

He took two beers from the fridge and went back to his seat on the counter.

- Can I ask you something? - She said quietly after taking a sip from the bottle.

- Yeah, of course.

She thought for a few seconds whether she should ask or not, but she did. - What do you think about your...our father?

He as well had to think a few seconds before answering her. - Well he left me and my family when I was just a kid and we didn't stay in touch much. I thought about reaching out and forgiving him a few times but I would always stop myself, and now I found out this...and he makes me sick.

- And I'm the product of a guy that makes you sick. - She said quietly with a little sadness in her voice and her eyes.

- Maybe, but that doesn't make you like him... That doesn't even make you his daughter, and I'm not his son either. To have that privilege he would've had to be there.

- I know you don't seem too fond of him but I still kinda wish I met him at least once growing up...

- Did your mum ever mention him to you?

- She never told me his name, she just told me how they met, and that even though they weren't together and even though he's not in my life, he is a good man.

- How did they meet?

- She was 19. She was waiting for a friend in a bar and some guy wouldn't leave her alone, and your dad saved her. Then they started talking and flirting and one thing lead to another, and they spent the night together. - She said. - Pretty cliche.

- Did she ever see him again? - He asked curiously.

- No. She gave him her number but he never called.

- And after all that she still told you that he was a good man?

- I guess she just didn't want me to think bad of him...

- Do you?

- I can't really have an opinion on someone I've never met, no mather how many stories I heard about him.

- Well, we're better off without him in our lives!

- I'll drink to that... - She said and they both laughed.

- Here's to daddy issues! - They laughed, they toasted, they drank.

They were drinking all of their issues away, bottle after bottle, and before they knew it it was 8am and the guys were starting to wake up. They spent four hours talking and drinking on the kitchen counter.

Notes

I hope you like it so far... I promise things will get interesting soon.

This is my first time publishing a story becase I used to be insecure in my writing and then unfortunately all my stories got deleted... So it would mean a lot to me if you sincerely told me what you think and if you have any 'complaints' on my writing.

Thank you for reading!