Thinking of You- Ashtray x OC

Twenty Nine

"Good job today Eileen," Cory said as he patted my back. "I can't tell you how proud I am of the progress you've made,"

I smiled under his praise, a little proud of myself as I recalled earlier. I actually spoke a couple of words during the meeting and the weight that felt as if it were lifted off of my shoulders felt immensely good.

"I'll see you next week?" He asked me. I smiled and nodded before making my exit.

I couldn't help the stupid smile on my face as I walked out of the school. I actually felt like I was doing something good for myself and it shocked me.

"You look happy," Ashtray greeted me, leaning against his car. I turned sheepish as I gave him a small hug.

"Guess what?" I asked as I looked up at him.

"What?" He said looking down at me, his hands still wrapped around my waist.

"I spoke in the meeting today in front of two other people," I told him, a big smile on my face.

"We gotta celebrate," Ashtray replied, smiling softly at me. "I'm so proud of you Eileen,"

"Thanks," I mumbled. "And we don't have to, I just thought you'd want to know,"

"I always wanna know everything about you," He replied as he opened the car door for me. "How'd it happen?" Ashtray asked as he slipped into the driver's seat. I prepped myself for the story, not wanting to leave any details out.

~

"I think I like him." I state. Elliot and Rue stare at me blankly before sharing a look.

Ashtray took to to our favorite ice cream shop where we split a sundae. Well, I tried eating half but got a brain freeze and then Ashtray finished the rest of it.

"We know," Elliot replied casually.

After he dropped me off at my place, I immediately called Elliot who was with Rue and told them to come over as soon as possible.

"What made you realize that?" Rue asked, leaning forward.

I thought back to how Ashtray looked at me as I retold my story of speaking for the first time in front of Cory. It was something about his face. How he turned his body towards me and seemed as if he was hanging on to every syllable of mine.

He looked so proud of me. Then I recalled almost every other encounter. How much Ashtray's done for me. How caring and protective he is. How kind and funny he can be.

Everything started adding up and I realized that I was blind this entire time.

"I just realized it, I don't know," I mumbled, raising my shoulders a bit.

"Cap," Elliot scoffed.

"It's true!" I exclaimed. "What am I supposed to do now?"

"Tell him?" Rue states as if it were so obvious.

"I need real advice," I grumble, shorting her a glare. There was no way I could tell him.

"That seemed like solid advice to me," Elliot shrugged. "Everybody knows he's in love with you,"

"Shut up, no he's not," I mumbled, throwing a pillow at Elliot. My mind was racing.

"It's true," Rue backed him up. "How are you gonna even keep it a secret?"

Oh shit. I was so caught up on the fact that I like Ashtray that I forgot one simple detail. I was a mess when it came to crushes. Especially crushes that were real people.

I once had a tiny crush on an exchange student and embarrassed the living hell out of myself. I walked into lockers, tripped over nothing, would get red if he so much as looked at me and had to change my route to classes just so I wouldn't bump into him.