Ashton’s P.O.V.

I had been freaking out about this date from the moment Kate said yes. That’s the other thing: SHE SAID YES! I couldn’t believe that a girl as beautiful and charming as her would want to go on a date with me! I had convinced myself the night before that it was most likely a pity date. Why would she actually want to go out with me? I mean… I’m really weird… I put bananas in lattes for fun and voluntarily eat pickled onions for the enjoyment of my fans… dorky right?

My fears of a pity date quickly vanished when Kate opened the door to Alice’s suite. I saw the same nerves that were probably all over my face reflected in her clear blue eyes. Fuck, those eyes. I could stare at them for hours. They just seem so endless and infinite. Shit, I sounded whipped and I just met this girl yesterday. Get yourself together Ashton!

“Wow,” I let out a breath. Kate giggled and blushed looking at the floor. Fuck, that giggle! She was killing me with the smallest things that she did.

“Sorry, uh, you look beautiful,” I managed out. My eyes had somehow landed themselves on her chest. Her strapless dress was giving me way too many ideas.

“Thanks,” she said.

“Ready to go?” I asked noticing that she already had her bag.

“Yup,” Just as we were about to leave Kate when Alice came into the front hall.

“Bye guys! Be safe,” Kate said. I giggled at her teasing.

“I could say the same to you!” Alice called after us, obviously a bit embarrassed that everyone knew about what she and Calum had done the night before. I blushed as I led Kate into the elevator.

“So, what do you have planned for today?” Kate asked.

“Well, I looked up things to do in New York City that aren’t completely touristy and I came up with small cafes, walking, and bowling… if that’s alright with you?” I asked shyly.

“That sounds amazing,” she said crossing the elevator and pressing her lips to mine lightly. This was the second time that we had kissed but it was almost like kissing a different person. I still felt the same butterflies as last night, but our first kiss was more aggressive due to the large amounts of alcohol that we had consumed that night. This kiss was sweet and passionate. It set my nerves on end and calmed me at the same time and ended too soon.

“Alright: first stop is the café,” I said leading her to a black Range Rover that management had let me use for the day. Once we were in the car the driver pulled away from the street. (I had already given him the itinerary for the day)

I looked up and caught the stare of a set of stunning blue eyes. Kate blushed and looked down, embarrassed that she had been caught. “It’s alright babe, I like it when you stare,” I said pulling her closer to me. I saw her smile when I called her ‘babe’. I hadn’t even meant to say it; it just sort of slipped out. When I was with Kate it was like all of my usual barriers were completely demolished.

A minute later we stopped in front of a café that I had read about online. It was called Aroma and was supposed to have amazing food. I hopped out of the car and shut the door after helping Kate down. I ran to the door of the café and opened it bowing slightly.

“Why thank you, sir,” she said giggling. There she goes again with that fucking giggle again. I can’t get enough of this girl.

“My pleasure, m’lady,” I said and followed her into the half-full café.

We sat at a table and inspected the menus carefully for a minute or two commenting once in a while on things that interested us. I noticed quickly that she really liked food. Which was awesome. Most girls that I had met on tour made sure to only get a salad when they were out with me as if I would judge them for eating. Personally, I think it’s more impressive for a girl to be fine with eating a burger, but still has a nice figure. It shows that she cares enough about herself to exercise and take care of her body instead of starving herself.

Finally the waiter came back. I ordered an egg, ham, and geese croissant sandwich. Kate ordered a pesto mozzarella tomato croissant sandwich, a fruit tart, and a large hot chocolate.

Once the waiter left she explained her order. "I decided that if you weren't going to admit how amazing that tart looked on the way in and I figured that since it's starting to feel like winter outside, we could share a hot chocolate," she said blushing and playing with her fingers. I grinned at her thoughtfulness. I moved my hand to interrupt her fingers and pulled her knuckles to my lips. This gesture made her blush even more.

I hardly noticed it but we had been staring at each other's eyes for an amount of time that would have been awkward with anyone else. They made me feel like at home. Looking into her eyes comforted me. It reminded me of an Ed Sheeran song and I absent minded started singing it under my breath. I still held her hand close to my lips letting the words be muffled by her skin.

"You look so beautiful in this light
Your silhouette over me
The way it brings out the blue in your eyes
Is the Tenerife Sea,"

Kate's P.O.V.

His voice was the most amazing thing I had ever heard. I know, he's in a band so he's obviously really good blah blah blah. But the day before when they were preforming it was totally different: he was preforming with his friends, and at some points he was almost screaming the lyrics out. This was soft and caring. I could feel his breath on my hand which he hand kept close to him. I hadn't felt this close to someone since-- Stop it Kate! Just enjoy this moment.

I guess some of my feelings showed on my face because Ashton seemed about to ask what was wrong. Thank god, our waiter came back with our food which seemed to distract him enough to forget his question.

Ashton’s P.O.V.

At first, Kate seemed to enjoy my singing to her, but after I had finished, and she had been thinking for a few seconds her features began to frown. Obviously something else had interrupted any good thoughts that she had been having. I hated seeing her distressed, and was about to ask her what was wrong when the waiter arrived. I’ll just have to ask her later. I said to myself.

We chatted casually over our food learning more about each other. Kate, similarly to me, was allergic to dogs. I was allergic to cats.Her birthday was on June 24th, mine was July 7th. She was 17, I was 20. This fact only bothered me mildly. If we really did have a future together, a petty three years wasn’t going to keep me from her. She had no siblings just like her best friend, which was probably one of the reasons that they had become friends in the first place. Like Alice, Kate’s family was VERY well to do with her father a retired player for the Packers (American football team) and currently a producer for ESPN and her mom was the head curator to the Moma.

I told her about Richmond High and life back at home. I told her about Lauren and Harry, and my parents. I told her everything I could. It sort of all came pouring out. I talked about all of the things that I missed talking about. With all of the interviews and meetings, all I seem to be focused on is the band. Don’t get me wrong, 5 Seconds of Summer is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, but it would be nice to talk to someone as just Ashton, not ‘The Drummer of 5 Seconds of Summer’. Surprisingly, Kate took in all of this information openly and nodded along to everything that I said. She was interested in what I was saying which was a refreshing change from girls who only wanted to get into the 'famous Ashton Irwin's' pants.

Once the food was gone and I had payed the check ignoring Kate'sprotests. I don't know what kind of douches she had been on dates with before, but in my book it doesn't matter if the date was a complete failure: THE DUDE ALWAYS PAYS. However, when I mentioned this to her she cringed a bit when I talked about past dates and didn't speak until we were in the car again. I cursed myself in my head during the silent walk back.

"Kate?" I said tentatively.

She looked at me with almost sad eyes.

"I didn't mean to bring up any bad memories with what I said earlier. It just that... I don't know... I've just had a really good time with you so far and I'd hate to know that I fucked it all up with one of my stupid comments," I said. Once I had finished, her feature warmed slightly.

"It's not your fault. There are just certain... Things that I've.... Um... Experienced in past relationships, and you being so perfect and well-mannered just really puts them in perspective," she said. I noticed her lip trembling slightly and I pulled her across the seat to hug her tightly to my chest.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled into her hair.

"No! Don't be sorry. It's not your fault. I didn't mean to kill the mood earlier," she said with a small smile. "I'm having a great time too by the way," she said, now grinning. She leaned in and kissed me. I pulled her in closer and pressed my lips harder to hers.

After a few minutes she moved slightly so that she was straddling my hips with her hands tugging on my hair slightly. I leaned up a bit and ran my tongue over her bottom lip asking for entrance. She accepted after a few seconds and we were full on making out. I could feel a tent growing slowly in my pants and groaned loudly when she grinded her hips slightly against mine.

Suddenly there was a tentative knock on the tinted window of the car and Kate pulled away to my great displeasure. She leaned over and rolled down the window to see the driver blushing slightly probably knowing fully well what we had been doing seconds before, and what we would have done had he not interrupted us.

"Erm... I hate to uh interrupt but we should probably head out now if you want to stay on schedule," he said to us awkwardly.

Kate blushed and I glared. "Thank you, that would be great," she said politely and moved to sit back on her side but I quickly pulled her back over to me.

"Don't even think about it," I muttered into her ear, still frustrated in more than one way. She bit her lip and moved in closer to my side allowing my arm to rest around her waist.

Ten minutes of thinking about dead puppies later my 'little problem' was gone and we were almost at our destination. We pulled up on the edge of the street and Kate smiled. I knew that this was her favorite place to walk thanks to a little bit of help from Alice that I had received early this morning.

Kate practically pulled me out of the car after a rushed 'thank you' to our driver. I laughed and followed her. We were currently at the bottom end of Riverside park where a bike/pedestrian path trails on the edge of the Hudson River. Once we reached the path Kate ran to the edge and leaned over the edge and looked down into the blue/grey water. I came up behind her putting my arms on either side of hers on the railing.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" She said.

"Mmhmm," I hummed not really looking at the water. Can you blame me? She was absolutely stunning. Her hair was blown to the side due the wind coming off the water. Her crystal blue eyes stood out even more than usual with the dark water in front of us.

She turned to face me noticing that my attention was not on the slight waves below. She was now trapped between me and the railing. She smiled realizing that u had been looking at her and leaned in. Expecting another kiss I closed my eyes waiting for her lips to connect to mine. Instead, I received a quick peck on the nose. Kate giggled at the look of disappointment and protest on my face and slipped past me running quickly down the wooden walkway. I laughed at her childishness and chased after her. She was fast! I was definite gaining on her, but not as much as I would have expected. I was getting tired when she abruptly stopped and looked at the ground. Once I stood next to her I notice that the path became paved and went in a small arc over the water until it went back to the main path again.

I looked at her curiously, and she quickly examined her stop. "Whenever I would come here when I was smaller, this would be the scariest part. Crossing over the water was absolutely terrifying for me. I would always have to wait for my parents to catch up to my so that they could hold my hand when we crossed. Obviously now I know that here is no way that I am in danger on it, I've never been able to cross it alone," she said. "I'm sure I could cross it if I wanted to, but I guess just don't want to do it alone," she sighed and was turning away when I grabbed her wrist.

"And where do you think you're going?" I said.

"I just told you, I--"

"What? Is my hand not good enough to hold?" I said feigning hurt. Her eyes lit up and she grasped my waiting hand.

We walked slowly across the concrete while Kate looked over the edge with a terribly hidden expression of unease. I pulled her away from the edge. "It's alright babe, I got you. There's nothing to be afraid of," I said into her ear. She relaxed slightly at my words and we were soon back on the main path. Once she was absolutely positive that we were 'safe' she turned and hugged me tight.

"Sorry. You must think I'm a total wimp," she giggled nervously into my shirt.

I chuckled. "Yeah..." I said earning a smack across the head. "But only in the best way of course I said," and quickly kissed her before she could protest. "Come on, let's keep walking," I said into the kiss, holding her close as we moved down the path.

Notes

Ok, I'm really sorry that it's taken me this long to update! Hope you guys like it!

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Ily guys!!!

XO