Good things take time
1113 Words
Aston barely slept.
The digital clock beside his bed glowed 2:03 a.m. in sharp red numbers, burning into the darkness of his apartment while he stared at the ceiling with one arm behind his head and his phone resting against his chest. Every few minutes he checked the screen again even though he knew there were no notifications.
Nothing.
No i can’t sleep.
No you awake?
No teasing little message from Jessica that always dragged him into another two-hour conversation he secretly lived for.
He laughed quietly at himself once, rubbing his face.
“Pathetic,” he muttered.
But he still waited another ten minutes.
The apartment was silent except for the low hum of the fridge from the kitchen and the occasional car outside. Aston finally groaned and forced himself out of bed. He walked down the hallway half awake, scratching the back of his neck before turning on the bathroom light.
Bright.
Too bright.
He squinted at himself in the mirror. Messy dark hair. Tired eyes. Still thinking about Jessica.
Always Jessica lately.
He washed his hands slowly, splashed cold water on his face, then brushed his teeth while staring blankly into the mirror. His mind kept replaying her laugh from their phone call earlier that night. The way she flirted without even trying sometimes. The way she’d lower her voice when Carson was nearby, like they had some secret little world together.
Aston rinsed his mouth and sighed.
Then he stripped off his shirt, tossed it toward the laundry basket, and pulled on a pair of black pajama pants. That was how he always slept—shirtless, cold room, fan running.
He climbed back into bed around 2:20 a.m.
Still no text.
Eventually sleep won.
Jessica’s morning started at six.
Too early.
Way too early.
Her alarm screamed from the nightstand and she groaned into her pillow before reaching over and silencing it. For a second she forgot what day it was.
Then she remembered.
Friday.
Carson’s weekend at his dad’s started tonight.
And Aston had sounded almost desperate to see her yesterday.
That thought made her smile a little.
Jessica rolled out of bed and grabbed her phone immediately.
Good morning sleepyhead ❤️
Sent.
She walked downstairs tying her hair into a messy ponytail while Carson dragged himself into the kitchen still half asleep.
“I don’t wanna go to school,” he mumbled dramatically.
Jessica snorted while opening the cupboard.
“You say that every single day.”
“Because school is torture.”
“You’re eight.”
“Exactly.”
She laughed and shook her head.
“What cereal do you want?”
“Cinnamon French Toast!”
“Again?”
“It’s the best cereal ever invented.”
Jessica poured the cereal while checking her phone again.
No reply from Aston.
Hmm.
She sent another text twenty minutes later.
You alive?
Still nothing.
Then another.
By 9:30 a.m. she’d texted him six times total, ranging from playful to slightly concerned.
Nothing back.
Now she was annoyed.
Carson was rushing around the house trying to shove his shoes on while holding his backpack.
“Mom! We missed the bus!”
Jessica looked at the clock and widened her eyes.
“Oh my God. Come on.”
She grabbed her keys, phone charger, and coffee all at once while Carson ran out the door.
The drive to school was chaotic.
Carson inhaled cereal too fast and started coughing halfway there while Jessica laughed and handed him a water bottle.
“You good?”
“Yeah.”
“You sure?”
“Mom, I’m not dying.”
“Okay drama king.”
When they pulled up to the school, Carson jumped out quickly.
Jessica rolled down the window.
“Don’t get in trouble and have a fantastic day, buddy!”
“Okay love you!”
“Love you more!”
Then he disappeared into the crowd of kids.
Jessica smiled softly for a second before driving home.
The second she walked inside, she noticed her phone blinking on the charger.
Three missed calls.
Aston.
Immediately she grabbed it and called him back.
He answered on the first ring.
“Well finally.”
Jessica rolled her eyes, smiling already.
“Oh shut up. I was driving Carson to school.”
Aston’s voice sounded rough and sleepy.
“I stayed up till two in the morning waiting for your text.”
“You could’ve texted me first.”
“I wanted you to text me.”
Jessica laughed softly.
“You’re clingy.”
“Only for you.”
That line hit harder than either of them expected.
A brief silence filled the phone.
Then Aston cleared his throat.
“Now tell me this.”
Jessica leaned against the kitchen counter.
“What?”
“What color is your underwear today?”
Her cheeks flushed instantly.
“Aston…”
“What?” he asked innocently.
“You’re ridiculous.”
“And curious.”
Jessica bit her lip before answering softly, teasing him on purpose.
“I’m not wearing any today.”
Silence.
Complete silence.
Then—
“…that’s hot.”
Jessica burst out laughing while Aston groaned dramatically into the phone.
“You can’t just say things like that while I’m laying in bed.”
“Why not?”
“Because now I’m suffering.”
“Oh please.”
“I’m serious.”
She could practically picture him rubbing his face with that stupid grin she liked too much.
Then his tone softened.
“Can I come over?”
The question sounded almost shy.
Submissive, even.
Jessica leaned her hip against the counter, suddenly feeling warm all over.
“Not till the weekend, remember?”
“I know but—”
“Nope.”
Aston groaned loudly.
“Jessica…"
“No bedtime tonight and Carson goes to his dad’s at seven for the weekend.”
“That’s forever away.”
“It’s literally tonight.”
“You don’t understand my pain.”
She laughed again.
“You’ll survive.”
“Barely.”
Jessica could hear him moving around in bed now, probably sitting up finally awake.
“I just wanna see you,” he admitted quietly.
That made her stomach flutter.
Not because of the flirting.
Not because of the dirty jokes.
Because he sounded genuine.
Real.
Jessica looked out the kitchen window at the cloudy morning sky while smiling to herself.
“Good things take time, Aston.”
He sighed dramatically.
“You sound like a fortune cookie.”
“And you sound needy.”
“I am needy.”
Another laugh escaped her.
God, she liked him.
Way more than she planned to.
And that scared her a little.
- Writer
