Later that night, maybe somewhere close to midnight, since mama Joy wanted to hang out with everyone before they returned to Australia, Ashton and Mhina found themselves back at their hotel rooms.

"You know that was my first time at a fair, right?" Ashton commemted, smiling and nodding when the brown girl gave him a look of disbelief.

Mama Joy decided that after the lunch she wanted to go to the county fair and that's what they did until it closed later that night.

"Did you not have a childhood?" Mhina asked rhetorically, stripping her jacket as the olive skinned boy closed the door.

Ashton shrugged and copied her motion.

"Well, my mom was always busy and my dad left us when I was six which left me with my brother and sister so I guess I never had the opportunity." He explained, sitting at the foot of the bed to remove his boots. Mhina raised her brows and sat next to him on the bed.

He noticed the sympathetic look on her face and immediately shook his head, a light chuckle following.

"S'okay, babe." Ashton simply said, giving the girl a kiss to her temple.

Mhina couldn't help but feel for the boy. She knows how it felt to have to rely on yourself and miss out on things. Granted, she had a decent childhood and didn't have to watch over other children.

But when she turned thirteen she was on her own since her mom felt taking care of a kid was just too much.

This led her to her first group home at fourteen then up for adoption at fifteen.

So, she was able to sympathize with the boy.

Mhina leaned over and placed a kiss to his temple, one similar to the one he gave the girl. He smiled over at the brown beauty, taking hold of her wrist to keep her close.

Mhina furrowed her brows, "Wha--"

"I didn't give you my present." He said pulling her even closer to him. The girl smirked as she stood and moved to sit on his thigh.

"My present?" She questioned, amusement dancing in her eyes as she glanced down at the boy who's looking up at her with just as much amusement.

He licked his lips. "Yeah." A finger moved up to caress her cheek before he reached to kiss her jawline.

"You deserve this present. Will you accept my present?" Ashton continued to kiss along her jawline, bringing shivers to her body as she leaned in to give him more access. Mhina was so into his lips to the point where she forgot to answer.

The boy obviously didn't mind because by this time he was repositioning the two, one where he was hovered over the girl as she sat at the end of the bed. He crashed his lips on hers, hands on either side of her on the bed.

Mhina was too caught up in their kiss to notice the boy's devious smirk, his hands raiskng from his waist now positioned to her sides. His long fingers began dancing along her side, causing her to squirm and begin giggling.

"Ashton!" Mhina squealed, unable to control her laughter, attempting to be free from his grasp but to no avail.

The golden headed boy giggled as he continued tickling the girl, simply enjoying the sight on the girl laughing, pure glee on her face. It was something he liked the most about the girl, her smile. He saw it often but it seemed she was more emotional on this trip than he's ever seen before. Granted, he hasn't known her for too long, though it didn't feel that way, so he couldn't really comment on that.

But he wanted to give her the opportunity to truly be happy, even if its for a few seconds.

He surrendered his weapons, removing his fingers and wrapping them around the girl's wrists and holding them above her head.

She gave him a look of disbelief but she wasn't upset, the smile on her face giving that away.

Mhina tried to collect her breath. "Why?"

"Why not?" He replied, making the girl giggle and shake her head. His hazel pair scanned her face, fond riddled in the creases of his eyes as he smiled.

"You're beautiful." He sweetly commented, making the girl's heartbeat pick up in pace, her palms beginning to sweat.

Why?

Her disobedient mind knew better than to replay any event from the other night but of course hearing Ashton utter those words triggered her gutter of a mind.

His eyes clouded, "You're beautiful." The Maori boy whispered before pressing his lips to the girl's warm thigh.

Ashton noticed how her smile faltered and her eyes no longer held his presence but went elsewhere. It was the place he wondered she went when he caught her staring into the distance in other occasions.

Either way, it concerned the boy.

"Everything alright, babe?" Ashton asked, furrowing his brows, feeling puzzled.

Mhina threw on a tight lipped smile, ashamed to be having thoughts of another man when she had the perfect one right before her eyes.

"Yeah, I'm alright. Thank you." She replied softly.

The boy could tell the girl wasn't telling the whole truth but he knew not to push it. He just nodded with a smile, leaning down to gently kiss the girl on the lips.

He smirked as he pulled away. "You know we have free room service and tv service. We can order some ice cream and watch the new Marvel movie to celebrate your adoption."

Like a record scratch on a record player, Mhina could feel her desire to be up with the boy fade as he talked, especially mentioning her adoption to the mix.

She knew he wanted to do something cute for her and that wasn't the problem. Ashton isn't the problem.

Her problem was across the hall and played the bass, not the one above her who played the drums.

The girl smiled, twitching her arm for him to release her, and sitting up when he did.

"That sounds awesome."

"I know. I just hope Joy doesn't notice." Ashton smirked, scooting to the edge of the bed until the girl caught him by his hand.

"That sounds nice but I don't know--"

"Babe, I'm sure Joy wouldn't mind. It's all good." Ashton intervened with reassurance, cupping her cheek.

He wasn't making this easier.

"I know but I just don't-- I'm just really tired right now." Mhina could feel her ears heating up from lying to this amazing boy who doesn't want nothing more than to spend some time with her. But there she was, a fake yawn after clearly lying to the boy, awaiting his answer.

All because her stupid thoughts couldn't control themselves.

Ashton's eyebrows raised and his mouth parted, speechless as he soon nodded.

"Yeah, maybe some other time." He threw on his best smile, one the girl saw right through but didn't have time to speak on because he had already given her a kiss on the cheek and climbed to his side of the bed.

It turned awkward as Mhina sat and watched as the boy pulled back the duvet with a bit more force than usual to get under the cover.

"Babe, I--"

"Goodnight." He interrupted the girl, back facing her as he closed his eyes.

Mhina sadly slid down to her side, taking off her skirt, and getting under the thick fabric.

She hated how she couldn't just shake off her feelings or what happened that night.

She hated how no matter what she couldn't take back that night or what happened back in the courtroom.

She hated how she couldn't take back what she did to Ashton and how good it felt.

She hated the fact that something as small as a few words lead up to where she was currently, sulking in bed next to her probably irate "boyfriend".

Mhina sighed and started to close her eyes until her phone vibrated.

And she would've ignored it had it not been for the second and third that followed.

She reached into the drawer of her nightstand and retrieved her phone, squinting at the already dimly lit screen.

so i put my phone on airplane mode before I sent these so they are all gona send at once so im srry in advance

PLS don't click the lock on ur phone pls just see what I have to say

i kno i prob dnt deserve a chance to say much bt i can't stop thinking abt everything

I don't even kno where to start wow ok

Mhina ive nvr been so messd up in the head until this trip

I thght I knew everything and I hd everything right before this trip bt i was wrong

I was so wrobg

**wrong

I gt it all wrong and nw I've hurt u

The one thing I didn't want and I did it

Im so stupid Mhina I made decisions based off of my boyish flings

**feelings

Ugh

Anyway i never wanted to hurt u and i didn't realize I did that until u said what u said in the courtroom today

it's been eating at me all day that I hadn't known the damage I ws causing because I only saw it one way

maybe i was too scared to look at it ur way because i knew it wouldn't benefit me

idk all i knw was i wanted to be all urs

i wanted to be the smile on ur face

the giggle that escapes ur lips

the voice that makes ur day

the shoulder u cry on

the tingle that travels up and down ur spine

the kiss tht melts ur heart

the heat on ur cheeks when u blush

Bt i see that now

I see I can't

U can't be mine

And it's the hardest thing I've come to realize

I'm currntly by myself sitting on those stupd colorful horses goin in circles

it's amazing how this resembles how I'm feeling currently

As I go around in circles I realize some th ING

Ur right wow ur right I can't help bt to think of that night Mhina

It's like my mind is some type of broken dvr nd it keeps replaying that night

I hate what I did to u Mhina

I made it worse

I made all this worse and really nothing I cn do could make it better

I hope by this time you've actually read these instead of tapping that button at the top of ur phone

By the time the last texts came through Mhina was a sobbing mess.

She didn't think she'd feel this way after reading his texts, mostly because the moment she saw his name atop of the screen a sour feeling rose in her stomach.

But there she was, placing the phone face down on her nightstand and cuddling the nearest pillow, trying to cry as quiet as possible.

But maybe just maybe she wasn't as silent as she thought she was...

I'M SO SAD OMG YALL WHATS GOIN ON?

GUESS WE GON HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT FEW CHAPTERS TO SEE HOW ALL THIS GON PLAY OUT ;]

*italicized is a flashback*

Thank you all so much and love you all!

Comment and vote pls and tell me what yall think (I love reading yall comments on your thots)

Ttyl :]