Asked Out

"Hey… I was uh… I was wondering if you wanted to go for dinner this weekend." Punk said, holding his phone to his ear whilst sitting at the bottom of his head, "I know how much you love that pizza place." He smiled, hearing his sister laugh through the phone, "My bad." He said as she reminded him of how much she loved it when she was a kid, "Well… you decide and text me. I'll be there." He told her, "Ok… see you then." He nodded, hanging up and smiling to himself. It felt like the right thing to do.

"I knew she wouldn't turn you down." Seth said, walking into his room, standing at the door.

"How did you two even start talking?" He wondered.

"She came by here one day, a few months ago, she wanted to give you some things she'd found around the house… I think she'd been clearing out, and she just sort of… opened up to me." He shrugged, "She was upset… I don't think she has many people to talk to, well… besides me now." He said.

"You actually do like her?" Punk questioned.

"Yeah." Seth nodded, "Really." He said, "I mean… I've known her since she was a kid. It's a little weird, but… incase you haven't noticed, she's amazing." He said as Punk cringed.

"Yeah, alright. That's plenty." Punk nodded, "I thought she was doing fine on her own." He shook his head, "Dad is never in so she practically has the house to herself. She has her own business."

"Still has no one to talk to." Seth added as Punk just nodded.

"I just… I deal with things differently from her. She just wants to talk and remember our mom and-"

"You don't?" Seth questioned.

"What's the point?" Punk shrugged.

"We all deal with losing people differently. I get that. But… your mom died 6 years ago."

"Doesn't get any easier." Punk told him.

"I know." Seth sighed, "I loved your mom. She used to make me and Dean dinner when we stayed late at your house." He smiled as Punk laughed.

"Dean used to hit on her." Punk laughed a little as Seth nodded.

"He hasn't changed much." Seth smiled, looking over to Punk and sighing, "I know it's hard, but it's not a criminal sin to talk about her." He said, "And I don't even think it's about your mom for Clara anyway. I think she just misses her brother. You two were really close until you went to college." He said.

"I know we were." Punk nodded, "I just needed out of that house, and I just… got caught up in my own things." He said, "You think she'll be mad with me?" He wondered.

"I don't think so." Seth shook his head, "Right… I'm going to bed. Afternoon class tomorrow?" He said.

"Do I have a choice?" Punk smirked.

"Nope. You don't." Seth laughed, walking out of his room and into his own as Punk smiled. As much as his constant want for him and Dean to focus on college, he was a good guy. One of his longest friends along with Dean. He actually couldn't think of a better guy to be with his sister, although it was still a little weird.

The next day, Punk, Dean and Seth attended their afternoon class, and on the way out Punk felt a patter of footsteps run up behind him, a tap on his shoulder as he turned around to see AJ, Seth and Dean pausing and watching with hidden smiles.

"Hey." Punk smiled politely.

"Hi." AJ nodded, "Here is the money for the book." She smiled, handing the money over to him as he shook his head.

"It's alright. I didn't mind." He said.

"No. I don't like owing people anything." She said as Seth scoffed.

"That makes the both of you." Seth said.

"You two go on I'll catch up." Punk told them as they just nodded and walked out of the building, "I really didn't mind." He turned back to AJ.

"Just take it." AJ shook her head as he nodded and took the money from her.

"Well thanks." Punk nodded, sliding the money into his jean pocket, "You just finished a class?" He asked.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "And now I have to go work." She sighed tiredly as they walked out of the building together.

"Why don't you just take out student loans?" He asked her.

"I could, but I really want to get my own place, and I don't want to be in debt at the age of eighteen." She laughed.

"So you're eighteen?" He smirked a little, realising that was the creepiest thing he'd ever done, quickly discarding his smirk.

"What? You thought I was older?" She laughed.

"Nah, I knew you were around that age." He nodded, "So you want out of mom and dad's watchful eye?" He smiled, not realising that he was now walking the opposite way from where his friends were going.

"Aunt and Uncles." She corrected him, "It's them I live with." She smiled simply, "I just want a basic place. Even if it's small. I'm hoping I have enough money by the end of the year." She said.

"I done the same. I worked at a comic book store for about a year so I could get my place with one of my friends, but now I just depend on loans."

"Aren't you afraid you'll end up in debt?" She asked.

"No." Punk laughed, "You can pay it back whenever you can. That's why it's all so magical."

"So you plan on making big bucks in the future?" She asked him, crossing at the crossroads. She didn't want to say anything, but she was approaching the diner she worked at and she wasn't really sure this was where he was intending on going.

"Well… enough to get by." Punk nodded, "What about you?" He wondered.

"Oh, yeah. I wanna have my own book covers… illustrations. Design web pages and canvases." She smiled.

"You got it all figured out?" He chuckled a little.

"I think that's the only thing I have figured out. The rest is just a blur." She shrugged.

"Well, things don't always go to plan, do they?" He said.

"No. They don't." She said, reaching the diner and turning in to face him, "Well, thank you for the walk. I'm gonna ignore the fact that this wasn't where you were headed, and I'm gonna give you the benefit of the doubt and quickly get inside so you can walk all the way back from where we came." She said as he laughed, watching her smile. There was something about her. She'd literally intrigued him so much he'd lost all sense of direction, and she seemed to realise it on her own too.

"Oops." He just shrugged.

"I have to go do a shift now. So if you don't mind..." She smiled up at him.

"Have fun with that." He nodded as she smiled, turning around and walking into the diner as Punk smiled to himself. Was it just him but was she even more beautiful than yesterday. He couldn't believe he'd actually walked all the way to the diner when he was meant to go the complete opposite way.

"Did you get lost on the way home?" Seth laughed as Punk eventually got home, throwing his bag over and walking into the kitchen that was attached to their living room also.

"I walked AJ to the diner." He said, hiding the fact he unknowingly walked her to the diner.

"Oh, did you?" Seth raised his eyebrows, "Paying an awful lot of attention to this girl." Seth observed.

"Well can you blame me?" Punk laughed, "She's hot." He said, "And she's sweet." He shrugged, "But she's young and… she seems so focused on college. I'm not gonna bother her." He shook his head.

"Why not?" Seth said, "She clearly likes you, or else she would have told you to get lost today after you walked her to work." He said.

"Nah." Punk shook his head, "I don't want a girlfriend. Plus, her Uncle… not her dad by the way, her uncle arrested me a few nights ago. She'll run a mile when I tell her that."

"Jeez, it's not like you killed someone. You just punched a few guys." Seth shrugged.

"Yeah and she looks like the type to split at the sound of anyone doing anything wrong." She said.

"I'm sure she's not perfect, Punk." Seth rolled his eyes.

"Seems it to me." Punk said.

"I think you should get to know her." Seth shrugged as Punk just shook his head.

"What you want for dinner? Do we even have anything in?" He asked, looking in their empty fridge.

"I fancy some take-away pancakes." Seth smirked, "And I fancy you going to get them." He said as Punk just turned around, glaring at him as he sunk back into the couch, looking back at the TV.

Punk decided it wasn't such a bad idea. He was actually hiding it from Seth that he wanted to go and see AJ at her work, and he deliberately went round about the time he knew she'd be locking up and finishing her shift. He walked all the way down to the diner and walked straight in, noticing it empty bar one old man sitting at the end of the counter on a stool.

"Can I help you?" AJ smiled, not understanding why she was happy to see him. His stupid cubs hat and blonde hair. His smile that really was the sweetest she'd ever seen.

"Just here for some pancakes." Punk smiled.

"Take-away?" AJ asked him.

"Yup." Punk nodded, taking a seat at the stool, the counter in between them as she put his order in and took his money.

"Where is the rest of your clan?" She asked, handing him back his change.

"Seth is at home. Dean is probably out annoying girls at bars." Punk said.

"Well, just by that description I think I know who is who now." AJ smiled, "You three are pretty close, huh?" She smiled. She was allowed to chat with him considering it was nearly closing time and there were no tables needing serviced.

"Yeah. Friends since high school." He nodded, "Unfortunately." He said as she laughed lightly.

"At least you have some friends." She smiled a little.

"You're new. You'll get friends." Punk nodded.

"I don't even think I'm bothered. I've had to do the meeting new friends thing way too much already." She said.

"Look at you, feeling sorry for yourself." He smiled a little as she laughed.

"I enjoy feeling sorry for myself. Makes me feel better about how tragic my life is right now." She said.

"It's just gonna get more tragic, sweetheart." Punk said.

"Thank you. I really enjoy getting advice and confidence boosts." She nodded to him as he smiled. There was just something here between them. He'd never been able to talk to a girl like this. By that he meant not talking to her and just thinking about taking her clothes off.

"So how often are you working here?" Punk asked her curiously.

"As much as they need me. As long as the shifts don't clash with my classes. I come in whenever they ask." She said.

"Are you doing anything tomorrow?" He questioned. He'd never asked a girl out before and actually meant it and wanted her to say yes.

"Are you asking me out?" She smiled a little.

"Am I?" Punk questioned.

"Well, I-"

"April, this coffee has gone cold." The old man at the end of the counter complained as Punk turned around glaring at him.

"Ok, but we're closing soon. I'll get you another cup and then we have to lock up."

"Alright." The old man nodded, "But make it warm." He ordered, "The old waitress used to know just how to make it for me." He said as AJ smiled, taking the cup of coffee that had gone cold, making him another cup.

"You're gonna have to teach me then." AJ humoured him. She'd already gotten to know the regulars and it was just her second day, "Here you go." She passed him over a new warmer cup as he sipped on it.

"Much better." He smiled satisfied as Punk rolled his eyes, watching AJ smile and wander back over to him.

"Customer service guaranteed, right?" She smiled.

"Yeah, well I'm a customer and I had a question." He said as AJ laughed.

"I'm working tomorrow." She said as he just nodded casually. He knew how to play it cool when he was turned down, which wasn't very often actually, "But… come by round about this time, maybe I can fit you in." She said as he smiled.

"Yeah?" He said as she nodded with a glowing smile. That smile. It was becoming his new favourite thing, "Ok… Settled then." He stood up as she grabbed his order from the kitchen window, passing it over to him as he took it gratefully.

"I'll see you tomorrow then." She smiled as he nodded.

"See you tomorrow." He nodded, walking out of the diner. He never even intended to do that but he couldn't help himself. He wanted more than just a few minutes of small talk with her. She was different, maybe that's why he was so interested. Or perhaps it was the fact she was actually interested in conversation with him.

AJ couldn't help but smile giddily to herself after he left, showing some of her young age. She'd never been asked out by a boy, especially not a boy like him. She wasn't quite sure why he seemed so interested in her but she couldn't deny being interested in him. He was very dreamy. She found herself getting lost in his eyes as he spoke to her, even if it was just for a few minutes. Her only concern was his age. He didn't look like the type to spend his time bothering with clueless eighteen year old girls, but that didn't mean she was gonna get scared off.

A/N: Let me know what you think.