she will be loved -- ashton irwin

vi.

from: ashton irwin

address? and are your parents home? i'd like to meet them.

hunter smiled to herself as she finished her makeup. ashton wanted to meet her parents. but she couldn't have him come in. her father was probably drunk, and she couldn't let him meet jonathon that way.

to: ashton irwin

they aren't home. some other time?

from: ashton irwin

sure thing. send your address still. i'll be there in fifteen.

hunter quickly sent her address, telling him to text her when he was outside.

she stood up from her vanity, smoothing out her white lace dress and slipping into her nude heels. it took her hours to pick out an outfit that was appropriate attire but modest at the same time, just to be safe for her father's sake. she headed downstairs to find her father, still in his suit, sprawled out asleep on the couch and her mother desperately trying to clean up spilled alcohol.

"mommy, i'm leaving soon. he's on his way."

"oh, please, invite him in. i can get your father up, and--"

hunter shook her head. "maybe another time would be better. we're running late anyway," she lied.

"o-oh, yes. you're probably right. well, have a good time, okay? and, please be careful, for jonathon. he's so worried about this election."

"of course."

from: ashton irwin

i'm outside, i think. you sure your parents are out? there are cars in the drive.

hunter waved goodbye and carefully left the house, not wanting to wake up her father. she found ashton parked behind her car, his eyebrows knitted together, most likely due to hunter's lie. he got out of the car as she got closer, and her heart raced. she just knew he was going to insist on meeting her parents.

however, instead, he walked to the other side of the car and opened the door for her. she smiled as she slid into the seat.

ashton opened his own door and got back in, starting the car. "if your parents are out, whose cars are all of these?"

"well, um," hunter felt a lump in her throat. "the jaguar's mine, and the other two do belong to my parents, but they went out with friends. they didn't drive."

"oh. well, anyway, you look beautiful." ashton smiled.

hunter felt herself blushing, a huge change from the last time she'd been on a date with ashton. last time, all she wanted to do was punch him for being such a pig, but he'd been a complete gentleman this time.

"you look extremely handsome yourself," she replied. ashton was wearing a pair of black pants that clung tightly to his legs, a white button up, a black blazer, and a black bowtie. 

hunter wasn't sure exactly what got into her. she never really wanted to go on this date with ashton, but she had grown excited, and now that she was with him, she loved every second of it. 

the pair arrived at the event, cars parked everywhere, people taking pictures left and right. to say it was packed would be an understatement. ashton, once again, opened hunter's door and placed his hand on her back, to lead her in the right direction.

hunter could feel eyes on her as she and ashton made their way inside, and she hoped to god, nothing negative would come out of it.

she and ashton walked in, and after a good amount of searching, ashton took hunter's hand and pulled her over to an older woman. she was beautiful, and hunter could tell it could be no one other than ashton's mother.

"mom, i want to introduce you to someone," ashton said as he touched her arm lightly.

"oh, my, ashton, is this the girl you've been on about? she's gorgeous!"

ashton chuckled, slightly embarrassed. "yes, mom. this is hunter sutton. hunter, this is my mother."

hunter extended a hand to ashton's mother. "it's nice to meet you, ms. irwin."

"oh, dear, it's my pleasure to meet anyone who makes ashton this happy. please, call me anne marie. ms. irwin is far too formal."

"oh, thank you, anne marie."

"we're gonna go find a seat or something, okay? i just wanted to introduce the two of you," ashton told her.

"alright, dear, that's fine. again, hunter, it's a pleasure. i do hope to see you more often. you're always welcome at the irwin home. perhaps your parents can come round for dinner sometime?"

hunter tensed up slightly, but nodded. "i would love that. thank you."

and with that, the pair went to find seats. the room was set up so there were round tables and chairs around them. ashton and hunter sat closer to the front, toward a large podium. 

a few minutes passed, and the large crowd made their way inside to the tables and all took seats. anne marie shook hands and waved and smiled at people as she passed by, making her way to the podium. there were cameras from different news stations everywhere, along with newspaper reporters. hunter really didn't know what was going on, but apparently, whatever anne marie was about to say was really important.

"hello, everyone, thank you so much for coming," anne marie began, a smile on her face. "i'm sure everyone is wondering what the big deal about today is. well, i have a huge announcement, and i wanted it to be reported right away. i'm running up against mr. jonathon sutton this election season for the senate position!"

hunter felt a lump grow in her throat. she was sitting hand-in-hand with the son of her father's opponent. and jonathon sutton was a very competitive man.

hunter would never hear the end of this.

all of a sudden, she just wanted to take anne marie up on her offer to go to the irwin's home. she could not go home to her father now.

***

much like my other update tonight this is also shit im so sorry guys dang