Family Troubles || Redlyn

Take Care

Big Red's POV

I offered Ashlyn my hand. "Here, you're alright..." we sat on the floor in an empty hallway. "You can squeeze it or whatever you need to."

"Y- Yeah, o- okay." She replied, clutching my hand as tight as she possibly could.

"Okay baby, do you want to calm down then talk? Or will talking calm you down?"

"I d- don't know, you choose."

"Okay, talk." I nodded.

"I, um, don't want to."

"Yeah, alright." I hugged her closer to me. "Then let's just calm down. Take your time."

"Class—"

"We've got awhile until lunch is over, and even after it's fine. You can't get anything done like this anyways." I shook my head.

"But—"

"Ash, come on. If it weren't for class, you'd take care of yourself, right? But now you won't?"

"I can't just skip—"

"No one says you are." I sighed. "We'll see what happens. But that is not the point. You have to take care of yourself, Ashlyn."

"I— yeah, I just..." she started crying onto my shoulder. "Just..."

"Wait honey, just calm down." I rubbed her back. Minutes passed. Ashlyn slowly managed to calm down.

"I, uh..."

"Mhm?" I brushed most of her hair out of her face.

"My dad's is here."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Some stuff happened, basically he's stuck at my mom and I's house. Not to mention he showed up when her boyfriend was there, not to mention that even though they're separated, they're still fighting." She sighed.

"Oh." I pulled her closer. "I don't really know how to help. Do they pick a fight from everything, or is there one specific thing, or?"

"Raising me, dating you, blah blah blah."

"Dating me?"

"Don't worry about it." She shook her head. I got tense and hugged her a little tighter.

"Do they not want us dating? I— I love you..."

"Trust me, I know what's happening. It's not about you."

"Promise?" I asked, scared.

"Look, I'm fairly certain they don't care. And if they care, that's too bad for them. Not us."

"Okay. I love you." I told her again, hugging her a little tighter.

"I love you too."