Begin Again - A.I

nine.

The next day Ashton is incredibly hung over.

I'm eating my breakfast when he drags himself around the house, sliding onto a barstool and putting his head in his hands. I turn to him, mid-chew of my muesli. "Morning."

He just makes a groan that does not sound at all human.

I carry on eating my muesli, deciding to just let him suffer. He's obviously dealt with this before. I would think that he would have some kind of routine by now.

"I need orange juice," he mumbles, dragging himself to the fridge and pulling out the juice carton. He pours himself a glass and sculls the lot back, sighing in delight. "Man, I hardly remember anything from last night. Did you have a good time?"

I remembered everything from last night, including the conversation Ashton and I had on the balcony later on in the night. Does he not remember that at all? I'm kind of disappointed and ... upset? I guess I wanted him to at least have some remembrance of it. I had really felt that for the first time since I had left ten years ago, Ashton and I had bonded again. There was a sense of hope that maybe we could be friends again. I guess I spoke too soon.

"Huh?" My mouthful of muesli suddenly feels like bark. "Oh, yeah. It was fine."

He points at me, and I'm shocked as to where his gleaming smile came from. "I knew it. Didn't I tell you? See, you just have to learn how to have fun, El."

I chew angrily. "I know how to have fun," I snap. "If I remember correctly, you were drunk all night."

"Ah, but I had fun."

"You don't even remember anything."

"That's why it was fun." He groans as he holds his head. "This headache here?" He moves to go fetch some painkillers. "This is proof of a night that was filled with fun."

"Whatever," I mumble. "You're just an ass."

"Huh?"

"Nothing."

"Anyway, I should probably get dressed. I have to leave in five."

I sit up at this. "What? Where are you going?"

He downs the last of his juice and shoots me another annoyingly bright smile. "Work," he says simply. "I know it may be hard for you to understand, but some of us do have to work to earn our money."

"You work?" I was baffled, to say the least. Why would he go out the night before he had to work? Why was I only hearing about this now? Where did he work?

"I have to get by somehow." He exits the kitchen but I'm not done talking to him. I hurriedly scramble to my feet, discarding my muesli and rushing down the hallway after him.

"Well, where do you work?"

He stops at the linen cupboard and pulls out a towel, turning to look at me strangely. He closes the door slowly. "What's it to you?" He raises his eyebrow.