"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Michael parked his car in front of my house. He had lost all patience with me when I wouldn't tell him why I was crying. I didn't know what to tell him without sounding vague or worrying him, so I kept my mouth shut. Michael just had a way of making something big out of any situation. He didn't know what it was to relax sometimes. I tried to convince him that I was still really upset about the Ashton and Veronica situation, but he didn't believe me.
I stared out the window, sniffling every few seconds.
"All right." Michael said in a tight voice. "When you're ready to talk about it just call me."
I gave a curt nod without looking at him.
I had a problem with shutting everyone out when I was upset. I didn't like to make my problems everyone else's problems so I tried not to talk about them. I kept everything all bottled up and keep myself so secluded because I didn't want to bother other people anymore than I already did.
"Sage?" Arrie mumbled from the couch. "What are you doing home?"
I dropped my backpack by the door and kicked my shoes off at the same time then dashed up the stairs and locked myself in my bedroom. I lied on my stomach, hiding my face in one of my pillows; the only acceptable thing to do when I wasn't ready to face someone. I was upset that Arrie had managed to be right about why he always needed to be with me. I couldn't look him in the eyes just yet and tell him that he was correct and then apologize for doubting him. Deep down I knew he was right, but I hated to admit when someone was right so I tried to play things off like they weren't that serious.
I felt like I was at my breaking point though.
So much had gone on that I was still confused about and I didn't know how much more information I could process before my head just decided to explode.
"Sage..." Arrie lightly tapped on the door. "I can hear you crying so you can't tell me nothing is wrong or convince me to go away."
"I'm dead, go away." I croaked, rolling over to my back and taking a deep breath.
"I'll break down this door and hug you until you're happy again."
"You'll get me sick and Thanksgiving is this week."
"That's a good reason to get you sick because I heard your dad inviting Ashton and his mom to lunch on Thanksgiving and I don't think you'd want to be there to see him."
I sat up, biting at my nails. Arrie was right once again. I didn't know until now that Ashton would be showing up to Thanksgiving festivities and it didn't take long for me to dread wanting out.
"So why were you crying?" Arrie leaned against the doorway after I opened the door. He was so pale and his hair was in a messy ponytail, nonetheless he still looked nice.
Before I knew it my face was buried in the crook of his neck with my arms wrapped around his waist. I didn't cry though, I just needed a sense of comfort right now and Arrie gave me exactly that.
"The Mud president..." I rubbed my nose on the collar of his shirt, making him chuckle. "He showed up to the school and held me at knife point and asked me where Sam was."
"Holy shit." Arrie ended the hug, pulling to look at me. "What happened? How did you get away?"
"Ashton saved the day." I sang in an annoyed tone and rolled my eyes. "Fucking Ashton." I said under my breath.
"I hate the kid, but I'm glad he was there when I wasn't." Arrie rubbed his nose.
"How does the Mud president know who he is?"
![](https://img.wattpad.com/cover/25646486-288-k616093.jpg)
YOU ARE READING
A Certain Romance || Ashton Irwin
FanfictionA girl is convinced she can ruin Ashton's high school career. But all of that's what the point is not, the point's that there ain't no romance around there. Originally published in 2016. Edited and completed in Aug. 2018.