Poison《Vampire Luke Hemmings》

Chapter 2 Two Paths of Life

Ashton Irwin as Ashton Irwin

The wind slowly drifted away as I let the white front door barricade me from the exterior elements. I sighed as I ran my hands through my hair to fix the loose strands and dropped my backpack and books on the dark hardwooden floor to the side. Luckily, I did not have any homework assignments today. In fact, I haven't had any in quite a while. I guess it is just a perk of being a senior with one foot out the door.

I yawned as I walked down the hallway of a museum of my family's life. I chuckled as I passed the picture of my brother, Ashton, and I when we were in our toddler years completely covered in mud. Mom would tell us how we used to make mud balls under an oak tree in our backyard and would throw them at eachother. Then I came across the memory of my brother and I on my first year and his third year of school. Then I finally reached a graduation photo of Ashton smiling in his blue cap and gown and diploma.

It was insane to think that soon, I too, would have a photo up next to him. How time flies, you never really take a moment to appreciate it until it is gone. I walked into the kitchen and instinctively went into the stainless steel fridge. I looked through the leftovers but decided against it when I recieved a huge craving. I closed the fridge and opened the freezer next to it and immediately grabbed the mint chocolate chip ice cream. I'm sure it won't hurt if I have a little desert before dinner.

I opened a drawer and obtained a spoon and finally hopped onto the white granite island, opened the frozen pleasure, and began scooping the mixture into my mouth. I don't know if it is because school only has three months left, but lately, I have found myself going back down memory lane. The taste of the mint reminded me of the time when Ashton would always pick me up from middle school and take me out for an ice cream. He would always make fun of my continious flavor choice and I would simply retaliate by flinging a scoop at his face. We were always so close, him and I. With Mom always working, Ashton basically raised me. The only other person here was my grandmother on my father's side, Gran Gran. She wasn't the normal grandmother who would bake cookies and knit while playing bingo. She was the kind of grandmother who was fun and knew how to entertain her grandchildren.
I remember when she took me and Ashton to go see a scary movie, without my mother's consent, and there was this couple in the front row who elucidated enough public display of affection for a last time. Ashton and I, being ten and eight at the time, were disgusted by the act, but our grandmother knew just how to handle it.

As the movie went on, it got to the part where the girl stupidly goes into the haunted house, even with the previous warnings as a giant man-eating spider waited for her arrival. Gran Gran ordered Ashton and I to remain silent as we watched out eighty year old grandmother sneak down to the front row with our half-full bucket of popcorn. My brother and chuckled as this type of behavior was not uncommon from our wacky grandmother. The giant spider attacked as the woman on the screen gave out a petrifying scream which was immediately followed by the couple up front. Ashton and I could not contain our laughter as the couple was drenched in popcorn and fled the theater after our grandmother jumped from behind dumping the bucket and yelling the word kill.
I smiled to myself at the memory, but it was slowly followed with solemn. Gran Gran passed away in her sleep two years ago. It was definetly painful to see her off to her burial sight. Ashton and I were so close to her, and she was our only connection to our father.
I cringed slightly at the mention of the man. Ashton is convinced he abandoned us as Mom would often tear up at the thought of the day he never came home from work. No call, no letter, nothing. All his stuff was still here in boxes up in the attic. We tried to sell it about seven years ago, but Gran Gran refused to allow it. She always defended our father, said he was a good man who died to preserve our future. Ashton and I never understood what she meant, and we may not ever.