The Locker Room •• Ashton Irwin ••

25.

I felt a smooth texture under my fingertips and I remembered what I told Ashton yesterday and what he told me. He's not the person for love but I want him to love me.
My eyes fluttered open and I looked up at his face, that looked so much more peaceful asleep. All the worry washed off his face. I stroke his cheek and felt the slight stubble on his face. "A picture lasts longer Elizabeth." He said without opening his eyes.
"If you would let me take one," I started.
"No." He said and I could see the smile forming on his face. Not a second later I heard the door downstairs click shut. I rapidly sat up.
"Ashton you have to leave." I whispered.
"What's wrong?" He said opening his eyes.
"My mom would kill me if she saw you here. Now hide." I pointe away from my bed and he sat up slowly. "A little quickness is required for this, daddy." I whisper shouted to him. I heard him groan and he jumped off the bed. He looked around the room and let himself fall on his stomach. I heard footsteps on the stairs and I urged Ashton to move. He shoved himself under the bed as I dove in it. I pulled the blanket over me. I closed my eyes and I felt the light hit my eyelids as I heard the door open with a creak. After a few seconds I heard the door close as expected but what I didn't expect was for my bed to dip in beside me. "Eliza, honey, wake up." I heard my mom say and I opened my eyes, pretending to have just woken up.
"Hey mom." I let my voice crack a little like I was tired, which I actually am.
"Hey baby. I wanted to ask how you were doing? I almost never get to see you." She said striking my hair.
"Maybe that's because of you being at work all the time." I moved my head away from her arm. "I'm tired mom. Can't we do this tomorrow?"
"Yes I think we should." She said. She stood up from my bed and left the room.
I was so hard for her. That was never my intention but I can't talk to her now and at other times she's getting the sleep she deserves or she's at work. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.
I felt the bed dip in again but this time I felt strong arms encircle me. "Are you okay?" He asked. I just nodded. I felt his lips on my forehead before I fell asleep.

"Wake up Princess time to get to school." I heard Ashton whisper into my ear as he woke me up.
"Hey Ash." I said. I pecked his lips and sat up. "You don't have any clothes." I stated as I walked to my closet.
"No shit Sherlock." He said. "That wasn't at all obvious."
"I was just saying, that I have a shirt for you in my closet. I used to sleep in those." I pulled an old green day shirt off the shelve and threw it to him. "Try it on." I urged him. I picked an all time low singlet for myself and picked my ripped skinnies. They would look awesome with my black and white vans.
"How does it look?" Ashton asked as he turned me around. I looked over him and saw the shirt was a tad tight but it fitted.
"Good. It really shows your muscles." I winked.
"Would you like to see them?" He flirted back.
"No we have to go to school." I grabbed our bags and jumped down the stairs three at a time. "My mom is a heavy sleeper." I said as I got two apples and walked to the door. Ashton already sat in the car as I got in. "Here." I said handing him the apple.
"This is your breakfast?" He asked shocked. "Next time I'm taking you somewhere for breakfast instead of dinner." I smiled and took a bite out of mine.
"I'd love to Ash."

"Hey Lizz. How are you? I heard you went to you know where yesterday." Izzy asked as I walked up to her and Luke.
"I'm fine. Ashton made sure of that." I said giving her a hug.
"Woo. And you did what?" She asked.
"We didn't do anything. We just cuddled and fell asleep, nothing else."
"Are you sure?" She asked pulling up an eyebrow. I really need to practice that. It's so cool.
"Yes I'm sure."
"And does your mom know now?" Luke asked, intruding our conversation.
"No she doesn't and you lot are not gonna say anything." I glared playfully at them and linked arms. "Come on. We need to get to class."

"Eliza." Ashton said shocked when I walked into the locker room.
"Why so shocked? We agreed to meet here, didn't we?" I asked furrowing my brow.
"Yes but I missed an appointment for work yesterday and I need to get there now." He said before tying his shoes. I looked at his face and saw the worry on it.
"I know I said not to ask about your work, but what's more important than staying to study," with me. I added in my head.
"It's what you said. You wouldn't ask about it." He stood up and kissed my forehead, letting his lips linger there for a few seconds. Me leaning in to the touch of both his hands on my cheeks. My eyes closed waiting for him to pull away like he always does.
I was right. He let go off me and walked to the door.
"Be careful." I said before he left.
"Always." He said.
"May that be our always." I answered.
"Always." I heard him whisper before he closed the door leaving me with my thoughts.

The weather seems to have taken over my sulky mood as the sky was pouring rain. I lay on the couch with ice cream watching once upon a time as I heard the rain against the roof. "Why can't I have a happy ending?" I screamed to the TV, dropping the empty bucket. I stood up to throw the bucket away and get another one when the doorbell rang. "Who the pie could that be?" I asked myself as I put the bucket down and walked to the door. I opened it to be met by an surprise.

Ashton stood there all beaten up. Blood dripping out of his hair and nose. I saw bruises forming near his almost broken nose. His hair and closed were all sticking to his body as he stood there in the rain. "Can I come in?" He asked with chattering teeth as I opened the door wider.
I got him to sit on a chair in the kitchen where I gave him an ice pack. "What happened Ashton? Does this have to do with your job?" I asked while soaking a cloth with rubbing alcohol. "I want to know and if you're not gonna tell me you can leave and you'd never have to come back again."
"I can't tell you for your own safety, Elizabeth." He tried to argue.
"Go away." I said turning towards the kitchen counter.
"Elizabeth." He begged.
"Go." I closed my eyes against the tears. I wasn't a person to cry but I guess he changed me.
"It began a few years ago." He started to say. "My dad left when I was 7 my brother wasn't even born and my sister was three. My mom didn't have enough money to let us grow up like normal kids. When I was fourteen a guy from our neighborhood let me look at a job like he had." Ashton was spaced off as I turned around to look at him, arms crossed. "He sold drugs. That was his job, that is my job now. I need the money and I'm glad I did it because that's the reason we could move away from there and we can go to school here now. I want them to have a better youth than I have. I don't need the money anymore but I can't get away from those people, neither can I run away from my past. the little girl that gave you my first message, she's my little sister Lauren. My brother has just turned 7 this year. Just as old as I was when the jerk left us for the dirt." I wiped with the cloth at the cuts on his face.
"You don't have to tell me more, Ashton."
"But now you know as much about me as I know about you." He held me hand still on his face before pulling it off and kissing the back of it. "I think I love you Elizabeth. But I also think I'll keep it a secret so I won't scare you away."
"You know you couldn't scare me away if you wanted to Ashton."
"Love me less, princess."
"Love me longer, Daddy."
"Can I sleep over?" He asked, looking up through his eyelashes.
"Of course you can." I said, gently kissing his puffy lips. "Come on. Go lay upstairs. I'll fetch something to eat."

We lay on our backs next to each other after we had eaten. I let him lay his head on my chest before moving him till he became the little spoon. "I'll protect you, Ashton, please sleep now." And he did. I saw his eyes close and his breathing evened out.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•
Hey guys,
See I didn't leave y'all on a cliffhanger for once. Did you like the chapter? Sorry for all the sad stuff btw. This just all needed to happen. This chapter is for lashtonshots may you have a wonderful day after all. Just like the rest of you.
Xx Noa.