AFRAID {a.i.}

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Song of the Chapter: You & I - One Direction.

My head was pounding when I woke up, the only thing that stopped me from getting out of bed was Ashton. The surroundings were unrecognisable. It was like a mini house and I was confused. Ashton looked tired and I felt extremely ill. As I stirred, I flipped over to the opposite side I was lying and that set me off. I quickly rushed to what looked like the bathroom and vomited. Every part of me was let with no energy. I sat on the bathroom floor and clenched my stomach. I don't remember anything.

"Brooke..." Ashton groaned as he walked into the bathroom. I watched his face fall as he noticed me by the toilet. "Hangover?" I looked at him but before I could reply, I was vomiting once again.

"I was drinking..." My voice slightly broke and he nodded, sitting next to me. I sat back down and buried my head. "I can't believe you have to see me like this."

"I'd rather see you like this than how you were last night, Brooke, you were so fragile... I never realised you put on such a front." Ashton sighed and I looked ahead of me.

"That's just me, Ashton." I replied, chewing the inside of my cheek. The urge to vomit was real. My stomach was tearing me out. I just couldn't stop. I leaned over the toilet and puked, again. This time Ashton held my hair back and rubbed my back. I groaned and leaned back. Ashton flushed the toilet and grabbed some water from the bedroom. He handed it to me and instructed me to wash my mouth out.

"I don't want you to shut me out, Brooke." Ashton looked at me through the bathroom mirror. I looked down and nodded.

"I don't want to shut you out either, Ash. But this is me." I turned and threw my hands up in surrender. He nodded and walked into the bedroom. I breathed out and looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was wavy. Which meant it had been washed. What even went on last night? I rubbed my forehead in frustration and noticed the cut on my cheek. That, I remembered.

"You know what, no. You will not shut me out. I didn't fucking give up my night last to come here to Cassie's after a phone call from Luke, to be treated this way Brooke. I did not carry you in here and undress you, to be shut out. I did not wash your hair and tuck you in bed, to wake up to this. Fuck, Brooke. I care. More than anything. Now we are getting in my truck, and we are going to drive to your grans, together. And on the way... You're going to tell me everything that happened yesterday." Ashton yelled. I watched him walk out in anger. Did he really do all of that? Wash my hair... tuck me into bed. What have I become? I slammed my face with water and walked back into the bedroom. There was a wardrobe. No way could I go anywhere in just this shirt- which I was sure was Ashton's. I found some shorts and just slipped them over my underwear. The heels on the floor, were obviously mine so I picked them up, along with my dress and walked out. It wasn't long until I realised that it was Cassie's house. I was right at the back of the garden. I crept past the house and around the side. The last thing I needed was someone telling me more about a night that I wished never happened. I walked over to Ashton's truck and gulped. He was angry and I hated that side of him. I stepped into the truck and slammed the door. Ashton looked at me but I just couldn't face him. As we drove away, I tried to remember everything that happened. From going to my grans and reading the note, to my argument with my father and to my last memory, seeing Luke at a drunken mess.

"We will go back to yours first, then you can change and then-"

"Thank you." I cut him off. I still refused to look at him though. He was so upset with me, all because of my own doing.

"For?" Ashton slowly replied.

"You cared. You did what not many people would do... So thank you." I turned to him and noticed his hands loosen around the wheel. He grinned, lightly and looked at me.

"And I'm sorry. Sorry for shouting. No matter the circumstances, I would do that for you again in a second if you needed it." Ashton turned back to the road ahead and so did I. His fingers tapped over the wheel and I could tell he was nervous. "What happened, Brooke? You told me last night, but I just can't add it all together."

"I have a little sister... My mother gave her up... Brad knew. He didn't tell me." I bit my lip and looked out the window next to me. I felt so tired, so pained.

"I don't understand."

"Neither do I." I sighed and Ashton placed his hand on my thighs, squeezing it a little. I smiled at him and turned, to continue looking out the window. "I just kept shouting at him, and he hit me I guess and said that I wasn't who everyone thinks I am."

"Well, if he ever lays a hand on you again... I'm just going to.."

"Ashton, it's okay." I placed my hand over his and squeezed it.

--
We arrived at my grans after I changed. My brother wanted to talk to me in the house but I just ignored him. I wasn't ready for that conversation, even if he was. Ashton parked in front of a familiar car, and my mouth dried.

"That's his car, isn't it?" Ashton sighed and I nodded. I watched him and he got out of the car. I followed him into the house and he looked around. "Hasn't changed, has it?"

"Yeah... I don't know what to do with the place..." I smiled and dragged my hands across the service of the table. The photos were still there. Everything was the same.

"You could do anything... You can-" then I thought of something.

"A recording studio in this room... It could be great for you and the band." I walked into my grans room and he followed.

"Really? What about you... You want to write.. And do fashiony things." Ashton chuckled. I shrugged and spun around, looking at every inch of the room.

"Ashton, there's other rooms in this place... Plus, my gran said I should sing more and imagine I could have this as a recording studio in her memory. And it's not like she hated you.. She would love this." I smiled but once again I felt myself run to the nearest bathroom. Hangover issues. I groaned and Ashton ran after me.

"You know it's insane how much a girl can puke... What did you eat?" Ashton laughed and shut the bathroom door. I sat up and sighed.

"I haven't eaten anything... This is so disgusting." I washed my face in the sink and turned to Ashton.

"Did you hear that?" Ashton whispered and I shook my head. A knock at the door caused us both to jump.

"Don't answer." I whispered back and he nodded. But the knocking continued. Ashton jolted and opened the door. My dad stood smiling at him and me.

"Aw young love." His voice was sarcastic and low. Ashton gritted his teeth and I held onto his shirt. He loosened up and I looked down. "You know, I'm buying this place, thinking of making it my own." Ashton pushed him against the wall and held him by the shirt.

"What the fuck is your problem man? That's your daughter. Your mum gave this place to your daughter and you're buying it? How spiteful can a father be?" Ashton spat in his face. My dad laughed and looked at me.

"Strong one you have here. Wanna watch his anger though, you never know what harm he could do." My dad smirked and I looked down. I knew Ashton would never hurt me. Ever.

"Ash, let him go." I sighed and Ashton looked at me as if I was insane. But, he moved and my dad chuckled. "Dad, you can't buy this place unless you have written permission from me. Don't you think your mother thought about this?"

"I'll have this place. You wait." My dad started to walk away and Ashton held the small of my back. I smiled at him and he smiled back.

"I'll give you 2 weeks advance, then you leave. This place is mine and everything in here is mine. So please cherish the time you have in here, because then you'll have to go." I called after him. My dad turned and looked at me before leaving. I turned into Ashton's arms and hugged him. He kissed my forehead and rested his chin on my head.

"I'm proud of you."