Make Me Smile || Kurt Cobain

Chapter 60 - Don't Be Late

Ashlyn

It was comforting to once again be back to the rainy city in the Pacific Northwest called Seattle.

Home sweet home.

Granted I wasn't the same girl who left this place a while back. I was a completely different person now.

The girl who left Seattle two months ago was an easy going, chill, innocent, fun loving girl who was excited to be a rockstar.

The girl who's returning to Seattle is a timid, self-loathing, broken girl who had lost her innocence.

But one thing I knew about this girl was that she was gonna heal.

One step at a time.

The first place to go was to the home of the person who helped me heal the first time I went through a rough patch. And that person was none other than...

"Hi Mike, it's been a while" I said with a small smile as I stepped into his music store.

Michael, who seemed to be currently tuning a guitar, dropped his mouth wide open upon seeing me.

Seconds later he dropped his guitar and ran up to me and engulfed me in a tight hug.

"Ashlyn... oh fucking God I missed you" He said, squeezing harder. "My little sister. You look..." Michael was about to say something but no words could escape his mouth as he seemed to be scanning my face for something.

Of course, Michael could read me inside out. Plus I was sure that anyone could see that there was something wrong with me.

But I wasn't gonna tell him what happened of course.

Because despite Izzy's threat, I was ashamed.

Michael

Ah yes. There was something wrong alright. This wasn't my Ashlyn.

For one she had that tight "holding in tears" smile.

And secondly, the little spark in her eyes was gone.

In addition, her posture seemed off and she just gave a generally sad aura.

My baby girl was hurt. Probably heartbroken, stressed out or harmed.

I prayed it was the second. Cause I really didn't wanna commit murder anytime soon.

"Okay Ashlyn, what is it? And don't lie to me" I urged. "Que pasa?"

"You were right, touring is so not for me" She said. "I fucking hate it"

For real?

"But you were having so much fun. Are you sure nothing happened? Is Kurt okay? Did that bastard Chris come back?"

"No. Actually yes, I don't know" I said wearily. "I don't care either. I just don't wanna be on the road again. I wanna continue working here then go to college next year. I wanna live a normal life again"

"Ashlyn... what really happened? Please, don't lie to me" I said after a while of studying her.

Ashlyn didn't know that I was an expert at reading her emotions. She was like a sister to me after all.

And I could tell that something happened to her.

"Je... Izzy, Izzy Stradlin tried to... he..." And then and there she broke into tears. I instinctively stood up and wrapped my hands around her as she sobbed into my chest. "...he tried to... he tried to force himself on me! Then he smacked my head on the ground and made me bleed"

It was then I took note of the stitches on her head and winced a bit. Damn. That was definitely the result of a huge gash.

"Izzy... Izzy did this to you?" I asked in disbelief. Ashlyn nodded. "Was he high or drunk maybe?"