More Than a Teacher - Ashton Irwin

70

"I ate this morning by the way." I tell Kat, containing my smile as I swallow my medication.

We had just ran through a therapy session like she mentioned earlier during the day.

Ashton left us both to some privacy, going out to get himself some dinner while Kat and I talked.
This time actually about overcoming my anxiety and PTSD.

"Now that's what we like to hear," Her lips tug up cheerfully. "One step closer to getting out of here.
It's closer than you think. You're doing really well." She winks and those words are like music to my ears.

I want nothing more than to get home and into my own bed.

Ash returns shortly after Kat left, the ray-bans and cap on like a disguise as he makes his way through the hospital. No one here other than myself has seen him with them off. We are taking every measure we can to keep us on the down low.

He crawls into the bed with me, a smirk always appearing on his face whenever he sees me.

"What did you eat?" I question with my voice slightly strained as my chest is compressed by his body weight lying over me.

"Nuggets." He mumbles into my neck and I roll my eyes. How childish of him.

"Just nuggets? How many did you have?" I chuckle with the little lung capacity I have left.

"Six nuggets." He rolls off me to lay on his side with eyes fluttering closed.

"You got six nuggets?" I quirk a brow at him with an inquisitive grin.

"Mhm," He shifts to get more comfortable, one of his arms hooking under my waist and pulling me on top of him so that he can lay flat on his back.
"I got a six nugget happy meal." He mutters quietly with his eyelids still closed.

I can't contain my giggle, sitting up so I straddle his hips. I notice the side of his mouth twitching up as I find the humor in a grown man ordering a happy meal.

"What did you do with the toy?" I speak through my grin in amusement.

"Not keep it. Obviously." He scoffs, peeling his eyes open briefly.

"Hey it's 2019, a grown man can keep a McDonald's toy if he wants." I smile.

•

Waking up the next morning, I attempted some more food that I was delivered for breakfast.

I get up and wash my face, brush my teeth, trying to get back into my regular routine of normality. I get back into bed, ready for Kat to arrive for our morning session. Ashton tugs on his hat and puts on his sunglasses, ready to leave me for my therapy session. Just as he kisses my lips goodbye there's a brisk knock on my door before it immediately opens.

That's not Kat.

Instead a nurse lets the two policemen standing beside her into my room.

"Morning Ava, just the detectives here to speak to you." She announces as they file into the room with papers under their arms.

These are two of the men that were working on this case and are the same ones that spoke to me initially a few days ago. I'm glad they aren't the same ones that spoke to Ashton though.