Never Again

Chapter 16

*Ashton's POV*

After we explain everything to Cailyn I get the girls back in the car.

"Now what Fletcher?" Cailyn asks, well I guess I forgot to mention one thing.

"Who's Fletcher?" Adriana asks genuinely confused. Cailyn motions towards me.

"Actually my name isn't Fletcher," I tell Cailyn and she looks at me with wide eyes. "My name is Ashton Irwin. Nice to meet you," I smile at her. "I would shack your hand, but I don't want to die."

"Wait you have the same name as Adriana's boyfriend?" Cailyn asks, still confused.

"I have a boyfriend named Ashton, too. I'm such a player," Adriana says from the backseat.

"No there is only one Ashton and that's me. Adriana is dating Calum, her dating me was just a lie for," I forgot her name again. Carlie. Carly. Carmen. Clara. I think that's what is was. "Clara?"

"Who? Do you mean Catie your girlfriend?" Cailyn asks.

"That's her name, thanks it would have bothered me all day," not really, but why not act the boyfriend part.

"You seriously didn't remember her name?" Cailyn asks amused.

"No not really when she introduced you I though her name was Cailyn," I tell Cailyn.

"Wow, wait why doesn't Catie know your name is Ashton?" Cailyn asks. I've been trying to avoid that question. I don't want everyone looking at me differently, like I'm dangerous.

"If I tell you, promise you won't think of me differently," Cailyn nods as does Adriana. "Ok well you know Calum right?" another nod from Cailyn.

"He's my boyfriend right?" Adriana asks.

"Yup," even I can hear the irritation in my voice. "And you also know that he's a drug dealer, correct?"

"WAIT WHAT?!" Cailyn screams.

"I'll take that as a no. Ok so Calum is a drug dealer," I tell her.

"I'm dating a drug dealer?" Adriana asks.

"Yes. Um I'll start from the beginning. My parents both died in a train wreck when I was 4. I no family left to take care of me. I was put into the adoption process, I was adopted by this really nice family when I was 5. I spent about a year with them, but then the mother got pregnant and decided they didn't want me anymore. I was put back in the adoption process. When I turned 7 I figured I would never be adopted for real. But what happened to me was way worst then being homeless."

"What's so bad about being adopted?" Cailyn asks me.

"Nothing," she looks at me weirdly so I explain more. "I was adopted by the Hoods. They cared for me less then the adoption center did. I would go days on end with no food at all. I would steal just to survive. The Hoods adored Calum, he got all the fame and love. He got everything any child could ask for. He treated me like a dog, didn't care about me, not even a little bit."

"Sorry I'm slow, but does that mean Calum Hood, Adriana's boyfriend, is your brother?" wow took her awhile.

"Yes congratulations you can read in between the lines," I tell her sarcastically. "Ok so any way, I started working when I was 10."

"You have to be at least 14 to work," Adriana tells me.

"Yea I know, that's why it was a good thing I look older then my actual age. Why do you know that?" I ask her.

"Cause that's when I had to start working," she tells me and I sigh.

"Why did you have to start working so young? How do you remember that?" Cailyn asks.

"I haven't forgotten everything. I remember more than you would think," she said and I can tell she remembers what her father has done to her.

"So you remember your dad?" I ask her.

"Yea, of course I remember my own father," I give her a look that says I know. "Oh, um yea," she doesn't look glad about it, and I don't blame her.

"Do you remember Calum?" I ask giving her the same look.

"Seriously him, too?" she asks.

"I'll take that as a no," I reply.

"I don't know what the fuck you guys are talking about. I don't want to know so I'm not going to ask," Cailyn exclaims from the passenger seat.

"One last question, do you remember Dulcè?" I ask her.

"Sort of I guess," she says.

"Not physically but mentally," I try to explain to Adriana with out giving anything away to Cailyn.

"Oh than yea I remember," she tells me.

...

I pull into my girlfriend's driveway with Adriana and Cailyn still in one piece. Thankfully.

"So, what do we tell Catie?" Cailyn asks.

"How bout we don't tell her," Adriana proclaims from the back seat.

"You know I'm all about lying to my girlfriend, but why?" I ask her.

"Because I don't like people looking or talking to me like I'm stupid," she explains and I know what she means. That's probably why she hated the woman outside of the store the other day.

"Ok well my name is Fletcher, Catie's boyfriend. You're dating Ashton, not Calum," I tell Adriana, because I don't want her to be confused and embarrass herself.

"But you're Ashton," she tells me.

"Yea, but Catie doesn't know that," I inform her. I get out and open the door for both girls. They thank me and we walk to the door. Adriana knocks and Catie answers shortly after. When she opens it I realize it most be weird we all came back at the same time. Catie doesn't notice and let's us in.

She comes over and kisses me. Ew. When she turns her back I fake throw up. I can see Cailyn and Adriana smile beside me.

"So, where have you guys been?" Catie asks.

"You know here and there," I tell her.

"I found Adriana having a panic attack so that's where we've been," Cailyn says.

"Yea, I've been having a lot recently," Adriana agrees. We hang out for a bit more before everyone gets ready to leave. I offer to take Adriana home so she doesn't have to walk. Adriana, Cailyn, and I walk our together.

"So Adriana do you want to stay at Cailyn's house or mine?" I ask Adriana.

"If you stay at mine I'm just warning you, I don't have a lot of room," Cailyn tells Adriana.

"Actually there's stuff I need to talk about with Ashton," Adriana tells Cailyn. I try to figure out what she's talking about. I'm so focused on that I don't hear what Cailyn says. I see Adriana has her mouth hung open in shock. We make eye contact and I wink at her.