The Therapist's Son // Ashton Irwin [AU] ✔

23.

Almost the minute the bell rang for lunch, my phone was ringing in my bag. I basically turned it inside out, having to take out my binder, a textbook, and my makeup pouch before I found it, sliding the answer button and answering with a struggled: "Hello?"

"Hey, Miss America," I rolled my eyes, seeing that my old nickname had been brought back to haunt my ass. I fought to get everything back in my bag with one hand, heading towards my locker to put the textbook back anyways. "How'd your test go?"

My chemistry teacher always graded our tests right in front of us, letting us know how we did instantly, instead of letting the suspense eat us alive while we waited until after school or the next class session.

"The test was hard as hell," I admitted, glad I studied with Ashton yesterday. "But I got a C, so I can't complain. What's up with you, Pretty Boy?"

"Pretty Boy?" I could practically hear the cocky smirk on his face as he repeated the two words. "I'm not going to object to that." I couldn't fight away the eye roll.

"But I am just outside my beautiful girlfriend's school, waiting impatiently for her to get her butt outside so I can take her to lunch in celebration of a B on her chemistry test."

"C." I corrected.

"Shh, don't ruin it. Don't bother going to your locker though. Come to the parking lot now, unless you want to be late to your class after lunch."

"Oops," I laughed. "I can't let that happen. I have history next. I'll make a 180 and head to the parking lot now."

"Okay. See you in a few minutes, beautiful." I blushed before mumbling a quick goodbye, hanging up and turning around to hurry out to the parking lot.

Normally I hated Mondays, but Ashton taking me out to lunch was a fun surprise, and I suddenly found myself in a great mood, smiling like an idiot.

"Hey, Natalie, where do you think you're going?" I was stopped by a familiar someone.

"I can't talk now, Luke," I rushed, walking by him. "I'm going to lunch with Ashton."

"But it's pizza day," Luke mumbled sadly. "You almost never miss it. Plus, Eric is absent. Who will stay with me?" Eric was Luke's best guy friend, and his best friend in general before I showed up here.

"Rain check. I'll see you later. Maybe we can go down the street for frozen yogurt or something after school." I suggested, but I could still tell my best friend was hurt. I suppose I should have felt guilty, but I found myself thinking how he was being just a little clingy. I loved Luke, he was my best friend, but some time for him to self-soothe couldn't hurt.

He wouldn't die if I took one lunch with my boyfriend.

"It's about time!" Ashton explained when I finally made it to the parking lot. He stood, back leaning against the car's hood while he waited. "I was worried you'd stood me up."

"I literally hung up three minutes ago." I defended.

"And we spoke for a full minute, which is four minutes in total, meaning you only have 31 minutes left until you have to be back in this very spot!" He exclaimed dramatically, giggling before leaning forward to plant a kiss on my cheek. I did my best to not turn red but felt my cheeks heat up anyways at his small gesture of PDA.

Ashton opened my door for me, allowing me to get settled in the passenger seat before getting in the driver's seat, mumbling while he hooked his seatbelt, double checking to make sure I had mine on as well.

"Where would you like to go?" He smiled, putting the car in drive.

"Um, I have an idea," I said. "For our first lunch date - and official date in general, I suppose - We should go to that coffee shop a few blocks from here."

"The one we first met in?"

"Back when I thought you were a complete asshole. Yes, that coffee shop." Ashton sighed, shaking his head in response but keeping his eyes glued to the road.

"And a month and two weeks later, you're dating this jerk!" He exclaimed. I shrugged.

"Yeah, not sure why though. He's kinda lame."

"Hey," My boyfriend whined, pouting. "You can stop referring to me as if I'm not the one driving you to lunch right now." I nodded, agreeing with him on that one. I leaned over and placed a kiss on his cheek, and he smiled in return.

"By the way, they have the best grilled cheeses ever." He informed me, and I couldn't help but laugh. I'd only tried their coffee once before. After all, it was a coffee shop.
*****

After twenty-four minutes of Ashton arguing with me that I couldn't only have coffee and a plain donut for lunch.

"It's not filling at all! At least take half of my sandwich." He almost pleaded, but I shook my head, content with my food and drink choice.

"That's not even lunch! Its breakfast!" He groaned.

"Yeah, but, we get a super early lunch. Look, its 11:21. This time yesterday we had just finished eating eggs and toast. Besides, I'm probably going to eat after school with Luke." Ashton rolled his eyes, realizing this was a battle he would not win. I smirked and sipped the coffee, before suggesting that we go back, I had nine minutes before history and I still had to go back to my locker to switch my textbooks.

The drive was pretty quiet despite the music from the radio and Ashton humming along to most of it, making me smile. I could do this forever. I didn't want to go back to school at all.

"Thanks for lunch, Ash." I said when the car stopped in front of the school.

"My pleasure," He responded, allowing me to kiss him quickly before he continued. "I just wish you would have actually eaten more though."

I smiled, knowing he was just looking out for me. He was a good boyfriend. I grabbed my bookbag out of the backseat, remembering the night before last when we had slept there. I hoped there would be a lot more times like that.

"I'll be fine. I'll see you later?"

"If you want to, sure. Otherwise I'll see you tomorrow. You have an appointment with my mother."

"Fuck," I cursed, my eyes closing as I avoided letting out a frustrated groan. "I forgot, I see her on Tuesdays."

"Yeah, sorry," As if he could do something about it. God, I hate therapy. Ashton was interrupted with the first bell, saying I had five minutes to get my shit and get to fourth period. "You'd better get going."

"Yeah. See you later." I turned and headed back into the school, headed straight for my locker. I entered my locker combination before hearing the click and reaching into my bag for my science textbook. I opened the locker and gasped when a folded piece of binder paper fluttered to the tile at my feet. I switched my textbooks quickly before closing the door and bending over to investigate the mysterious paper.

Unfolding it, my throat tightened when I read a simple two words scribbled onto the center of the page in blue ink. Two words that made my heart drop to my feet.

Car crash.

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A/N: Long ass chapter. I actually couldn't sleep and wrote all of this at like 3A.M. last night and since I just woke up I'm still too tired to go back and edit.

However, now we have the note, lunch, a hurt Lukey.

So much drama, I'm pretty damn proud of myself.

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Love you guys.

x callie