Everything I Didn't Say ✔

Twenty Eight

Sophia's POV

When I woke up, Ashton was no longer beside me. My hair was a tangled mess on my head, and Ashton's shirt clung to my body underneath. It was eleven. My heart slightly deflated when I didn't see Ashton in the kitchen either. He left.

"Fuck." I groaned, rubbing my eyes. I stumbled out of bed, in search of the shorts I had originally came in here with. I jumped eight feet when the bathroom door suddenly opened, and Ashton came sauntering out, glistening wet with nothing but a towel hanging low on his hips. I could see his V- lines, and every prominent muscle in his body. His hair was tangled and wet, dripping into his eyes.

"Ashton! Jesus you scared me." He just gave me a soft smile, and walked over to his suitcase. I stared. A shiver went down my spine as I thought about a very...intimate night around three-ish years ago.

"Babe have you seen my shorts? Its hot." Ashton looked over his shoulder at me, snapping me out if my kinky thoughts. My cheeks flushed pink whenever he called me babe, but I just shook my head.

"So, I spoke with my mum earlier," he looked up at me, after pulling up his boxers, and then dropping the towel. Don't stare Sophia.

"Is she okay? Lauren and Harry?"

"They're fine. They don't know yet." He slid on black basketball shorts, and a plain back T-shirt with cut outs on the sides. "My mum says she's okay, but I can tell she isn't. She's suggested telling Lauren at least, because she's older, but I don't want to upset her. I just want to protect her from him."

"Well what about you?" I softly touched his shoulder. The dark circles around his eyes were still there, even though he slept.

"What?" He took the hand I had put on his shoulder and held it.

"Who's protecting you, Ash?" I asked. He just shrugged, his adorable little smile tugging on his face. We were close, close enough that I could smell his aftershave. I loved it. I don't know how or when I became so comfortable with Ashton touching me, but I really didn't mind at the moment. He sat his forehead against mine, both hands slowly intertwining with my own.

"Sophia." A loud knock came from the door. "Breakfast." It was Louis. I backed away from Ashton and slipped on my shorts.
"I'm keeping this shirt!" I laughed at Ashton who made a face. I opened the door and Louis was there, dressed head to toe in black. "Lou!" I threw myself at him, giving him a big hug. I didn't get to see him often, so I'm taking advantage of this. He easily picked me up and spun me around, his obnoxious little giggle ring in in my ears. Ashton was not pleased. His lips were slightly pursed, but his smile didn't take long to reappear after I wound my arm around his long torso, and tugged him towards the lobby.

"Morning Soph." Calum and Mikey said in unison. They were both excitedly inhaling pancakes. Louis sat at the head of the long table, I sat next to Ashton, and across from Cal and Michael. Luke was there as well, looking down at his lap and his food was untouched.

"Hey Luke." Ashton smiled at the blonde boy. Luke's head perked up at his name, his face oddly blank. No cute smile, no giggly laugh, nothing. His lips were set in a straight line, and he just stared at Ashton for a moment.

"Hi." His voice was scratchy and sarcastic. Ashton looked taken a back, before leaning back in his chair.

"Ashhhhhyyy." I whined, pulling on his arm. He looked over at me, a soft smile spreading on his face with dimples.

"Baaaaaaaabbe." He mocked, grinning. Luke was watching us silently with that same blank look. It was starting to worry me. I swatted Ashton. "Fine, what?"

"Will you pretty please go get me pancakes?" I batted my eyelashes, pointing to the buffet. He gave me a playful glare, before clambering up from his chair.

"Only because you're cute." He sighed, giving me a kiss on the cheek as he walked away. I watched him until he disappeared out of sight. When he turned back around, everyone was looking at me, jaws dropped, eyes wide.

"Uh, hi?" I giggled awkwardly. Michael and Calum exchanged a look and Louis just looked at me. Luke was weirdly silent, stabbing his fork at the waffles on his plate.

"Are you guys dating?" Michael blurted, eyes wide. I immediately felt red creep up my cheeks, as I watched Luke continuously (and rather violently) stabbing his food.

"Uh..." I mumbled, obviously turning red. "I'm not sure yet?" Suddenly, Luke shot up from his chair, the legs screeching on the floor as a furious look crossed his face.

"I'm finished." He snatched his plate and stomped away.

"But you've barely eaten anything mate." Louis said in a challenging tone, as if he was daring Luke to retort.

"I'm not that kind of finished." Luke said harshly, frowning as he quietly stormed away, shaking his head with his hands tucked in his pockets.

"Luke!" I started to get up and walk after him, but Louis abruptly grabbed my arm.

"Just give him some alone time. He's going through a lot." I hesitantly glanced at Luke's back as it retreated around the corner, before slowly sitting back in my seat.

"Uh, what the hell did I miss?" Ashton sat next to me, sliding a plate over. "I just saw Luke looking pissed as hell in the hallway."

"You should know, you're a freaking prick Ashton!" A random outburst erupted from Michael.

Michael.

As long as I've known Michael Clifford, he was one of the most soft spoken and chill guys in the entire world. To see him say something so cruel and mean, was very alarming.

"I'm fucking sick of your shit. I'm sick of this whole thing. And Calum is too. Right Cal?" I awkwardly shrunk into my chair as Ashton snapped his eyes to Calum. He was looking at his large hands folded in his lap, with tears burning in his eyes.

"Calum?" Ashton muttered, sighing. Cal didn't move an inch. "Its true then? You all fucking hate me now?! What the fuck did I do?" Ash tugged and pulled at his tangled waves, and I feared that something very, very bad was going to happen.

"We don't hate you Ash." Calum spoke up in a sad whisper. "We just don't know what's going on with you..."

"Mate, what we're trying to say is that your become a total fucking prick since the second Sophia got here, and we're sick of it." Michael blurted harshly, standing up from his chair to follow after his best friend.

"Oh yeah? Maybe it's because you're all a bunch of stupid, immature, fucking-"

"Ashton stop!" I squeaked nervously, tugging on his arm. His mouth immediately closed as he clenched his jaw. What the fuck is happening?

"You see, the Ashton Irwin I know, would never say that to his best friends." Michael confidently stated.

"We feel like we don't even know you anymore." Calum added softly.

"And if we don't know you Ash, then who even does?" And well, Ashton couldn't even respond to that.