Lost Without Them (Ashton Irwin Story)

Guess who's back

Storm's POV

"...Also, your test is on Monday, so do not forget. I hope you have been paying attention and keeping your notes in order otherwise it's your own fault if you end up failing my class." My maths teacher, Miss Whitlow, finishes her speech with a shrug.

She may be the only teacher that I can honestly stand to be around in this hellhole but, when it's the last lesson of the day, nobody is paying her much attention. I have some notes written down from today's lesson, but I have to admit that I did end up tuning her out halfway through and start randomly doodling in the margin of my page.

I look up at the clock above her desk and mentally count the seconds until the final bell rings. Just as the small hand on the clock hits twelve, the bell ends my mental countdown.

"Have a good evening, and please at least try to study," Miss Whitlow shouts over the ruckus that is the mad dash to get out of the classroom. She obviously means well but she has no chance - nobody cares what the teachers have to say once that bell goes at the end of the day.

I pack up slowly, already well aware that Mikayla, the head bitch of the school, and her Barbie doll wannabe minions are going to be prowling the halls right about now and I have no patience to deal with her antics today.

Just as I finish packing up and start to make my way towards the door, Miss Whitlow speaks up again.

"Lilith," I cringe internally. I hate my name and everyone who knows me knows this fact but the school refuses to let me change it on my papers so I have to suck it up and deal with it until I can leave this place. "Is everything alright? You've been quite quiet lately and that is a little out of character, even for you. I know how much you hate people asking you things like this but I worry."

"I'm fine. I'm just stressing a little about the upcoming exams and I guess everything is just catching up to me now. I'm also just a little tired." I lie as smoothly as possible. I know I shouldn't lie but there is no way anyone else can find out – I can't deal with all of that all over again.

You see, I used to have a best friend called Duke. He knew about it all; the bullying, my other habits, everything. But he got mixed in with the wrong crowd after we started to drift apart – started to go to parties with the "cool kids", drinking and all the other stuff the popular kids do. He was drunk beyond any sense of reality when he let all my secrets fly. The party he was attending at the time just so happened to contain all the popular kids and the chatterboxes. Since that night my life has been pretty much hell.

"Just remember, I'm here if you ever need to talk."

This conversation is definitely uncomfortable because she is right – I hate people digging around in my life. I think quickly and decide to use the lull in conversation as my opportunity to make my escape.

"Thank you for your concern but I really should be going. I've already missed my bus and I really don't want to be later home than I have to." I reply.

"Alright, run along now. By the way, good luck with the test on Monday, I'm sure you won't let me down."

I just nod in recognition of her words before making a quick escape out of the door. As I leave the front doors of the school and pass the almost empty parking lot I take a deep breath, thankful for one thing at least – that the chat got me out of being harassed today. I plug my headphones in and turn on my Green Day playlist to listen to during the walk home.

----------------------------------------------------

As I open the front door, I hear very faint chatter coming from somewhere in the house that fades out almost as soon as I step inside – well that's not creepy at all. Note the sarcasm.

"I'm home, mum," I shout through the house, hoping she will reply so I'll know where she is.

"I'm in the living room, baby. There are some people here to see you." I follow my mum's voice and directions, stepping hesitantly through the doorway of the living room before stopping in my tracks once I see the guests she was talking about.

It can't be...

They're home.

There sat on the sofa is my older brother, Michael, and his best mate and fellow band member, Calum.

"Oh my God," I whisper, feeling the tears spilling over onto my cheeks as I rush towards my brother. Landing in his lap, I bury my face in his neck and hold on tight. "You're finally home." I whimper.

"Yeah, I'm here now, baby." He comforts me, stroking my hair gently in the mean time.

I reluctantly lift my head from his neck after taking a second to calm down before turning my head to face Calum, a soft smile creeping onto my face at the sight of him.

"Hey Cally," I mumble in greeting. I have called him this for as long as I can remember; as far as I know, I started calling him that because I was young and couldn't say his name properly, but I still call him this even now.

"Hey Storm," He smiles. He doesn't like it when I cry so he always tries to make me smile because he knows that other people smiling is contagious to me, I always end up smiling back.

I make grabby hands at him, still seated on Michael's lap, and he shares a look with Michael, who nods softly, before shuffling closer and joining our little cuddle session. I don't ask why Calum is here, it is a regular occurrence for him to be here when Michael was around, and I already know that Joy and Mali are visiting other family members elsewhere currently. They obviously didn't know Calum was coming home, or maybe they did, who knows.

"The other two will be here later on. They went home but are coming here later to have a sleepover since they wanted to see you too. Cal is staying here for the time being so don't freak if you see him around." I raise an eyebrow at my brother's choice of words. "Okay, I get it, he is always here anyway but I was just saying."

I giggle at him, making him and Calum smile. I only now notice that mum has left the room but my attention soon goes back to the boys in front of me.

"We missed you, Storm," Calum mumbles as he moves around to get comfortable.

"I missed you too, guys." I sniffle slightly.

This day got so much better. I'm a little happier now that my boys are back. Maybe things will finally take a turn for the better, just maybe.