Burning Dandelions (5SOS/Ashton Irwin)

17

Danielle's POV

I had gone back to my room, and I sat in my bed until my mother came back downstairs and  came to my room. She stood in my doorway until I noticed the blur out of the corner of my eye.

"Yes?" I asked, looking up from my screen.

"I was just thinking. Do you want to come with me and Liz? It'd be fun. We don't hang out as much anymore." I could hear the begging in my mom's voice. It was kind of like she didn't want to go by herself, so I sat up on my bed, and I stood up, slipping on some shoes. I saw my mom smile out of the corner of my eye. "Ready?" I picked my phone up off of my bed and followed my mom to the car. I wasn't expecting to actually enjoy this at all for some reason. I wasn't excited about it at all. It was nothing towards Liz. I guess I felt like I was hiding a secret from my mom.

We arrived at Luke's old house, which wasn't a far drive at all. We could've walked, and I don't really know why we didn't. As we walked to the front door, Liz opened her door, so we went ahead and entered.

"Hey, Danielle! I haven't seen you in a while," Liz shared as she pulled me into a hug.

"You don't come watch Luke's band anymore?" my mom asked me.

"She didn't tell you?" Liz and I separated from our hug. "Luke moved out."

"Are you serious? Where to?" My mom glanced at me, because I never shared the news that I wasn't going to Luke's house that was up the street, but instead, I was going somewhere else that could be miles away.

"A few blocks away with his friend, Ashton. He's the drummer," Liz began before interrupting our own dialog. "Have a seat." She gestured to the only two seats at the dining table, which I'm sure one was for her husband and the other for Luke.

As I sat, I decided to share something new with Liz. "Actually, Ashton quit the band. They have a new drummer now. His name is Ellington. Luke hasn't mentioned him?"

"Actually, he hasn't. I haven't gotten to talk to Luke much, but you'd would think he'd share this. He's told me about shows and asked me if I wanted to go, but my schedule wouldn't allow it." I nodded along as she spoke, and my mom did the same. "I'm kind of glad that Ashton isn't drumming for them anymore. I never liked him, and I was highly disappointed in Luke when he told me he was moving in with him."

"What's so wrong with that Ashton kid?" my mom asked, trying to get involved with the conversation.

"For starters, he can have the worst attitude, and I could hear him starting arguments whenever I was in the kitchen, and the boys were practicing. I'd always find cigarette butts in my garage when he left. His name even leaves a bad taste in my mouth." Before my mom could even open her mouth, Liz had more to say. "He held them back from anything. Any gigs, rehearsals, anything--- he was always late."

"Do you hang out with him?" my mom had turned and asked me.

"I sure hope you don't. I've see what he's done to some girls he's been with," Liz kept commenting on him.

"What's he done?" I asked, ignoring my mom, but I felt her eyes burning into my head.

"Maybe it's just me that noticed, but they were all arrested for shoplifting. They picked up on some bad habits."

"Danielle, don't hang out with him," my mom said sternly, cutting off whatever Liz was going to say.

"I don't," I lied to my mom. What I heard from Liz wasn't going to stop me from hanging out with Ashton. I was a smart kid. I knew how to handle myself and say no. Liz didn't know the Ashton I knew.

My mind wasn't even on the topics of whatever Liz and my mom were talking about. My mind was now drifted off thinking about how different the Ashton I knew and the Ashton that Liz had described. I couldn't help but think that I was being played as a fool, but then, I would think why would Ashton lie to me?

"You ready?" my mom asked.

I shook my head and looked at her. "Huh?"

"To go get food? Do you want to stay here while Liz and I go pick up something to eat? We'll be right back," my mom informed.

"My husband won't randomly show up. He's gone to visit family for the weekend. None of my boys are coming over either, not expected anyway. You'll be okay." I decided to stay because I wouldn't even be apart of any conversation that was going to happen in the car. As my mom and Liz left, I pulled out my phone and took a picture of the room I was in and send it to Luke.

"You'll never guess where I am," was what I sent with it.

He instantly responded. "Why are you at my house?"

"I broke in. I'm literally here alone," I teased.

"Seriously, what the hell?" Luke texted me.

"My mom and your mom are friends? They decided to hang out, and me having no friends, I got to hang out with them."

"Oh... But why are you there alone?" Luke asked.

"Your mom and my mom went to go get food, and your dad isn't here, so I'm alone. Question... Did you know your mom didn't like Ashton?"

"Did I know? My mom told me everyday! She only emphasized the bad things about him. He's got a lot of good qualities. Why?"

"She's got it in my mom's head that he's some bad kid. I know he's not, but she won't trust me over your mom," I replied.

"That sucks because I think he actually likes you, Danielle. He was all smiley when he got home, and I know he came from your house." I started to smile and even blush a little. I heard a car door. I decided to end the conversation with Luke.

The door opened, and my mom and Liz entered with Chic Fil A.

"Hope you're hungry!" Liz cheered. "Nobody showed up did they?" She laughed at her own "joke".

"I didn't know if you'd want coke or tea, so I'll take whichever you don't want," my mom told me. She had lifted her hand with the coke when she said had coke, and the same with the tea.

"I'll take the tea." I reached my hand out and took it from her hand. Even when I wanted coke, I'd always pick tea because I knew she'd want coke.

"Danielle, I got to thinking about that Ashton kid, and he kind of reminds me of what your father was like. Are you sure you don't hang out with him?" she asked again. I looked her dead in the eyes and lied. Little did my mom know was that he was was in our house just earlier this morning, and I felt extra guilty. "I don't want what happened with your father and I to happen to you. I expect a lot from you. You're a smart kid, and I---"

"Mom! I'm sure Luke's mom wants to hear all about your expectations, but my food is kind of getting cold. I got it. You've told me my whole life, whenever you were even around, what you wanted from me."

"Excuse me?" my mom asked, turning to face me. "This is not the place or the time, Danielle."

"Surprised you even know my name considering you're never around," I sternly commented. I forgot Liz was even around. The guilt got to me, and I wanted someone else to feel guilty, so I was trying to hurt my mom.

"Danielle," my mom spoke calmly, trying to calm me down. "I love you. Can you please just eat or go home?" I stood up from the table, and I exited the garage door, and I decided to walk home, but I wasn't going to stay there for long. I was going to get my car, and I was leaving.

(A/N- I don't know why I decided to write the ending this way, BUT HEY! WHY THE HECK NOT? I got 13 hours of sleep yesterday, and I'm not even tired, and it's late where I am, so why not update?"