I Choose You // Ashton Irwin

By My Side

Tyler Shaw
If these walls come crashing down
And the rain starts pouring in
And If the stars are burnin out
You know that I can get through anything
If I've got you
By my side
By my side
If I've got you
By my side
~
The school year ended in June, Kayla went to graduation to cheer on her friends.
Ashton spent the night with Mina, as Marcus went to graduation as well.
Mina's mother introduced Ashton to her second daughter, Anna. So affectionately named after Ashton's mother.
He held her in his lap and bounced his leg like he did when Harry was small.
Anna laughed, a big smile plastered on her face at the attention he was giving her. Ashton giggled along with her, excited to have a toddler in his life again.
Mina cuddled up with Anna next to Ashton on the couch to watch a movie. They decided on Paper Towns, as Mina loved the book.
Halfway through, Anna fell fast asleep. Mina's mother took the baby and put her to bed, going to bed herself soon after.
"You two try to be quiet, I have work tomorrow." She winked, let out a small chuckle and headed upstairs to her room.
"Kayla won't mind you staying the night will she?" Mina asked, pulling her knees to her chest.
"Not at all. Marcus won't mind?" Ashton asked, tossing some popcorn in his mouth.
Mina shook her head silently.
"No. He won't mind." She shifted her feet, an uneasy look on her face.
"Mina." Ashton set the popcorn bowl on the coffee table. "What's wrong."
Mina took a deep breath and looked at the floor.
"I don't know why I'm still with him." She said quietly. "He's kind of a dick. Everyone thinks he's so sweet because he does all this stuff for charity but he's not!" She buried her face in her hands and began to cry quietly.
Ashton sighed, his lips pressed together in a straight line.
He put an arm around his best friend, trying to comfort her.
"I love him!" She cried out.
Ashton was never a fan of lying, especially to those he loved, but he had to do something for Mina.
He tilted her face up and kissed her.
He then stood up, unlocked the door, and left.
Mina sat in tears, too confused to go up to her room.
Ashton called her as soon as he got home.
"I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me." He said, letting out a deep sigh and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
Mina sniffled. "Its okay. I didn't stop you. If Marcus asks, you kissed me. If Kayla asks, I kissed you. Lets just hope they don't cross each other." She let out a small laugh.
Ashton smiled to himself, biting his lip.
"I love you. You know that, don't you?"
Mina giggled. "Yeah. I love you, too."
"Friends forever?"
"Forever."
They stayed on the phone in silence until Mina finally fell asleep.
Ashton hung up, and sent her a text.
<Mina, if anything happens to me before I wake, you're the best person I could've ever lived next door to for ten years. I'm getting through life thanks to you. With you next to me I could do anything. Thank you <3>
He fell asleep clutching a stuffed rabbit Mina had given him for his ninth birthday, the same one he'd been sleeping with since the day he received it.