impacts - Ashton Irwin

n i n e t e e n

My eyelids fluttered open slightly as I kept my head down on Luke, my brain scanning where I was. The hospital. All my thoughts came back to me as I closed my eyes again, calming myself from the past few days events.

I was half awake when I heard the door open, thinking it was nurse until I heard Ashton's voice.

"Hey man, it's not what it looks like," Luke started but Ashton interrupted.

"I know, you guys are best mates, I get it."

Footsteps were heard coming closer, to the side where my back was facing. A hand was placed on the small of my back, tracing tiny circles as my skin shivered.

"She was real worried about you," he cleared his throat, "Cares about you a lot, she caught the closest bus here and the teachers were flipping their shit wondering where she was." Ashton chuckled as Luke did too.

"Yeah, I stressed her out, she always panics about hospitals, but we had an argument the other night, anxiety levels went through the roof." My heart skipped a beat as Luke mentioned his anxiety.

"How's the head?" Ashton asked, which made me relieved for some reason, he didn't push Luke into asking more questions.

"It's like a hangover, times ten. It hurts like a bitch, but I'm okay," he reassured, causing both of them to laugh.

Ashton laughed loudly in reply and the two sat in silence for at least 10 seconds.

"Y'know, the entertainment here is shit, while Annabelle's been sleeping they play music, but absolute shit. Like Elton John, not my style." Luke scoffed and I had to hold my laugh in, I was 'asleep' in their mind.

"My cousin Harry, the one you met, used to sing Elton John to me because I hated some of his songs." Ashton remarked, my body stiffening at the sound of Harry as my pulse quickened. Flashbacks reappeared without permission as I shook.

I whimpered, accidentally as my brain only let me think about that night in the bathroom stall. I threw my hands over my ears as I heard his grunts of pleasure, mine of pain. Shaking my head, I tried to get the thoughts out, thinking they would slip away, but I was wrong.

I was so indoctrinated with the flashbacks that I didn't notice Ashton was shaking me. I looked up with salty eyes.

"Fuck, are you okay?" He asks with panic. I simply nod and wipe my tears.

"Bad dream," I lie, once again to Ashton, my veins bursting with fear.

"You're okay," Luke cooed, I noticed I was no longer clinging to him, but to Ashton.

"Let's get you home, yeah?" Ashton suggested as I shook my head with acceptance.

"Can you grab me some water from the vending machine first, Ash?" He pleads and Ashton strolls out of the room.

"What the hell is going on?" Luke looks at my with serious eyes, his tone deathly almost.

"I t-told you," I stuttered, fuck. "B-bad dream."

Luke sighed and shook his head, "You dare lie to me."

"I'm too scared to say it, it'll bring the memory back, ask Michael, just d-don't tell." I trusted Luke, but he wasn't there at the time.

"You told Michael something before me?" He gulped as I wiped the last tear from under my eye, standing up.

"He was there, you weren't." And before Luke could start speaking again, Ashton walked in with a bottle of water.

I leaned down and hugged Luke goodbye before walking out of the room.

I wrapped my arm around Ashton's as he looked down at me, smiling. I looked up at him and smiled back.