Skinny Hips // Ashton Irwin

two // wasting my time

For a while, the group was just as boring as always. Annie wasn't asked to talk again, and I wasn't given an excuse to talk to her. This boring and painful silence went on for weeks until I was sat at home and received a phone call from a number I didn't recognize.

For a few seconds, I sat and stared at the number, trying to figure out if I recognized it. I sighed while listening to my ring tone buzz, realizing I didn't know who it was and deciding to answer it anyway.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Hi," a chirpy voice said down the phone, almost annoying me just from her tone, "am I speaking to Ashton Irwin?"

"Yes, who's this?"

"This is Katie Rowe from Almara Brook High School speaking, there seems to have been a situation with your sister."

I ran the name Katie Rowe through my head but couldn't stick the name to a face. By this point I was more confused then I was before I had answered the phone.

"Sorry, what?" I asked, convinced it was a prank call of some sort.

"Your step-sister, Annie Cathaway?" My eyes widened and I sat forward in my seat, suddenly listening very intently. Luke looked up from his phone and watched me with an amused look.

"Yes, Annie, what happened?" I asked frantically. Now Luke seemed just as confused as I was only moments ago.

"I'm assuming you know of Annie's illness, yes?" I confirmed that I did. "Well, Annie seems to have had made herself very sick after having quite a large lunch today, and she needs to be brought home immediately. Would you be able to come pick her up?"

I stood, suddenly getting Luke's full attention. While telling the lady over the phone that I'd be there as soon as possible, I motioned for Luke to get up and get his shoes before hanging up the phone.

"What's going on?" he asked while beginning to tie his laces.

"A friend from the group I work at needs to be picked up from school and apparently I'm her step brother now," I explained. I grabbed the car keys, tossing them to Luke who caught them with one hand and used the other to slip his phone into his pocket.

"What?" he asked, following behind me as I made my way out the door.

"No clue," I replied, "I'm kind of hoping Annie can explain that."

We reached the old high school, instantly knowing where to go from remembering the old days where Luke and I attended the shit-hole. Luke waited in the car while I made my way to Katie Rowe's room in the front office.

I opened the waiting room door and the first person I saw was none other than Annie, sat on a chair with her knees to her chest,  her arms wrapped around her body and crying quietly. Slowly, I shut the door, getting her attention and watching as her blood-shot eyes stared straight at me.

"I'm sorry," she began to mumble, wiping her cheeks. "I'm so sorry. I couldn't call my mum. She'd bring me straight to the hospital, Ashton, I'm sorry." 

Before I could speak up again to tell her everything's okay and she doesn't need to apologize, another door opened and a tall, lanky woman stepped out, making her way towards me with a sympathetic look. "Ah, Mr. Irwin, so nice to see you!"

"You too," I replied, struggling to take my eyes off of the crying girl. "I don't mean to be rude but my baby sister seems to be very emotional," I said, lying straight through my teeth, "so I'd really appreciate it if I could just take her straight home."

"Oh yes, of course, go!" the woman who I assumed now was Katie exclaimed, motioning to the door. 

I watched Annie as she stood, rushing to follow me out but clearly too weak. Once the door of the office was closed I snaked my hand around her waist, simply to help her walk straight and not even slightly trying to flirt with her; not right now, not in her state.

"What happened, Annie?" I walked slowly, helping her to keep up the pace.

"I ate so much, Ashton." Her voice was a whisper, and I almost couldn't hear her. "I can't go back to hospital, I couldn't call my mum. I'm sorry for wasting your time."

"You're never wasting my time, Annie."

We reached the car with an inpatient Luke sat up front, tapping the wheel with two fingers along to the beat of a terrible song playing on the radio. I helped Annie into the back seat and slammed the door behind her, hurrying to get in to the passenger seat so she wasn't left alone with Luke, confused, for too long.

"Luke," I said as I struggled to tie my seat belt, "this is Annie. Annie, Luke." I pointed between the two, introducing them lazily.

Luke nodded to her in the rear view mirror and she replied with a smile before wrapping her arms around her stomach, instantly closing in on herself once again. I watched her in the rear view mirror myself and began to notice the traces of vomit in her hair and on her sweater--even then she still looked beautiful. Ignoring my thoughts, though, I turned around in my seat to face her.

"Where do you want us to bring you?" I asked.

"Um," she began to hum under her breath before eyeing me and then Luke. Even her breath smelled of vomit. "I was actually wondering if maybe, before I went home, I could come to yours to clean up? If you don't mind, of course."

Instantly excited by the idea, I turned to Luke. He shrugged, clearly not caring about who I brought back to the house. I turned back to Annie an nodded eagerly, telling her that yes, of course, you can come over.

The rest of the car ride was filled with an awkward silence up until Luke pulled into the driveway of our small house, two other cars sitting squashed in the driveway. I smiled upon realizing that Michael and Calum were both home from college.

Luke instantly made his way into the house, clearly tired from arguing non-stop with his girlfriend. I helped Annie out of the car once again, keeping a careful arm around her waist as I lead her into the house.

In the first room sat the three boys around the couch, a joint hanging out of Michael's lips as the three continued to play a game of cards, completely ignoring our entry. Annie's face scrunched up at smell of marijuana all throughout the house.

"Shit," I said, mumbling under my breath. I instantly lead Annie in the opposite direction towards the bathroom, sighing once we were away from the other boys. "I'm sorry about that, they usually don't smoke when we have company."

She smiled at me before entering the bathroom and shutting the door. Once I heard the lock, I groaned and stomped down the hall, straight into the first room where the three, now stoned, boys sat.

Calum was the one with the joint now, and I ripped it from his lips, desperately trying to hide a laugh as I watched the shocked look come up across each boys' face.

"What happened to not smoking when we have company?" I asked, throwing the joint down on to the ash tray. "You're all so stubborn."

"Where's the company!" Calum asked before picking up the slightly squished joint and continuing to puff away before passing it to Luke.

"She's in the bathroom, knobhead," I said sarcastically, earning a laugh from Luke.

"Woah," Michael interrupted, "you brought a girl home?"

"About time, Irwin!" Calum exclaimed, clapping his hands for me in exaggeration.

"She's not even a proper girl, you wankers, she goes to the emo group Ashton works at!" Luke said, earning a laugh from both Michael and Calum.

The boys' sarcastic laughter soon died down when a cough came from behind the four of us. Upon all turning around, I saw an almost heartbroken Annie standing in the door way. She shot me one last glare before turning, opening the front door and sprinting down the street. She was gone around the corner before I even had time to leave the house.

Standing at the front door, I groaned, slamming it shut and stomping back into the first room. The three other boys sat around, all holding back laughter. Luke was the first to stand and step towards me, holding the joint out towards me. "Here," he said, motioning for me to take it, "have some spliff, mate."