Rescue // Ashton Irwin

sixteen.

Adley.

"Hello, Adley," his voice rang out, sending shivers down my spine.

I immediately dropped the phone.

Ashton, thankfully, picked it up for me before ending the call.

"Adley," he said cautiouslly.

I could tell that he was trying to gauge my mood, not wanting to say anything that would cause a fight.

"That was my mom's number..."

All of the worst possibilities instantly entered my mind.

"I know," he sighed, rubbing my back.

"I have to call back," I cried, grabbing the phone from his hands.

I had to know if my mother was alive and well, and before I took any drastic measures, I figured a phone call back would be the quickest way to calm my fears.

"Are you sure that's such a good idea?"

"Ashton, I have to know if my mom's okay."

He nodded understandingly.

With shaky fingers, I dialed her number, anxiously waiting for the ringing to stop.

"Hello?" her voice answered.

I breathed an audible sigh of relief.

"Mom!" I exclaimed.

"Yes?" she asked, sounding slightly tired and extremely confused.

Only then did I realize that it was nearly four in the morning, and the call probably scared the shit out of her.

"Are you okay?" I asked anyway, figuring that if I had already interrupted her sleep I might as well get the answers I needed.

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

I didn't know how to respond.

'I thought that my abusive ex boyfriend, that you didn't even know was abusive, was holding you hostage and trying to kill you' sounded a little insane.

"I, uh, just haven't heard from you in a while and wanted to check in," I lied instead.

"At four in the morning?"

"Uh, yeah, sorry about that," I laughed awkwardly.

"Adley, what is this really about?"

Her motherly tone was starting to come out as it had when I was younger.

"Nothing, Mom, I'll call you later. Sorry for waking you up."

"Very well then, I'll talk to you when it's not four in the morning. I love you."

"I love you too," I responded, hanging up.

Ashton was watching me with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Well, he's not with her, but I'm still scared," I admitted, making sure to keep my voice low enough that I wouldn't wake up Harry and Lauren.

As if he read my thoughts, Ashton motioned for me to join him as he got up from his seat on the couch to make his way into our bedroom.

"I know you're scared baby, and you have every right to be. But I'm not going to let anything happen to you, okay?"

"But what if-"

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you, okay?" he repeated.

"Okay," I sighed, "Thank you."