Rescue // Ashton Irwin

nineteen.

Ashton.

The apartment complex was exactly as I'd imagined.

A clean, polished lobby greeted me as I entered, trying my best not to look suspicious.

I felt like all eyes were on me as I made my way towards the elevator.

The ride up felt like hours, though it took merely seconds.

I knocked once on the door, waiting a few moments before knocking once more.

Silence.

I took that as my cue to use the key I'd taken from Adley while she was sound asleep.

After making sure no one was coming, I entered the key in the slot and turned the knob.

The strong scent of stale beer and cigarettes hit me like a wall as I made my way into the empty apartment.

The place was a mess, complete with crumpled beer cans, shattered bottles, and cigarettes littering various parts of the room.

Looking around, I wasn't exactly sure what to do with myself.

I had planned on Noah being home so that I could get him to either promise to leave Adley and her mother alone for good, or to get some kind of evidence that would get him locked up.

I felt as if it was only fair for me to talk to him before I went snooping around for evidence in his home, so exploring was out of the question.

Luckily, only moments later I heard the sound of the door opening.

I watched as Noah set his phone and keys down on the table before beginning to take his coat and shoes off.

"What the fuck?" was the first thing out of his mouth when he noticed me standing awkwardly before him.

"Okay, before you freak out, let me explain."

"How the hell did you even get in here?"

"Adley still has a key, but that's beside the point-"

"And what is that point?"

I was starting to lose my patience, but I knew that getting worked up would only give him the fuel he needed, so I managed to compose myself.

"The point is I came here to ask you if you could please leave Adley alone."

There it was, out in the open, the thing I had come to do.

I waited anxiously for a response.

I was expecting him to yell, but a dark laugh erupted from his throat instead.

"Did you really think asking nicely was going to accomplish anything?"

I had no response.

"Well I'll let you in on a little secret, Adley deserves everything I've put her through and more. So you can take your "please" to someone who gives a fuck."

My anger was beginning to boil again, but I was determined not to let him win.

"What did she do to deserve it then, Noah? There isn't a single thing I could think of that would warrant what you've put her through."

He didn't say anything for a while, and I almost thought I was getting somewhere, but then again I was dealing with Noah.

"Don't act like she's so innocent. She's a bitch and you know it."

"No, I don't know it because she isn't a bitch. And if you think so, why don't you leave her the fuck alone and then you wouldn't even have to deal with her "bitchiness."