Skinny Hips // Ashton Irwin

nine // text me sometime

//Annie//

Ashton's couch was comfier than my own bed back at home, and his house was warmer, and smelled better.  

I was woken up early by the sound of a quiet alarm ringing beside my ear. I almost had to pull my eyes open, but once I could see again I shut my alarm off and stared at my phone screen. It was Monday, and it was 6:46 in the morning. 

I groaned quietly, taking in the fact that I was now sharing a room and had to stay as silent as possible as I pushed myself up, trying my best to stop the couch from squeaking underneath me. I stood and quietly searched Ashton's dark room for the wardrobe and drawers, finding it quiet simply. From the drawers I pulled out socks, panties and a clean bra and from the wardrobe I took a long sweater, leggings, a crop top and two towels before finally quietly leaving his room, watching him snore from the left side of his double bed.

I shut his bedroom door behind me and made my way down the hall, passed the other boy's bedroom's and to the bathroom. Part of me wanted to just go back to bed, stay silent and hope Ashton didn't realize I missed a day of school. I could easily go back tomorrow.

But I knew I had to go. I showered quickly, careful not to harm the painful scar left on my arm with the soap or the raggy towel. I dressed myself after, tying my wet hair up in to a high, messy bun until it was dry enough to leave down and only applying mascara to my face.

It was 7:15 when I had finally finished in the bathroom. I went back to Ashton's room to find my school bag only to find that he was awake and lying sprawled out on his bed in nothing but a pair of very low sweats, his phone in his hand and shining down on his face.

"Did I wake you?" I asked as I shut the door and made my way towards my stuff.

"No, my phone did. I got a call from my mum." He locked his phone and sat up, crossing his arms over his bare chest. "Have you eaten?"

"I can't eat this early in the morning or I'll make myself sick," I lied, "I'll have something in school."

The look on Ashton's face told me he clearly didn't believe me but also knew there was nothing he could do to change the situation.

"How are you gonna get to school?"

I thought about this question for a moment, realizing that this isn't something I had yet considered. I stared at Ashton, and then at my shoes, biting my lip and humming. "I'd usually walk, but..."

"But you're too far away now, right?" He didn't wait for me to answer before he started to climb out of bed. I stared at his toned back as he pulled opened his wardrobe and took out a hoodie, slipping it on and only zipping it up halfway. 

"I wouldn't make it to school in time if I walked from here."

He took a beanie from his desk and slipped it on his head. "It really isn't a problem, I was up anyway, so." He winked at me before finally making his way downstairs. I stood still for a minute, before hearing him quietly call up the stairs before I began to rush towards him and out the door to his car.

The majority of the car ride was quiet except for the sound of the radio playing the same pop songs they played daily and Ashton tapping his fingers along to the tune. All I could focus on was the burning scar my mother had left only hours beforehand, not only on my arm but in my head. I rubbed my arm under the sleeve of my sweater, wincing at how the fabric felt against the wound. 

"You alright?" Ashton asked, clearly hearing me hiss quietly.

"I'm good, just tired." I tried my best to fake a yawn but at this point in time I felt like Ashton could see through every little lie I was telling him. I felt almost as if he was even able to see through my clothes and look at not only the scar left on my arm, but at my body.

"How are you going to get home later?" Ashton asked, interrupting my thoughts.

"Oh, I'll have a friend drive me, it's no big deal. Don't worry, you don't need to baby me." I smiled at him which he returned, seeming to actually trust me on this one.

I felt bad for Ashton. He brought me in to his home only to have to treat me as if I was his kid; which I wasn't, I was only just two years younger than he was.

I knew well enough I wouldn't have anybody drive me home and that I'd have to walk the fifty minutes back to Ashton's house, but if it meant I didn't have to make him go through the trouble of coming all the way back to the school when he could smoke with his friends, I'd do it.

"You're not late, are you?" Ashton asked as he pulled up in to the parking lot of the school. I sighed when I saw a group of girls from my grade standing outside the doors, blocking the entrance. The thought of having to walk past them and try get around them terrified me.

"No," I told Ashton, "loads of time. Thanks for the ride, Ashton."

"It's no problem. Give me a ring if you're stuck for a ride home, okay Annie? I'll see you later."

I smiled and nodded before climbing out of the car. A cold breeze hit me the minute Ashton had drove away, and I wished I remembered to bring a coat. Sighing, I pulled my bag over my shoulders and began to make my way towards the front doors. The attention of the group of girls was adverted to me quickly, and I ducked my head, hoping they wouldn't say a work.

"Oh, my God! Kate, look, it's boney!"

I turned to see who was shouting and saw Kate Winser and Catherine Cole smirking at me and laughing among themselves. I sighed and moved to get around them but they only stood in my way again, the other girls with them all laughing quietly.

"Can I get inside, please?" I asked, my voice almost a whisper. 

"Aw, she wants to go in," Kate cooed. I scoffed, eyeing her, almost trying to act bigger than I knew I was.

"Yes, adorable, can I please go in?"

"You can if you eat my lunch for me." Catherine beamed down at me, her long legs giving her height over me. "I'm dying to be as skinny as you."

The girl's comments and laughter were interrupted by Bradley Newcomb, Kate's on-and-off, interrupting us by coming up behind me. 

"Catherine, seriously, shut up," Bradley said. He rested his hand on the bottom of my back, causing me to tense up. Clearly this was him and Kate's off, and he was trying to get back at her by using me. If it meant I could get past these girls and into the school, the strong majority of me didn't care about him.

He pushed me forward, walking beside me as we passed the two girls. I was almost in the clear until Kate jutted her foot out in front of me, tripping me up. I felt my knees and palms hit the carpeted floor and wished I would just die then and there. I looked up at the two of them, and they were laughing, not even trying to cover it up.

I sighed and gathered my things together. Looking up, I saw Bradley holding his hand out for me to take. Not wanting to spend another second on the itchy, dirty school ground, I slipped my hand in to his and allowed him to pull me and my bag of books up.

"I'm so, so sorry about Kate," he told me as he followed me down the hall towards my locker. "It's probably pretty obvious why we broke up, huh?"

"I assumed you guys would be back together by next week," I muttered, instantly regretting it as soon as I said it. I looked up at Bradley, waiting for him to get mad, but it never came.

"God, I hope not," he muttered too. I furrowed my eyebrows and stared at him some more, waiting for him to continue talking so I would understand what's going on. He looked down at me and noticed this, so continued.

"All we do is argue, break up, talk, and have makeup sex. And it's the same thing, again and again and again," he groaned, swiping a hand through his hair. "Plus, she's kind of a bitch. So I just wanna try get over her."

I nodded along with everything he said, understanding where he was coming from. Soon we finally reached the end of the hallway where my locker was. I smiled at him and thanked him for helping me.

"It's no problem at all, Annie. Text me sometime, yeah?"

"Sure," I whispered, smiling straight back.