Rhythm || Ashton Irwin

Chapter Forty-Nine

Just a quick warning before you read, this chapter is an emotional roller coaster from start to finish so buckle up kiddos and don't hate us too much.  Love Taylor and Simone :))))

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Lauren's P.O.V.

If someone had told me a year ago that I would be riding a subway alone in the outer parts of Brooklyn I would have thought they were crazy. Yet here I was stuck between a man three times the size of me and an old woman that smelled of moth balls. Shutting my eyes, I tried to listen to the music flowing through my headphones and forget where I was.

To be quite honest, I'm not sure how I ended up on this subway, or the one before it. I'd been trying to navigate myself to Ashton's house, determined to figure out who exactly he thought he was to stand me up a little over a week ago and then refuse to even acknowledge that I exist on the same universe as he does. I wanted answers, and maybe a small part of me wanted to make sure he was okay.

The overhead speaker began announcing the next stop, which I'm sure, after checking with a sweet elderly woman, is the right one I should be taking. I stood eagerly from my seat as the train came to a halt and opened its doors. I made my way through the crowded subway station until I was finally above ground again. Taking a quick sigh of relief that I'd at least made it this far, I looked around the now familiar location. I hadn't been back in this area since I'd been kicked out from Ashton's house. The memory sent a small pang to my heart.

Nevertheless, I continued down the sidewalks determined as ever. In just a few minutes, his house came into view. I wasted no time as I strode confidently to the front door, giving it a few knocks. It didn't take long before I heard movement on the other side of the door and I came face to face with Anne.

"Lauren," she stated, clearly surprised to see me. "How have you been sweetheart? It's been so long since I've seen you."

"I've been good," I said giving her as real of a smile as I could. "Is uhm, is Ashton home?" I questioned, trying to stop myself from peering over her shoulder into the house.

"Oh!" She grinned eagerly, "Was he expecting you?"

"No, not exactly-"

"Mum, who's at the door?" I heard Ashton call out as he made his way down the stairs and into view. "Lauren?" He asked, frozen in his place.

Anne stood between the two of us for a moment, looking eagerly at the two of us as if waiting for one of us to say something. "Would you like to come in?" she finally spoke pulling the both of us out of our staring contest.

"She can't-" he started to say before I cut him off.

"I'd love to," I smiled sweetly at Anne as she draped an arm over my shoulder and pulled me into her side comfortingly. Despite everything that had happened between Ashton and I, his mother still acted as if I was one of her own.

As soon as I was through the door, she quickly excused herself stating she was just in the middle of some important business but I should 'make myself at home,' which was proving harder than expected with, a very stone cold looking, Ashton glaring at me from across the room.

"I honestly just came here to make sure you were okay," I sighed, finally breaking down and breaking the silence.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know, maybe because I thought I'd give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that the only reason you'd stand me up and then proceed to literally ignore my entire existence for over a week was due to something serious," I said, throwing my hands in the air.