Rose | Ashton Irwin

chapter one

Rose POV

Church felt like it had been going on for hours, though it had only been one. Next to me Russell, my older brother, let out an obviously annoyed sigh earning a glare from the elderly couple in front of us. Russell had never really enjoyed going to church, but not only was our mother in the chorus our father was apart of the community. Pastor Wells stood in the front of the church preaching the sermon. My brother and I had to go every Sunday morning and I was occasionally talking into going to youth group on Wednesday nights. Due to our parents involvement they spend almost all day running back and forth between our house and the church. It's not that I don't enjoy church, I do, but after the constant nagging from my parents it got tiresome. I had never missed church on a Sunday aside from the few times I was home sick. Russell had started to brave the consequences of our parents and skip with his friends on occasion.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when everyone stood to sing the last song of the day. The rest flew by, we bowed our heads for the final prayer, and everyone was released to say goodbye. Russell immediately made his way to the door before our parents could walk over with the preacher and his son. I had known his son, Joseph, since I was a child. I played with him and his sister when we were younger and ever since we had been old enough our parents had tried to push him and I together. Both of our families valued a good reputation and what could be better than the daughter of a successful lawyer and the son of a pastor.

"Mr. and Mrs. Kingston you'll be able to come back to the church tonight correct?" Pastor Wells asked my parents with a smile. Joseph's eyes flickered to mine but I quickly averted my attention to the adults talking.

"Of course, we may have to leave a little early so I can work on my case while Lori makes dinner." My dad replied, my mother taking his hand in response.

Joseph tugged me to the side as his dad asked mine about the case he was working on. "Hey, are you going to the upperclassman bonfire next weekend?" he asked trying to conceal the excitement in his voice.

"Oh- um, yeah, I don't know," I hesitated, shifting on my feet and avoiding eye contact, "I hadn't been planning on it but Penny has been trying to convince me to go."

"You really should go. Do you want to maybe-" He paused before gaining the confidence to speak again, "Do you want to go with me maybe?"

I knew Joseph had developed feelings for me over time but I couldn't find it in myself to like him back in any romantic way. We had been friends for so long I couldn't picture him as anything but that. He was more like another brother than anything. "I guess we could go, I'll see if Penny wants to join us. Do you want to invite Callie? Is she still at the church revival?"

His face immediately fell but he quickly recovered, plastering on a fake smile. "Yeah. She should be getting back on Friday. So I'll see you at the bonfire then right?"

"Sure I'll see you then-" I was interrupted by my dad placing a large hand on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry but we really need to get going, I have to work on that case I was telling you about but we will see you tonight alright?" He announced before urging us towards the door.

We stepped outside to see Russell shoving his phone into the pocket of his black jeans. "Russell what are you-" My mom was cut off by a loud honk as a familiar black truck pulled up, stopping in front of us. In the passenger's seat one of Russell's closest friends Michael, a boy with bright red hair that was constantly changing, leaned out the window with a large grin on his face, motioning for my brother to get in the backseat. A boy with messy loose curls held back by a bandanna sat in the driver's seat, one hand lazily on the wheel, the other holding a cigarette between his lips. Russell rushed into the back, slamming the door behind him as he said, "Michael, Ashton, and I are gonna go out for a bit. Catch ya later. "