My eyes flutter open, but I squint them shut once more, as a bright light is shined in my eyes. I hear a gasp, and footsteps rushing over to me when I reopen my eyes.
I'm greeted with a young boy, seemingly around 8, gawking at me, his eyes wide.
"Mommy! Ashy!" He calls, not taking his prying eyes off of me.
I hear more footsteps coming, these one heavier. A familiar hazel-eyed boy kneels by the couch I've noticed I'm laying on.
"Hey, are you alright?" He whispers, his eyebrows furrowing.
"Y-Yeah I'm fine, why?" I croak, my voice partially gone.
"You passed out and hit your head. I had to carry you home," He explains. Before he could elaborate, a middle-aged woman walked in, a huge smile on her face. She has the same smile lines in her cheeks as Ashton, but she somehow manages to look more cheery.
"Hi, Leo honey. I'm Anne Marie, but you can call me Anne. How are you feeling?" She says, her voice soothing and calm, the most mom-ish voice you could imagine.
"I-I'm alright, a bit thirsty, though," I manage, pushing myself into a sitting position, propping one arm under me to hold me up.
"Harry, could you get her a glass of water?" She asks the little boy, who I assume is the little brother Ashton told me about. He hurriedly nods his head and rushes into the kitchen.
"How long was I out?" I asked, lifting my arm up, crossing them against my chest.
"Only over night. It's 11 in the morning as of now" Ashton speaks, and even though he's not smiling, dimples form in his cheeks.
"Oh shit my parents are going to kill me!" I say, standing, then covering my mouth, "Oh I'm sorry Ms. Irwin, I didn't mean to curse!" I say, a blush of embarrassment creeping onto my cheek, making my face hot.
She just waves it off, accepting my apology. "Would you like a ride home, dear?" She offers, already grabbing the keys.
"Yes please, thank you. I'm not quite sure how to get home from here anyways" I bashfully add, playing with the hem of the hoodie I have on, which isn't mine. "Ash is this your hoodie?" say, turning to face him.
"Uh- I- Yeah, you looked really cold and I couldn't find a spare blanket." He admits, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.
"Do you want it back or-" I say, starting to pull it over my head.
"No, no, it's fine, you keep it." he says, biting his lip, shooting butterflies into my stomach.
"Leo, honey, are you coming?" Mama Irwin says, shaking her head, smiling.
"Yeah, sorry for keeping you waiting," I apologize, heading into the cold air.
~
My forehead is placed against the cold glass of the window, rain pouring against the pavement. The only noise is the pitter-patter of the rain on the roof of the car, and the rumble of the engine.
"So Leo can I ask you something?" Anne Marie speaks up, her accent more prominent than Ashton's.
"Sure, anything" I say, glad it's not silent.
"Do you like Ashton?" She spoke in her thick accent.
What? I- I don't know how to respond to that. I mean, I barely know him...
"I don't know. I met him a week ago..." I mumble, turning back towards the window, listening as his mother sighed, though I could barely hear it over the sound of the rain.
"Honey I can tell when someone has a crush. I've lived through countless. You my dear, have a crush on my son" Her tone sounds so motherly I can't help but to look back at her.
"I guess I might, I haven't really thought about it" I say, biting down gently on my bottom lip. I think back to when I saw him walking into the room, a concerned look on his face. The way butterflies erupted into my stomach as I saw him. The way his voice can make me smile and how contagious his laugh is. I hold back a smile, not wanting her to think I'm crazy.
I was so caught up in my thoughts, I hadn't even realized I was home until I see my sister running out of the house and ripping open the car door.
Anne Marie chuckles a bit, and I'm glad she doesn't mind my sister and her rudeness. Kai rips me out of the car, and luckily I had already unbuckled my seat-belt.
"What the actual fuck Leo? Where the hell have you been for the past day and a half?" She whisper-shouts, presumably so my parents don't hear her. She grips my wrist and drags me into the house before I can even answer.
"Thank you Miss Irwin!" I call over my shoulder before Kai slams the door.
"You are so fucking lucky mom and dad went out last night with the boys to Gramma's" She screams in my face.
"Can you chill the fuck out? I passed out and hit my head. Ash took me to his house and I stayed on the couch until I woke up" I say, trying to stay calm as I explained.
"Are you okay? Why didn't you call me as soon as you woke up? Or at least tell me where you were going instead of just leaving the house!?" SHe says, still yelling, but more so out of concern rather than anger.
"Kai I'm fine. But I have a really bad headache, so if you could kindly stop yelling that'd be great" I mumbled, pushing past her and walking into the kitchen. I grab Ibuprofen and a bottle of water, downing two pills. I feel Kai standing behind me but I don't care.
"I'm not going to tell mom" She sighs, and I can hear the sincerity in her voice.
"Thank you" I whisper and brush past her again, heading to my room.
"But" She says, and I turn on my heel, as I was about to head upstairs. "Next time you go to hang out with Ash, I'm going with you" She says, a hand on her hip.
"Fine whatever" I mumble, just wanting to talk to Ashton, maybe get him to come over since my parents won't be back for a few days.
I push open the door to my room and see the closet door open. Kai probably tore apart my room looking for me, but it's already so messy I couldn't care less. I lie face-down on my bed and groan into my pillow. I sit back up, my back leaning on my pillow, my head on the backboard. I pull my phone out of my sweatshirt pocket. I see about 20,586,285 texts from Kai and 5 from Ash. I ignore Kai's and open Ashton's.
Ashton Did you get home okay?
Ashton Leo?
Ashton Leooooo?
Ashton Leolani [Insert Last name bc idk it]
Ashton LEO I S2G ANSWERR MEEE
I chuckle a bit, a smile on my lips.
Leolani Yes Ash? I got home fine, Kai yelled at me.
Ashton Fuck you I worried sick.
Leolani I've been home for 15 minutes chill.
Leolani Anywho, do you wanna come over? My parents and ⅔ of my siblings aren't here.
Ashton ⅔?
Leolani Tua and Pika are with my parents at my Gramma's house for the next couple days. ARe you coming or not? I'm bored as shit
Ashton Oh. And yeah why not. I'll be over in about 15 minutes.
I smile, jumping out of bed, changing into black denim shorts, and a mint green flowy croptop. I brush through my boob-length dark brown hair. I sprint downstairs and sit on the couch in the living room, beside Kai.
"Hey Kai. Ashton is coming over." I say, hoping she doesn't kill me.
"Leo Mom and Dad are coming back, Tua fell and chipped his tooth they have to get the insurance card."
"Fuck"
