Take Two: 5SOS BSM

3. Your Brother / Another Boy Defends Your Stutter - Ashton

Part 2/4
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Requested by:
@StaceyStonier
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Hahahahaha not dead srry

ASHTON:
"I cannot believe you did that," Ashton's footsteps echoed through the front corridor as he strode into the house.

The door slammed shut and you heard another set of feet run to catch up with him, "I didn't do anything wrong!" Calum whined.

"You didn't do-" Ashton let out a controlled breath and you looked up from the book you had been reading, "YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG?" He roared.

You winced, feeling rather sorry for the brunette. Ashton was terrifying when he was mad and it was something you tried to avoid at all costs. Luckily, you largely did. Calum did not.

"I just gave her your number, it's all good, she seemed nice and was really hot," the bassist continued, seemingly unbothered by your brother's rage.

You, on the other hand, were rather sensitive and Ashton, who rarely yelled, being brought to such a state, really bothered you. You were no longer as comfortable on the large, cushioned couch, as you had been only a few moments prior, and shifted around as you tried to find that serene place you had occupied previously.

"I DON'T CARE IF SHE WAS MISS UNIVERSE! YOU CAN'T JUST HAND OUT MY NUMBER TO PEOPLE? WHAT IF IT'S LEAKED AND I HAVE TO CHANGE IT AGAIN?" Ashton's white hot anger seemed to scald you even from so far away. You were sure he was in the hallway, and that he was yelling at Calum, but it almost felt like it was being directed at you on the couch in the living room with the impression it made on your heart. You hated that he was so upset and loud and angry, and you hated that Calum was so unbothered about it.

"Or, your number won't be leaked, she'll call you, you'll have a smoking hot girlfriend and I'll say I told you so," Calum said with a plain indifference that had you putting down your book and standing. You didn't want to hear anymore of the meaningless argument, you just wanted to go somewhere quiet.

Unfortunately, your best exit was well-blocked by the arguing duo, and so you'd have to leave out the backdoor and then sneak back in through the front as to avoid coming into contact with them at all. With your book tucked safely under your arm, you walked in the opposite direction of your brother and friend to reach the back entrance. With a twist of the latch and a good harsh shove, the door flew open and you stumbled out into the backyard.

You squinted at the bright sun, and had to hold up a hand to protect your eyes from the brutal onslaught as they adjusted.

"Hey look! She's outside for once," you heard the neighbor who's backyard borders your own speak. He went to your school, but he was a year ahead of you and kind of a dick so you hadn't really interacted with him past anything required to be neighborly amicable, like the occasional "Good Morning."

Even now, just hearing his voice made you internally sigh, because you knew what he was like in school and you didn't like it at all. Living with your houses bordering each other was no cakewalk either, it sometimes felt like there was a minor earthquake occurring in your household because the music in his house was so loud. He also had a thing for throwing parties, which meant that there were often drunk teenagers wandering into your yard. Once you even fell over one while walking out back after they had decided to sleep it off on your lawn.

It was awkward.

The fact that you were already pretty shaken up from hearing Ash yell just made it all worse because you knew that if you spoke to him you'd stutter, and that if you stuttered he'd laugh and maybe start making fun of you at school. He was a bully and got away with it because he was a star football player.