Deep Down Under (Ashton Irwin)

Chapter 6- Ashton

Chapter 6

Ashton

She looked so peaceful. Her dark hair was fanned out across the pillow, a black halo surrounding her face. The stress she carried had fallen away, the crease in her eyebrows gone and the frown on her forehead faded away. She was beautiful. 

I could stare at her forever, I thought, my own pillow soft against my cheek as I stared at Megan. I didn’t know what had happened last night, but I had never been so scared before. Watching Megan pass out right before I had tried to kiss her wasn’t exactly an ego boost, but the fear that had leapt into my heart as she fell was more important. 

She had promised to tell me what the hell was going on later, and it was later now. I had already slipped away and called Luke to let him know that I was fine and hadn’t been abducted by some crazy fans during the night, and that I would come back to the house later that day. But I had priorities, and right now they were lying beside me in a deep sleep. 

I didn’t know why I kept coming back to this mysterious girl. She had done nothing but push and warn me away, but I couldn’t let it go. The fact she had asked me to stay last night, pulling me close and fitting so perfectly in my arms, it meant everything could be changing. I wasn’t willing to let that go. 

‘Hey,’ her sleepy voice shook me out of my thoughts and I smiled warmly at her as she grinned adorably back. ‘You’re still here.’ 

‘Of course. How did you sleep?’ 

She stretched, her long body rolling, before turning back to me. 

‘The fact I slept at all is amazing.’ 

‘What do you mean?’ 

‘I don’t…I don’t sleep. I haven’t been able to in a really long time. Along with the panic attacks I often have night terrors.’ I think she could see the fear in my face because she took my hand in her own reassuringly. 

‘I think you being here helped.’ 

I tried to ignore the fuzzy feeling I got near my heart when she said that. It was way too early to be dealing with those issues. 

‘What do you mean, night terrors?’ 

‘It’s happened nearly my whole life.’ Our fingers link together as she turns onto her side to look at me better. Some of her mascara has smudged under her eyes, but she still looks perfect. 

‘Why?’ 

‘I…I had a difficult childhood. Some things happened-’ she cuts off, looking uncomfortable and avoiding my eyes. Using my other hand, I gently tug her chin so she looks at me again. 

‘It’s OK. You can tell me when you want to. If you want to,’ I corrected, and she smiled, showing all her teeth. 

‘Thank you. It’s just difficult sometimes to talk about it. I lost my parents when I was very young. That’s what the nightmares are about.’ 

I didn’t say anything, not wanting to interrupt her. I knew she was damaged, I could see it in her eyes, the defensive, wary look that was only in the eyes of someone who had been hurt beyond repair before. 

‘I’m sorry-’ she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. I stroked the side of her face and she smiled once more. 

‘It’s fine. Don’t worry about it, as long as you are OK, so am I.’ We laid there for a while without saying anything, listening to one another breaths and sharing glances. Finally I sighed. ‘How about we go and get some breakfast?’