Broken || Ashton Irwin

Chapter 4

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"Why did he do it though? I don't understand?" Michael questioned, looking even more confused then I had when Ashton had stuck up for me in Mr Butlers office previously that morning. It was now evening, about 6pm and I'd gone round to Michael's for pizza. It was a regular occurrence, although my Mum hated it, she always tried to get me away from Michael's house on a Friday, she'd offer to take me shopping or to the cinema just so I couldn't go out. I seriously don't understand why she doesn't like him, but I knew if I asked her she would just go defensive on me and talk about his influence and say that she did like him, she just 'didn't like me spending all my time with him.' I'm pretty sure she thought we were probably romantically connected, no matter how many time I told her that we were just friends.

"I don't know either, he's weird" I shook my head, throwing a can of coke over to Michael from his fridge, he lifted him arm into the air and caught it.

"Yeah," he agreed nodding his head, he waited until I came and sat back down on the sofa with him. He looked concerned, I could always tell when Michael was worrying about something because he always looked at me straight in the eyes when telling me something that he was anxious about. "Stay away from him."

That's all he said, and it felt cold and sinister when he said it, I don't know why but it made me feel uneasy and I didn't like the fact that Ashton had my number, I was thinking about telling Michael about it but I decided against it, he seemed to have a real problem with Ashton and telling him about the the number swap may have just increased his anxiety.

"I will do." I nodded, promising michael something that I knew I was going to break. I knew for a fact I wasn't going to stay away from Ashton, even if I wanted to I couldn't, he was just always around. I was just interested.

"How are you anyway, you've seemed kinda reserved all week," he smiled at me, slightly.

"It's just my mum and dad, you know what they're like." I sighed, picking at the sleeve of my jumper.

"Yeah, I do," Michael agreed, he knew exactly what they were like because he was the only person I could go to about things like this, especially when we were younger, I never had any other friends really apart from Michael. The teachers at primary school would always try and get me to play with the other girls but I always ran back to Michael. I suppose to some extent my mum was right about him, he wasn't exactly the most well behaved boy in primary school, but I loved him anyway. One time we playing football in the playground and Michael kicked it all the way up onto the roof of the school, instead of just leaving it or telling a teacher he went round to the back of the school and climbed up onto a bike shed, from that he climbed onto the roof and clambered on to the get the ball. He didn't even get to the ball before Mrs Anderson saw him, I'd never been more scared in my life. But I was proud to be his best friend none the less and when people talked about "the boy on the roof" through out that week I'd always make sure they knew that it was Michael Clifford, my best friend that had done it.

"I'm sure things will turn out fine, they usually do." I breathed,trying to smile a little.

"I know they'll be fine, look don't worry about it Charl, ever since I've known you, your parents have argued. Yes it's gotten worse lately but it's got to get better at some point." He reassured me, taking my hand in his and squeezing it tightly.

I didn't say anything, I just nodded, zoning out and staring at the corner of the room. I had a sudden urge to cry but I didn't want to. I had no reason to.

"Oi, grumpy." Michael laughed after a while. "Smile will you," he giggled, reaching forward and pinching my cheeks into a large cheesy grin.

I laughed, trying to shake him of of me. "You know even if your parents did split up," he started. I stared at him and felt tears welling up in my eyes but I held them back. "I'll always be here for you." He smiled, pulling me in for a hug. He was wearing a really big jumper and it just made me feel comforted. He rubbed my back in circles, reassuring me that everything would be okay.