The Bucket List ➡️ Ashton Irwin

Chapter 3

I entered my apartment moments later, threw off my shoes and took the folded piece of paper out of my pocket and placed it on my coffee table. My apartment was fairly small and barely affordable. My part-time waitressing job gave me just enough for food and rent.

After discarding my coat and bag on the kitchen bench, I made my way to my room, undressing and climbing into bed. I continuously thought for the remainder of my time I stayed awake, just how different things would have played out if he had chosen a different building. Would I have actually jumped? Or just procrastinated until 2014? I continued to stare at my bare white ceiling until my eyelids grew heavy, and surprisingly for the first time in a long time, I fell into a peaceful sleep.

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My alarm goes off at 6am each morning and from there I start my daily routine. I slammed my hand down on my alarm and fell out of bed, not nearly getting enough sleep. I then forced my self to get changed and headed towards the door for a run. Or in todays case, a walk.

I closed my door behind me and proceeded down my street, walking at a very slow pace.

Once I reached the café I went to last night, I decided to turn back. 4 hours of sleep was not enough.

The thoughts form last night spilled into my head and I began to remember it all. Ashton, the near-jump, everything. I trudged home and walked right into the kitchen. From here I had my breakfast. Oats and banana. I had more energy than before and walked into my lounge room and sat on one side of my couch. Next I would usually get ready for the early shift at work, but I didn't work Wednesdays so I just usually lounged around all day and did nothing.

Once I finished my breakfast, I walked into the kitchen to wash up my bowl and spoon, and then came back and sat in the same spot on the same lounge. Moments after I had relaxed, a loud knocking sound came from my front door and I debated whether to let them in or to wait until they realised that no one was here. Considering no one ever came to see me, I decided to answer the door; out of curiosity.

I flung the door open to reveal none other than the boy from the rooftop. Ashton. And he was smiling, that's all he ever did really.

"Charlie!" He exclaimed and pushed himself pass me.

"Ashton?" I asked less-enthusiastically. "Why are you here? You do realise it's barely seven right?"

"Precisely. Why are you even up?" He says as he makes his way around my small apartment.

"I always get up at this time."

"Well I never slept." He smiled and walked back over to me from the kitchen. I then took this opportunity to check out his clothing, and he was in fact wearing the same clothes as last night.

"Where do you live?" I ask, not trying to sound nosey.

"Around." He says flatly as he begins to make his way over to where I was sitting before.

"So why are you here?" I asked, not moving form where I was standing.

"I wanted to check on you. You know, see if you're still breathing and what not." He smiled at me and reached for the tv remote. He then started flicking through the channels until it landed on a sports one.

"Well you checked." I bit my tongue, hoping that he would hurry up and leave.

"Well, we're going out." He states while draping his right arm over the back of the couch and turning to face me.

"Listen, today is my day off and I just wanted to rest." I say and waved my hands in a no fashion.

"I'll rest too." He smiles and turns his head back to the television. "Have you got FIFA?" He asks, looking bored already.