All We Thought // Ashton Irwin [AU]

Chapter 20: Too Many Emotions

FUN FACT BEFORE WE GET THIS CHAPTER STARTED: I recently started a new internship and literally my office and the lab I work in looks exactly like the one I envisioned for this story.  I almost hyperventilated while they were giving me a tour around the building.  Anyway...enjoy the chapter! (I apologize for any typos)  

I rushed into the office the next morning, late from the ridiculous morning traffic.  Stupid flipped over trailer truck.

As I slipped on my lab coat and headed into the lab, Kelly caught my eye, motioning to me to come over to her desk.  She was on the phone with a client, and put them on hold.

"Good morning Mrs Winslet, Ashton called here this morning looking for you."

I still didn't have my phone back from my parents.  I looked everywhere in the house in attempts to steal it back but I couldn't find it anywhere.  I ripped apart their dresser and closet emptying all the contents on the floor when they went out for dinner late yesterday night.  I even looked under the bed, and in various other places in the house.  My "operation find phone" mission failed miserably.

"What did he say?" I said, grabbing the clipboard off her desk, pretending to read the names to hide my peaked interest in what Ashton could have wanted

"To be honest, it was hard to hear him...it sounded like he was at a concert of some sort.  I don't know why he would be at a concert at 9 am though...so maybe it wasn't a concert.  There was so much screaming and cheering.  The only words I got out of it was Roxie and dog." she frowned, looking disappointed in herself that she couldn't relay Ashton's message to me.

If I had to guess, it was Ashton calling to tell me to go feed Indie.  I thought he would have been back from London by now, but I guess he was staying longer than anticipated.  

I thanked her, walking into the lab to start my day.

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After work, I headed over to Ashton's house to feed Indie.  I picked up the pile of mail that was laying on his doorstep, and unlocked the door with the spare key.

I gasped slightly when I saw a girl sitting on the floor watching TV and petting Indie's head, which was resting on her lap.

She was around 16 years old, with long dark brown hair, that framed her very pretty face.  Her hazel eyes brought an instant sense of comfort, almost like I've seen them before.  She moved Indie off her lap and walked over to me.

She held her hand out to me, smiling, her smile bringing even more beauty to her face "I'm guessing you're Roxie?" she giggled.

I shook her hand, her giggle reminded me of Ashton's giggle, "You must be Ashton's sister, Lauren."  

When I first met Ashton, he mentioned his siblings, and often called his sister during the week when she got home from school, especially while we were away in Miami.  They were such a close knit family, something that I admired, mostly because it was something I always wanted but never would have.

"He's told you about me?"  her eyes wide with surprise.

I laughed, "Of course he has.  He was reading me some of your poems you wrote for the school poetry journal the other day on our lunch break, you are really talented."

She blushed, looking down at the ground, "Thank you.  I feel like I already know you from all his rants about you.  You really are as pretty as he says you are."

I bit my bottom lip, trying to hide my nervous smile.  I quickly changed the subject,  "I came here to feed Indie.  I don't think Ashton knew you were coming to feed his dog."