The Therapist's Son // Ashton Irwin [AU] ✔

6.*

A/N: Hey, hey, hey! Okay, so I know I normally put my author's note at the end (Not that many people read them anyways, sorry, I know they're pretty annoying), but I'm super happy because TTS recently hit 100 votes, and there are only five chapters besides this one, so that is pretty freaking awesome! So, I just wanted to say thank you, because that for me is a really big deal. So, this will be a double update, becasue it's a really long chapter anyways.

This chapter contains some sensitive material if any of you have ever self-harmed and such, just thought I'd give a quick warning.

Anyways, I won't bore you guys. Chapter six!

*****

The rest of Thursday passed fairly quickly, then after that was Friday. After Friday was Saturday, and after Saturday was Sunday. It's the way it always had been, and it probably wasn't going to change anytime soon.

I spent those three and a half days in my room with the door closed, not that my mom seemed to care, besides heading out on Sunday night, but we'll get to that later. I left my room to go to the bathroom and eat, even then I didn't really talk to my mom. My slip up on Thursday morning had obviously struck a nerve, and I didn't want to push her any farther than I already had.

Sunday night at around eight, there was a knock on my door. Of course, it was just my mom to remind me that I had school the next day at half past seven. Knowing I was going to be the new kid in the middle of first semester scared the crap out of me.

I stood in front of the bathroom mirror that night, after my mother had gone to sleep, and I hated what I saw in my reflection. I saw a lost, broken girl, who didn't seem to give a fuck about anything anymore. I felt empty, and hollow, and I found myself having some sort of breakdown, searching through the drawers for anything sharp. I didn't care what my mother would think, or say, she didn't give a fuck about me either.

I was sick of everything. I was the reason my sister was gone. My mother hated me. My father hated me. I had no friends. I was the freak. I didn't belong here, I didn't belong in California. I didn't know where I belonged, but I wasn't sure if it was on this planet at all.

I wasn't scared when I found the sharpener to my mother's eye pencil, only relieved. But a sudden guilt flooded through me as I began loosening the screw keeping it in place. I pushed it far from my mind as the blade came loose, and I rolled up the sleeve of my sweater, pressing the cool metal against my skin.

I sucked in a deep breath and added pressure, but somewhere in the back of my mind, the voice screaming for me to stop grew louder and louder.

Then, something stopped me completely. Something that I thought never would. I saw the familiar pair of soft, hazel eyes when I closed my own, and I could hear the echo of his voice. I didn't know what about it was the only thing that stopped me, but it did, and that's all that mattered.

Before I could do any damage, I found myself throwing the blade in the toilet rather than cutting open the skin on my arm. I let out a shaky breath as I flushed the toilet and rolled my sleeve back down, even though I had no new scars to hide.

Sighing, I turned back to the mirror, running a hand through my hair, breathing slightly erratic.

"Jesus Christ," I muttered to myself, unsure of what to do now. "I need to get out."

*****

"Natalie, hi," Samantha said, looking up from cleaning the counter as I walked into the small coffee shop. I was suprised she remembered my name, but gave a small smile in her direction anyways. "Surpised to see you in here so late, do you want a coffee or something?"

"I think I'm good, actually. I just needed some place to kind of...Cool off," I admitted. "You don't mind, do you?"

"No, of course not," She said, smiling at me. I could tell she had questions, but she wasn't going to invade my space and pry anything out of me unless I was ready. "Just let me know if you need anything. It'll be on the house."

I nodded, fiddling with a strand of hair. A few minutes later, I heard the front door open, but I didn't need to turn to know who it was.

"Well, hello there, Miss America," I heard, the seat next to me being occupied. "What brings you here at one o'clock on a Monday? From what I recall, you have school in less than seven hours."

"I never told you that." I said, confused as to how he knew.

"No, but your mother did tell mine." Ashton shrugged, and I nodded.

"So your mother is the therapist." I confirmed. Ashton seemed to tense at the mention of his mom, I don't know if it was because he didn't like her, or the fact that I had brought her job title into it, but I apologized anyways.

"No, don't worry about it," He said. "Sam, can I get a coffee, please?"

"Sure thing." She smiled, obviously closer with Ashton than I had originally thought. I fiddled with my fingers, thinking back on his earlier comment.

"Do you always eavesdrop on your mother's business conversations?"

"Not really. But after I left, I realized I had left my wallet back inside, and I turned around and couldn't help but overhear your mom talking about school on Monday - and other things - and then I went upstairs and found a very...Lovely surprise." I wasn't sure if that was supposed to be a compliment from Ashton or not, but I felt a heat spread across my cheeks anyways, and I cleared my throat.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that," I apologized.

"Don't worry about it, it's over now," He chuckled, thanking Samantha as she placed a steaming cup in front of him. I watched him add sugar before taking a sip. "So, Miss America, have you seen the town yet?" I smiled at the nickname he seemed to love so much, even though he knew my actual name already.

"Bits and parts, yeah."

"Bits and parts isn't all of the town, now, is it?" He asked.

"I guess not," I muttered, and I watched as Ashton stood from his spot, and I frowned. "Leaving already?" I asked. I was slightly upset. He had only just gotten here, and we actually had a pretty decent conversation going.

"Yes, we are leaving already. Come on."

"Wh-What?" I asked, slightly confused.

"Yes. We. You and me. I'm going to show you around Hornsby. I was born here, the least I can do is show you around your new town too, right?"

"I-I guess?" I stuttered, still unsure. It sounded more like a question than a statement.

"Good. Come on." He didn't seem to be wasting time, already heading towards the door. I looked over to a smiling Samantha, who was silently urging me to go with him.

"Have a nice night, Sammy."

"You too, Natalie."