Unbroken (#3 in the 'Outcast' series)

Chapter 15

Chapter 15:

Andy's Point of View:

"'Bout time you showed up," I said as Ashley finally returned. "Where've you been?"

Ashley just shrugged and I frowned.

"Everything ok Ash?"

He nodded, but I could see something wasn't right. I watched as he sat down.

"You wanna tell me what's up?" I asked, Ashley looking very lost in his thoughts.

He looked at me blankly. "Huh?"

"You alright?" I asked, a bit concerned about him now. "Everything ok?"

Ashley looked at me for a couple seconds before he realised what I'd said. He broke out into a smile and nodded.

"Sure am Ando," he said. "Everything's fine. What makes you think otherwise?"

I just shook my head and looked down.

"Never mind," I said quietly. I looked at him. "You get what I asked?"

Realisation crossed his face and he nodded, taking the cigarettes and my lighter from his pocket and handing them to me. I smiled in return.

"Thanks Ash," I said.

"Any time," he said. "I came to the conclusion I'd rather not see you go through withdrawal, as I'd have to be here through the whole thing."

I laughed and he smiled in return.

"You wanna help me outside so I can light one?" I asked, Ashley just shaking his head disapprovingly.

"The things I do for you," he said with a shake of his head as he helped steady me a bit.

The room I was in luckily had a balcony, so I didn't have to go very far. Ashley made sure I was alright and opened the door for me. I nodded my thanks and sat down on one of the chairs out on the balcony.

"We feeling any better?" he asked as he sat down on the ground next to me, clearly not fazed in the slightest.

I lit a cigarette and shrugged as I put my lighter away.

"I dunno," I said, looking out at the view. "Could be a fuck load better, y'know?"

Ashley nodded and watched me for a bit.

"So how long'd the other two stay?" he asked. "I would've been back earlier, but I got caught up."

I looked at him questioningly and he just smiled, not bothering to explain what or who'd he'd been caught up by. I just shook my head and took a drag on the cigarette, Ashley still watching me disapprovingly. He just shook his head and looked away.

Someone appeared in the doorway, making Ashley jump before he looked over. The guy that was looking between us looked about my age, and he seemed slightly disapproving of something.

"I was right," he said, more to himself than to us. He shook his head and looked to me. "Very bad habit, y'know."

I just shrugged. "So what?"

He just shrugged in return and moved out of the doorway.

"Pass us one," he said.

I handed him the packet and the lighter, Ashley and I just watching as he lit the cigarette and handed my things back.

"Sorry, who're you?" Ashley asked, clearly confused at who this guy was.

The guy looked to him as he sat on the railing of the balcony, clearly not fazed that we were a few storeys up. He shrugged. He was wearing a long-sleeved shirt and a sleeveless hoodie. The long-sleeves were what made me wonder about the reason he was here.