Awkward (Cashton)

Chapter 28 Good News

My alarm goes off the next morning. Bleary-eyed I shut it off and reach out for my glasses and sit up. I check my phone and see a text from Katelyn and find it's a Facebook post from the head of the school's newspaper asking for a photographer for this coming school year. I mean I'd love to do some more photography and the newspaper is definitely how you do it. Our school newspaper is unlike any other schools and has been read by a lot of different artist in the city. This could possibly be my break into a photography career ( which I really want to pursue after high school) "What are you looking at?" Calum asks  resting his chin on my shoulder his hair messy and his eyes half opened. "A text from Kate," I reply and read over the post. This sounds great and would make being held back a year sound less bad if I'm honest. "I might be doing photography for the school newspaper this fall," I whisper. "Oh? That sounds fun." He mumbles sleepily.

"You want to get breakfast?"

"What time is it Ash?" He mumbles cuddling into me. "Around eight."

"In the morning?" Calum groans his eyes closed again. "Yeah."

"You're the best big spoon ever." I giggle softly at how cute he looks right now and roll over with some effort. "We could get waffles." "Or stay in bed and sleep some more and watch Netflix." He replies. "Calummmm get up," I whine. He groans. "Ash let me sleep." I sigh and move closer to him until our noses are touching. "For someone who hates their personal space being invaded your all up in mine." He mumbles yanking the covers up above his head. "I just want to go out and do something,"I say excitedly He opens his eyes lazily. "I mean if you make me breakfast then maybe."

"I'll try with my one useful arm."

"I'm getting tired of that broken arm." He says. "Me too," I reply. I guess I'll make you food then." He says sounding annoyed but smiles before kissing my cheek gently and getting out of bed. "You two slept in," Luke says glancing up from his computer from his spot at the kitchen table. "Yeah, we stayed up late." I glance back at my boyfriend who looks half asleep. "What did you two do?" Michael asks smirking. "Just watched movies your perv." Calum retorts. "Do you guys have any plans today?" I ask. Luke shakes his head. "I should be getting home soon," Michael says as he gets off the couch. " I can give you a ride." Luke offers. "I didn't want to ask but.." Luke sighs and goes to get his keys. I look at Calum sitting across from me and smile.

"What?"

"You're cute."

"So are you." He says.

"Hey Cal? Can you come upstairs real quick?" Luke asks poking his head downstairs. "Um sure, guess I'll be right back." He says getting up from the table. I watch him leave and check my phone while trying to eat my waffle with one hand. "What were you guys talking about?" I ask as he sits back across from me "Just band stuff." "Without me?" I asked raising an eyebrow. "Actually we were talking about your birthday but I can't say anything else." He says and pulls out his phone to text someone. "Do you have to be home at a certain time?" I asked pushing my plate away and resting my arms on the table. "Unfortunately yeah but rehearsal is tomorrow."

"Right, I'll be there just not... drumming." I frown. "Ash it's okay, your arm will be healed in no time." "I wouldn't be in this mess if it wasn't for my fucking sister." I snap. Cal sighs. "She didn't know that your dad was going to do that." He says gently. "I know but I'm just mad about it." He nods knowingly. "Hey Ashton were about to leave, oh, and my mom told me to tell you that you have a doctors appointment this afternoon to get a new cast," Luke says. "What time is this appointment?" I ask as I push my chair back and get up. "Two o'clock. "So in an hour?" I ask glancing up at the clock "Yeah.. anyway let me know how it goes, I gotta take Michael home." He says looking over at him. "I'll get my license at some point," Michael replies shrugging his shoulders. "Yeah okay," Luke mumbles before the two of them leave. "Are you ready to go? I can take you home before I go to my appointment." "Okay, last night was fun." He says smiling a little. "I had fun too," I say and get my keys off the hook. "Are you ready to go?" He nods.

After dropping Calum off I drive to the hospital and feel a little nervous, but hopefully, my arm doing okay and that I can get this cast-off, as driving with one hand is an absolute pain and the fear of getting in a wreck comes to mind everytime I drive somewhere. I turn up the radio a little bit so I'm not sitting in silence. Fifteen minutes later I'm sitting in the room waiting for the doctor to come in and feel nervous. The door opens and a middle-aged guy walks in. "Ashton right?" I nod. "Nice to see you, how's that arm of your doing?" He asks gesturing to my arm before sitting on the stool. "Fine, I guess, hoping to get this cast off so I can get back to playing music," I say.

"What do you play?" He asks as he pulls out two of my x-rays that he places on the light board. "Drums and it's sucked not being able to play them for weeks on end," I reply. "We will see if that cast can be taken off today, but don't expect to be back to playing after you get your cast off, your arm will be very stiff, but that will be an excellent way to build back up some muscle in it." He says and examines the x-rays

I look at it and am surprised to see how healed my arm is compared to how it looked that night. "That was a very severe break." He says seriously. I nod the memory of that night comes back to me and I feel myself getting angry but try not to show it. "I saw in the notes from the ER that this was possible child abuse?" I swallow hard. " Y- yeah." I stutter my eyes glance down at the floor. "Are you living with someone else for the time being?" He asks softly. I know why he's asking, so he can get social services involved. "I am, I'm um with a friend." I feel uncomfortable answering his questions and just want him to saw off this pink cast. "Let me get some things to cut that thing off okay?" "Sounds good." I watch him leave and fumble for my phone and text Luke the good news but give up when I hear a knock on the door

"So can I use this arm to drive or no?" I ask looking at my wimpy looking arm. "I would say no because you have absolutely no muscle in it as of right now, but over the coming weeks see how it feels. A nice shower will take care of all the dead skin cells that have been sitting there all that time." He says. "Great, thanks again," I say getting up from the chair. "Do you want your cast? Some people keep it, and your friends wrote some interesting messages." He laughs looking at where Michael signed it and chuckles. I roll my eyes. " I'll take a picture of it, and yeah one of my friends did that, though it was funny," I say and snap a picture before I leave the clinic.