Chapter 3
(A/N : the last chapter was just so you can see the relationship between Lou and Calum it was a bit of a filler because I don’t want to rush , keep reading! Xo)
Friday was going to be better. Me and Calum got to school 10 minutes early and it was snowing. It hadn’t snowed this hard last December and it was only the 1st. Everyone seemed to be in a slightly more Christmas-y spirit – even Calum seemed happier if that was actually possible.
_
We walked to the lockers, thankful that the day was over and the weekend started tomorrow. As I approached my locker I could see someone waiting for me, leaning against it. Hands in his pocket, smirking at everyone who walked past and picking at his fingernails looking bored. Ashton Irwin.
I wasn’t sure what to do so I carried on and stopped in front of him. He stared at Calum. Calum stared at the floor.
“I’d like to have a conversation with Louise, if you don’t mind,” he said, “alone.” Calum waited for me to give a nod of approval before leaving and telling me he’d wait for me outside.
“What do you want?” I snapped. Spending an hour of yesterday’s English lesson with him glowering at me had boosted my confidence a little.
“I need a favour,” he said simply.
“Why?”
“I think my girlfriend’s cheating on me… with the new guy.” I stared at him. What?
“So why are you asking me?” I said.
“Because you and Luke hit it off in Maths.” I kept staring.
“This has nothing to do with me and –“
“Please,” he sounded desperate.
“I still don’t know what you’re asking me. In fact, you haven’t even told me what you want,” I replied.
“I need you to distract him. Flirt. Win him over so that Stacy doesn’t get any ideas.”
I was lost for words. “No, absolutely not,” I said.
“Please.” He was begging.
“No. Why’d you even care about Stacy anyway?”
“She’s nice,” he argued.
“Oh bullshit. We both know that’s not true,” I started to walk away and he grabbed my T-Shirt. “Let go!” I said quietly, not wanting to cause a scene in the middle of the hallway.
“Just hear me out,” he said just as quietly, “this is really important to me okay? If Stacy dumps me I lose everything. My popularity. My friends. I’ll be the biggest joke in school and that’s already happened once before and I will not let it happen again. The school I went to before this was awful – I was bullied – a lot. They all thought I was gay, and I acted like it too. But it’s not my fault my dad walked out on us is it? I was surrounded by girls, I didn’t have a dad to help me.” He looked upset. And intense. “But it’s not like you’d understand,” and he pushed past me.
“Ashton wait!” I called. He kept walking. After three more calls he turned around. “I do understand. My mum waked out on us too. My dad was always drunk and I had no one to teach me all the girl stuff. I get how you feel – really.”
He frowned and looked surprised. At least he wasn’t angry. “So if you didn’t have a mum, what did you do when… you know…” he asked.
“What?”
“The first time it was that time of um, month.” He was trying to keep a straight face. Boys.
I tried to answer in a mature way. “Oh, I called Mali – Calum’s sister. Calum’s mum came over and we talked it through.” I suppressed a smile. He was grinning.
“Calum’s mum?”
“Uh. Yeah,” I laughed. He started giggling, it was kind of adorable. And then both of us were full on laughing in the middle of the hallway.
“You’re alright, you know,” he said, “Lou.”
“You too Ash,” I smiled.
“So you’ll help me? I’ll stop being such a prick and I’ll be nice to Calum and all. Besides, I’m doing you a favour, you obviously like Luke.” I blushed.
“Fine,” I said.
“Great,” he beamed. He had a nice smile, he should smile more. “Friends?”
“Friends,” I agreed and nodded.
-
I met Calum outside and gave him a completely detailed description of the Ashton situation. By the time I got to the “Friends” part he was looking at me incredulously.
“Are you sure you’re talking about Ashton Irwin?”
“Yes,” I laughed. “He’s nice… kind of.”
“Don’t get too carried away.”
