Together | A.F.I

⁂ 14 :: i love my car ⁂

"You ready to go, love?" Ashton asked, walking into his bedroom that had become theirs for the week to find her slipping on her black sabbath tee, tucking it into the band of her black skater skirt.

"Yeah, hang on. Pass my jacket?" She asked, slipping on her heels "We picking up Mikey and Cal?"

"Yeah, Mum's going to follow us there in her car, so that when Lauren and Harry get tired she can take them back without having to drag us back." Ashton explained, passing her her leather jacket "You look great, by the way."

"You do too, as bloody always. How do you stay like that all the time, huh? What's your secret, wizard? How do you stay so good looking? Is it all that banging?" She teased, sliding her phone in her pocket and repositioning her necklace so it rested in the middle of her shirt.

"Do you really want an answer, Joey?" Ashton asked with a laugh, turning the lights off and closing the door to his bedroom.

"I meant your drum playing, what do you think I was on about?" She asked with a smirk, walking down the stairs and smiling at Penelope "Everyone ready to go?"

"Lead the way" She nodded, then looked into the livingroom "Harry, Lauren, put your coats on! You'll get cold"

"Mum, the party's indoors" Ashton told her with a smile, pulling his hoodie over his head and opening the door.

"Right. Still, coats on, you never know" Penelope hummed, hands on her hips.

Joelle nodded "I'll go start the car up - we need to pick up Calum and Mikey as well" She just needed an excuse to get out the house. Penelope's overwhelming motherly presence was suffocating and Joelle was feeling a bit lost, having associated all the issues with her mother to any female authoritative presence with a feeling of sadness and betrayal. God, Ashton Iwrin was the reason she'd changed so much for the better, she'd have to trust him on this one as well and let Penelope into her life properly.

No rest for the wicked, eh?

She got inside her car, turning her key in and starting up the ac. Joelle took a second to breathe and close her eyes, running a hand through her hair. As soon as she began to build herself back up to go back in, they were walking out the door, Ashton sliding into the passenger seat.

"You alright, love? You seem off," Ashton asked, shivering slightly.

"Yeah, I'm just not used to your mum yet - no offence. I haven't really had a mum since I was thirteen, and old habits die hard" Joelle told him softly, pulling out of the driveway and driving towards Michael's house as it was closest "She's incredibly nice, and lovely, and kind. Which is why she scares me"

"I get that, that's alright. If you ever need a second to breathe, right, just text me and we can go out on a walk or something." Ashton offered, a hand on her thigh as she drove. "I got you"

"Thanks, love. You ready to get drunk and crash at Luke's? I need to let go" Joelle hummed, turning queen up a little, turning onto Michael's lane.

"Yeah, god. It's been a while, and you've made me want to go to parties now. Got me hooked, you bad influence" Ashton teased, dancing and drumming his fingers on the dash.

"You love it, though." Joelle told him, parking outside the house and phoning Michael.

"I do, yeah." Ashton nodded, rolling down the window as Michael ran down the drive and waved his arms "Michael! Oh my god, babe! It's been like, forever!" He exclaimed in a false, high pitched voice "Girl!"

"Oh, my, god! Bitch! Aw, I missed you guys so much" Michael responded, sliding in the car, his accent even higher and more new york than Ashton's. He leant forward and kissed them both on the cheek, then sat back "Where's my baby Cal? Where is that hoe?"