Deal. {Ashton Irwin}

Chapter 12.

The bell rings, I barely notice at first, it just seems like a faint sound in the distance.

“Cassie, you’re coming with us.” Calum stands above my desk, his hand out.

I brush it away, swinging my bag over my back and follow close behind Michael.

~

“Sit.” Michael points to a worn out couch placed against a wall.

This room took us 5 minutes to walk to. It’s located right at the end of the Art rooms, right beside the football team’s locker room.

It has posters of every kind of band that has ever came to be, there is a drum set in the corner, beside that is two guitars and one bass. There is a massive cabinet that has hundreds and hundreds of disks.  The room is small, and cramped but it seems to work well.

“Why did Kate feel the need to start something with you, why did you accuse Ashton of something he didn't do and why are you so ashamed of singing?” Calum stands beside Michael, both of them have their arms crossed.

I stare blankly ahead. What do I tell them first? Or what do I tell them at all? 

“Kate as hated me since day one.” I stutter.

“Kate hates everyone.” Calum takes a seat beside me.

“But her hatred has something to do with Ashton.” I stand, slowly pacing back and forth in the small room.

“Is that what Jasmine was telling you?” Calum watches me as I walk, back and forth, back and forth.

“You heard that?” I stop, looking towards Calum.

“Heard what?” Michael looks between us both.

“Jasmine was telling Cassie that Ashton doesn’t want girls like her. That’s why Kate is better?” Calum tries to confirm it with me, but honestly it’s all a blur.

“What the hell is going on between you and Ash?” Michael asks.

I look towards the ground. 

“Ashton likes you and Kate won’t allow it.” Calum mentions, my head shoots up pretty much confirming that what Calum said was correct.

“Why are you so scared of Kate?” Michael asks yet another question.

“She has threatened me. It’s different for girls, if she came up to you and told you that video games are childish and she posted on this viral website, would you care?” I harshly question.

“No, as long as my video games love me.” Michael replies.

“Exactly, it’s completely different for me. I’m new, and all the girls in this school relay on information given from other people, whether it’s true or not. If something starts going around that I’m a boyfriend stealer than I’ll be labelled and never out live it.”

“I see your point. But other then that, Kate and Ashton have never had a relationship.” Calum adds.

“It’s the social hierarchy of school, popular person dates other popular person.” My feet start to shake again.

“Can’t people just grow up.” Michael falls back onto the couch.

“Forget all this. Forget Kate, forget being labelled, forget the gossip. Do you like Ashton?” Calum asks me.

Liking Ashton comes with the harassment of Kate, the label and all the gossip, so ruling all that out is literally my dream. If that dream was real than liking Ashton wouldn't be a nightmare for me, it would be how it should have been.

“Without all those things, yes. Yes I like him.” I don’t feel embarrassed, or even the butterflies that have tottered me whenever I hear his name. This time is different, this time I’m admitting to liking him like it’s easy. But when it comes to admitting I like him in this world it’s like admitting a death sentence. This time it feels like a harmless high school crush.

“Ashton isn’t the kind of guy that cares about the gossip, though.” Calum tells me.

“I know Ashton doesn’t care, but I’m worried about getting hurt.” I admit.

“Hurt, what the fuck has Kate done?” Michael rises to his feet.

“What she’s capable of.” I shake my head. “Forget it okay, I don’t want anyone involved, especially you.” I eye Michael.

“Cassie, you gotta tell Ashton, he’ll understand.” Calum informs me.

“No.” I raise my voice, “I will not tell Ashton, either will you two!” 

“Cassie, he has to know why you just blocked him off.” Michael speaks

“I’ll figure it out, but he mustn’t know, okay?” I tell them both.

“Okay,” They both reply.

“I’m gonna go.” I run my fingers threw my hair. “Thanks for.. well everything, just being my friends.”

“Hey, I’m grateful I have spoken to a real life girl.” Michael motions his hands to me as I smile.

“Cassie, we are always here, okay?” Calum brush my arm and I nod.

“Thanks boys.” and with that I exit the room.

~

It’s still pouring outside, even harder than before. It’s much darker too, the only source of light is from the moon and some of the open windows from the buildings.

I walk down the hallway, reaching my dorm room and slowing opening the door.

Jasmine isn't here, thank god. But the room is a mess, mostly my side.

Did she go through my stuff? I look around, trying to determined what she might have took, or examined.

Some of my clothes are on my bed, and some are on the floor. I look for the most expensive thing I own first. Laptop.

It’s sitting safely on my desk, where I left it. I try and think to what would be more important to take other than a laptop. Phone? Nope, I’ve had mine with me. 

I think harder, they might have taken something personal, something that would mean more than any kind of laptop.

My Bascketball.