New Kid: Ashton Irwin

Chapter 22

A/N 5K!!!! I love y'all so much and y'all make me so happy that I'm going to double update even if it takes me all night. I started watching American Horror Story, so it won't be that hard. <3

I stayed up the rest of the night as Ashton slept off the cigarettes. I couldn't rest after everything and wanted to make sure if he woke up, I'd be there.

Ever since I moved in with him, one bad thing has been happening after another. Before, my biggest problem was getting out of this city, now it's just trying to survive everyday with what it throws at me. I would love to be able to lay down next this boy and sleep the stress away, but instead I'm sitting against the headboard with my knees pulled in, waiting for him to wake up and tell me everything's going to be okay.

But, things will never be okay. There's always going to be something that we're going to have to fight through because we can never get a break from the universe.

I just want to enjoy Ashton. I want that happy relationship girls always get in movies, the one where the guy greets her at the door with flowers, carries her to the car and drives to their favorite restaurant, but it ends up being too crowded. They hangout at his house instead because they don't need fancy things to be happy together.

They hangout at his house instead because they don't need fancy things to be happy together.

Are Ashton and I happy together? We always talk about how we cause each other too much stress than we deserve, but he keeps me planted even when the wind is blowing at 100 mph.

One thing is for sure, I don't deserve him. I'm a chore, someone he has to look out for, like a newborn cat that can't survive on it's own. I love that he's so supportive, but what if it goes too far and I can't be on my own? Relationships never last and we're just another naive high school couple.

He moves around on the ocean colored mattress and reveals his hazel eyes to the sunrise peeking through the window. "Hey." He moans.

"Hi. Are you feeling okay?" I snuggle next to his warm body as he loops his mile long arm around my neck.

"My head's foggy, but it won't last long." He plants a dry kiss on my cold cheek and the butterflies fly back, after all this time they still manage to show up.

You know what? I'd choose this over any stupid flowers and fairy princess relationship. I'm with someone that I use to dispise, but now love and how often does that happen? Someone that is tough on the inside, but has the world in his heart. Someone that sweeps you off your feet mentally and won't put you back down. Someone that deserves everything, but not everything deserves him. Someone that might not be the prince charming, but the joker that should've won.

"Shouldn't you be at the hospital?" He asks after a while. I laugh and bury my head in his neck because looking back on it, it was stupid to leave.

"They let me go early?"

"Sure." He remarks sarcastically and slides out of the warm bed. "Do you want to go to the park?"

"The park?" I jump out of bed because I'm surprisingly not that tired and change out of his clothes from last night.

"Yeah, I like to live life on the edge. Skip school and go to the park." He giggles and throws on a shirt.

"Woah, watch out." Using the same sarcasm.

We take the next 10 minutes getting ready and leave. The sun instantly hits my face and it feels amazing.

I close my eyes the ride there and all I hear is Blink-182 playing through the speakers. There's only a month and a half more until Christmas break which means 45 days and then New York. God, I'm so scared to see my Dad. How am I suppose to find him? What if he's not even in NYC anymore?

"Babe, we're here." Ashton nudges me and I open my eyes to Sydney's Luna Park.

"Amusement park?"

"Yeah, I know you've been stressing lately and I want to show you how much of an awesome girl you are, so you're going to have fun and not worry today." He gets out of the car and jumps around like a little boy on Christmas. I join him and we scurry to the entrance. There are clowns everywhere and not gonna lie, it's a little freaky. "Not scared of clowns, are ya?" He teases.

"Pssh, no."

He eases slowly into my face as I try to look away.

"Okay, maybe a little." I admit. He walks behind me, wraps his long muscular arms around my torso and rests his chin in the crook of my neck.

"I'll protect you." He mumbles. Don't get me wrong, I'm flattered and I love that he cares, but I don't want him to worry. I take a swift look through the fence that's next to entrance and there's a ton of clowns walking around.

Never mind. Protect me, Ashton.

I think he knows I'm shaking because he unhooks his arms and holds my hand tightly instead. "Maybe you won't be scared anymore afterwards." We kiss and it eases some of the nerves.

"Hey! Scoot up or get a room." An idiotic college guy shouts from behind and we stroll to security after Ashton flips him off.

"Any drugs?" The woman asks while patting down my legs.

"Nope."

"That's a first." She scoffs and I see Ashton lay a pack of cigarettes on the table next to him. Of course.

"What do you want to do first?" He asks once we finally get in the park.

"That." I point to a huge roller coaster with lots of drops. I love roller coasters, especially ones like that. The adrenaline when you're going up, getting to scream how loud you want, how slow time feels during.

"You sure?" He gulps.

"Not scared of roller coasters, are ya?" I mock.

A clown comes right up and blows a horn causing us both to jump and scurry to the ride.

"I'd rather ride that then be in the middle of that freak show." I feel his shaky hand capture mine and I feel a lot more safe.

There's almost no one in line because it's only 1 pm and I hear him curse under his breath from lack of people.

"Carmen, I can't." He fights once we sit in the cart.

"Don't be such a pussy." I remark back and strap us both in.

"What if something happens?"

"Babe, nothing's going to happen." I kiss his cheek and hold his hand again that is shaking more now. His vibe softens...well, that is until the ride takes off up the clicking hill. "Just don't look down."

"Okay." He hyperventilates. What does he do? Fucking looks down.

"Jesus Christ, Ashton." His grip tightens as the ride pounds down the first hill and back up again.

I feel on top of the world. The gust of wind that runs into my face every other second feels amazing. These are the little moments that keep me alive.

Ashton on the other hand...

His eyes are screwed so tight that his face is turning white. Both of his huge hands are glued to the only safety near him. Every single little vein in his neck is visible revealing the blue and purple colors. His long mane struggles to stay down as the curls twist even more. The long bulky sticks staying near to his gut with some sneaky muscles showing are a ghostly white from holding the bar.

The ride is over and everyone looks happy except the boy that refuses to get up.

"Ash, it's over." I help him out of the seat and he can barely stand.

"Let's go home."