Demons (hemmings au)

Twenty-Nine

My life has changed so much in the past few months, I’m a different person. I am no longer popular, no problems, happy Ellie that once was. My whole life is a string of stories, lies, truths, and everything in between. And now I realize that I am in the middle of the whole thing. But why? Why can’t I just delete myself from everyone else's problems? Obviously Luke doesn’t want me to help him anymore. I don’t know if Ashton is telling the truth or not, so why try bothering to figure out? Emma is oblivious to everything going on around her, and other Ellie would have called her way before she calls her boyfriend, but why bother… 

I stay buried beneath the covers of the guest bed until I hear a knock on the door. For a split second I am hopeful that it is Luke coming back to say, well I don’t really know what he would say, but I want it to be Luke. I want to open the door and he be standing there in the pouring rain begging for me back, saying he made a mistake and he can’t live without me. I want an 80’s movie ending where the boy doesn’t just leave the girl empty as so often happens today. I want an ending where the boy comes back for the love of his life and never lets her go again. 

I make my way out of the room thinking that maybe I should have changed out of my pajama shorts and large t-shirt, or maybe washed my hair which is now in a messy bun on top of my head, before realizing that I don’t really care. Upon reaching the entrance hall I still have a small glimmer of hope that Luke is on the other side, but upon opening it all I see is a shaggy head of hair behind a bandana and light hazel eyes. 

“Hey,” I say softly, lifting my hand in a wave before leaving the door open and walking back towards the guest room. I’m on the verge of crying again and I don’t want Ashton to see. 

“Ellie, what happened? What’s wrong with you?” Ashton asks sympathetically, following me to the room and sitting on the edge of the bed as I get under the covers. 

“Luke broke up with me because I told him I kind of believe you,” I say without thinking. There’s no need to lie anymore, I’m sure Ashton will find out what happened anyway. 

“Ellie, I am so, so sorry. I never meant for anything, anything like that to happen,” he sighs, getting off the edge of the bed and moving over to sit beside me before wrapping me in his arms. 

I notice that he is wearing a muscle tee and basketball shorts. Strange, I’ve never seen Ashton in basketball shorts, it’s always been black, skinny jeans. “When the heck did you get so muscular?” I murmur into his chest as I feel his biceps constrict around me. 

I let out a laugh as I feel his chest start vibrating with laughter. “Well I’m still a growing boy Ellie, I’m not the same kid I was in sixth grade,” he whispers with a laugh. As he laughs I begin to realize the truth in his words; none of us are the same as we were in sixth grade, where the hardest decision was what game we wanted to play at recess. 

“Ugh, why can’t we be in sixth grade again?” I sigh, releasing myself from his hold and leaning back against the pillows, and from the slight shift of the mattress Ashton does the same. 

“Remember that time where you wanted to play ‘Queen of the Castle’ so you made Calum, Mikey, and I see who could get to your ‘castle’ first and rescue you,” Ashton laughs, stopping as he recalls the memory. Of course I know what he is talking about.

“Yeah, and at the last obstacle where you guys had to climb the monkey bars Mikey slipped and fell,” I laugh. 

“I totally would have won if he didn’t fall and start crying,” Ashton chuckles.

“Ashton,” I exclaim, hitting him lightly in the shoulder, “Mikey broke his arm, I think he had a good reason to cry,” I laugh. Mikey had fallen on his elbow the wrong way and had to be taken to the hospital. He came back to school the next day with a purple cast on his arm, and made all of us sign it before saying that he won the game by default.