The next morning, Ashton goes through the stuff he'd managed to gather from his place. He sets the bigger bags in front of him, breathes in the situation, and pushes them in the far back of the truck, hissing as he tends to get the sweaters and his thoughts inside the small space. This has to do. About three pairs of jeans, a couple more of training pants, sweaters, his oversized jeans jacket, and he's good to go. Hayden takes the backpack she'd bring with her earlier and sets it next to Ashton' stuff before pulling the trunk's door down.
"All set?" she asks, twirling a strand of hair along her jaw. Ahston's baggy training pants hanging around her waist, a grey crop top on, though the temperatures are so low, her breathing almost creates snowflakes. Her hair's tied back but not in its usual top bun. This time, it's falling behind her neck, the pink waves still crashing with the blonde roots making their return. Hayden looks like she clearly knows what she's doing, as if used to go on great adventures without any plans. Here, Ashton's facing her with a burning passion, eyes full of expectations, not knowing whether they should go on or not. Giving him a knowing smile, she climbes in the passenger seat, shuts the car door beside her and closes her legs under her tiny body.
"Let's head North!" she claimes when Ash joins her, still unsure of his decision.
***
The first stop they make is for food, which they hadn't really though about when getting in the truck. Hayden takes it upon herself to walk in the service station. She grabs a basket and throws in as many boxes of biscuits, cereals, and sandwiches as shen can. Her eyes covering the aisles quickly as if she couldn't remain in Manchester any longer. She has to leave.
Her sight flies over the alcohol stand and she walks the other way, grabbing a couple more chocolate bars before spreading her finds in front of the cashier. She hurries back to the fridge and comes running again to the front of the line with two boxes of orange juice, finally ready to pay.
When she walks back to the truck, Ash's making sure the tank's full and ready for whatever they had planned. He helps Hayden set their newly found menus in the trunk and retains a snort at the sight of all the chocolate Hayden has picked.
"I mean, are we supposed to survive this trip or not?"
She laughs sarcastically in a way that reminds him of Diane. Hs eyes closed, Ashton ruffles through his hair with his left hand before being able to breathe in deeply. He'd left a note on the kitchen counter, inbetween bags and boxes of fruits and cutlery. Hoping for Dee to forgive him, again. Ava and Ez were playing in the living room as he'd scribbled a few words on a yellowish post-it. He breathes out. They didn't need to see him right now. They could live without their addict uncle trying to survive life. Breathe in. Dee had asked him to finish boxing up his things, she wanted them to be able to move out before Christmas day. Though Ashton and his dad had negotiated the New Years. Breathe out. Out. Out.
In his mind, Ash didn't question why he and Hayden were fleeing Manchester. Hayden had ran away, pulling her suitcase behind her back, not wishing to give her house one last look.
They both sit back in the truck now, and as he starts the engine once more, Ashton pushes the screams he can still hear in his head from last night. He pushes every single counter-idea that came into his thoughts since Hayden told them they were leaving. Ethan's music makes its way to their ears in an instant, and they're back in the truck, heading North.
YOU ARE READING
Settle Down
Romance"She came and it was two in the morning. She'd been crying. She started screaming in my backyard. She was yelling for me to let her in while I had never met her before. Mate, she was nuts. She wore that fucking purple dress. You know, the dark one...
