Easier [Ashton Irwin]

3

Why do we always gotta run away?
And we wind up in the same place

~~~

The following day, the four boys and Sydney spent hours in the LA studio. Thoughts and ideas had flowed so quickly and freely that anyone else would've found it difficult to keep up, but the five were now so used to working with one another that it was almost second nature.

Sydney was good with lyrics, that had become apparent when they had started to write for their first album - 5 Seconds Of Summer - and they hit a wall. They had sat there for so long, their heads in their hands and the pens on the table untouched. Yet, as soon as Sydney walked in with their coffee and caught a glimpse of what they were working on, she was able to put into words what they couldn't. She had been working with them ever since.

They left the studio that day feeling excited, the buzz from spending all day writing with no limits still having not worn off. They had jumped into their cars, the songs still running circles in their heads as they messed with them in their minds, experimenting with different lyrics and rhythms.

It was nearing eleven o'clock when Sydney was hit with a bolt of creativity, and she instantly felt the need to share it with Ashton.

    She quickly grabbed her phone off the table and called Ashton on FaceTime, the massive smile she was wearing never leaving her face.

    Ashton picked up. He looked tired, Sydney noticed, his eyes half closed with dark circles framing beneath them. He mustn't have slept much the night before.

    "Ashton! Ashton! Ashton! Ashton!" She repeated his name rapidly.

    "What?" Ashton said, laughing at the girl.

    "I've just had the best fucking idea for that song we were working on earlier—"

    Ashton cut her off mid sentence. "Sydney, it's been three hours. What the fuck are you doing still working on it? You have work tomorrow."

    Sydney pouted. "I wasn't working on it! It just kinda hit me, yanno. Now, do you want to hear about it or not? I mean, I'm sure I could tell Luke about it..."

    Sydney knew Ashton would say yes. Having used Luke as playing card, the man was in her hands. Sydney knew Ashton would rather have her go to him first rather than anyone else — it was just the way he was. He wasn't being selfish or arrogant, he just loved the way Sydney worked.

    Ashton loved to watch her space out when she was thinking about something; to watch the wheels and cogs turn inside her mind. Her eyes would un-focus as she stared at something in front of her, and then suddenly, as quick as an Olympic runner setting off from the starting line, she would snap back. A grin would form on her face, her eyes would light up and she would start going on and on about the brilliant idea she had just had, even if it didn't fit in with the topic of the conversation. The boys had become used to it, and Ashton adored it.

"No! No!" Ashton hurried. "Tell me!"

Sydney grinned in triumph. She had one him over, once again. "Okay, so, do you remember that bit that goes," she hummed a tune, smiling as she did so. "Well, I think we should make it go like this," she hummed a different melody, "and hold at that last note."

As Sydney explained what she meant and offered examples, Ashton could only sit back and admire her working. The smile on his face grew as she continued to talk and he sat in silence, nodding and humming in approval when he deemed it necessary. It wasn't as if he would've been able to speak if he wanted to, anyway; Sydney couldn't be stopped once she started.

This time, however, Sydney was cut off by an angry scream. She stopped short halfway through her sentence, her mouth hanging open as she listened to the vicious words sounding through her phone's speakers. Her eyes were wide as she watched Ashton, her mind blank of any thoughts she had previously had.

"Ashton, you fucking piece of shit!" Kaitlyn screamed at her boyfriend angrily. "You can't do one fucking thing right! You're fucking useless - you might as well kill yourself! It would do the world a hell of a lot of good! Should've gone through with it when you were a kid." She spat out angrily.

Sydney's breathing caught in her throat as she heard the words leaving the cruel woman's mouth. "Ashton?" She questioned, her voice timid and gentle.

Ashton's head snapped away from where he was watching his girlfriend, the fear and pain on his face evident, having forgotten that Sydney was able to see and hear the events unfolding. Panic took over his features, and he froze for a few seconds, before quickly ending the call.

Sydney stared at her phone in shock. What one earth had she just witnessed?

    She snapped out of her frozen state, worry and fear rising in her throat, anxiety fluttering in her stomach. Sydney quickly grabbed ahold of her phone once again, tapping the screen in a desperate attempt to contact with Ashton.

    Tears pooled in her eyes as the phone only continued to dial before it switched to voicemail. She tried calling twice more only to have the same happen.

    Sydney had never seen Ashton look so hurt. The way she had heard Kaitlyn speak to her best friend had raised her concerns; the woman had seemed so vicious that Sydney was worried she would hurt Ashton.

    Her heart caught in her throat as she heard her phone ding: the sound of a message being received.

Ashton
I'm fine Sydney. Don't worry about it.

    But Sydney could help but worry. The text was so vague and that only put Sydney on edge. Calum had told Sydney to trust Ashton, but how could she when she felt like he was lying to her about this situation.

Sydney
Are you sure???
Do you want me to come around???

    Sydney gnawed at her nails, clutching her phone in her hand as she stayed staring at the phone screen, longing for an answer.

    After what seemed like forever, just as Sydney was moving to close her apartment door behind her and go down to her car, she received a response from Ashton.

Ashton
I got it covered

    Sydney sighed.

Sydney
Okay.
Text me if you need anything x