Easier [Ashton Irwin]

4

It's like we're looking for the same thing
Same thing, yeah

~~~

Sydney couldn't concentrate.

It was the morning after her conversation with Ashton and the events were playing in repeat in her mind.

    She had come to work earlier then usual in hopes of distracting herself, or at the very least, making sense of what had occurred. Yet, it was only stressing her out even more.

    Sydney worked in a coffee shop. It wasn't much, but the pay was good for what she was doing, and she could choose her own hours. Originally, she was supposed to work on a set schedule of hours, but the shop was owned by a sweet couple in their thirties who were very kind. When Sydney had told them about her friends, they were baffled as to why she didn't find work writing lyrics with other musicians, but Sydney responded by saying it 'wasn't her thing'. Yet, the couple were determined to encourage her to keep writing, so they gave her freedom to choose her own hours and take as much time as she needed off, as long as she told them in advance and they didn't have to pay her for those said hours. It also meant that Sydney could join her best friends on their tours, where she acts as their personal photographer and mascot.

    Usually, Sydney enjoyed her work; she enjoyed meeting the different cultures and backgrounds that would walk in. She met new people everyday, and something new happened all the time. Most of the time, she would have long conversation with the sweetest of customers, the smile on her face huge as she handed them their coffees.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Mrs Bello, one of Sydney's bosses, spoke softly.

"Nothing's wrong, Casey." Sydney responded, handing a customer their coffee over the counter with a smile. Casey Bello and her husband, Marcus Bello, had insisted that she call them by their first names, as she had been working for them since the age of fifteen.

Casey laughed. "You can't lie to me, honey. I've known you for years - I can tell when you're not feeling like yourself." She moved to sit down at one of the small tables placed next to the large window looking out onto the busy streets of Sydney, patting to the chair next to her so that the girl of the same name would join her. "Now, what's up?"

    "It's nothing big." Sydney sighed, tracing patterns onto the wood of the table with the pad of her index finger. "I'm just worried about Ashton, that's all."

    "Why are you worrying about him?" Marcus Bello spoke, pulling a chair out from a nearby table and setting it down next to his wife, before moving to sit on it.

    Sydney looked up at the man. "I don't know," she looked back down at the table again, "I trust Ashton, I do." She sighed. "It's just that I get these awful vibes from his girlfriend, Kaitlyn. I was on FaceTime with him last night, and you should have heard the shit she was saying. They were disgusting!" Sydney leant her elbows on the table, leaning her forehead against her palms. "The way she was talking made me want to throw up, and oh my god, I think there's something worse going on."

Casey placed a soft and gentle hand on Sydney's shoulder, and Sydney lifted her head to reveal eyes rimmed with tears. "Oh, honey." She sighed, slowly rubbing small circles onto her shoulder.

"It's probably nothing." Sydney's voice was quiet.

"No," Marcus spoke. "If you're that worried about him, go sort this shit out. You'll feel better after that."