Easier [Ashton Irwin]

17

Is it easier to stay? Is it easier to go?
I don't wanna know, oh

~~~

Press was crucial when releasing an album. It drew in new fans, a new audience and excited those who already listened to their music, ensuring preorders and that they stayed.

Normally, Ashton would be thrilled to be back into the routine of interviews and small shows, but this time, he was dreading it.

"Ashton, come on! You've got interviews today!" Sydney tried to gently shake the man awake, but he merely groaned, pushing his face further into the soft pillow.

Sydney frowned at her friend. Normally, Ashton was awake early, a habit that no one else in Sydney's apartment shared with him. Usually, they would wake up and find Ashton in the kitchen making his tenth cup of coffee or in the living room watching television. On the good days, Ashton would have Sydney's guitar in his hand (she could play — Luke had taught her when they were fifteen) and a notebook beside him. On the bad days, Ashton could barely muster up the strength to leave his (technically, Sydney's) bed.

Today was a bad day.

What Sydney and most of the millennials on Twitter liked to call The Big Sad had hit Ashton harder than ever. Sydney knew this. Having known the man since he was seventeen and Sydney herself was fifteen, she could recognise the signs of Ashton's 'bad days' within seconds.

"C'mon, Ashton." Sydney spoke softly. "There's only something like three interviews today, and you're gonna be with the boys for all of them. And then afterwards you can do whatever you want because you haven't made any other plans."

Ashton lifted his head, sighing. Sydney placed a comforting on Ashton's shoulder and nodded at her, letting her know that he was getting up. She left the room, closing the door behind her. She sighed, nibbling at her bottom lip.

God, how she wished she could just take it all away from him.

~~~

Ashton wished he was anywhere else but here. He wanted to be playing football with Harry; or grabbing a coffee with Lauren; or maybe he could be taking his mum and David out for lunch; or perhaps he could be chilling out with Sydney on the sofa watching a Marvel film and glaring every time she complimented one f the actors' looks, ignoring the feeling in the pit of his stomach.

But instead Ashton was stuck in a black car along with the rest of 5 Seconds Of Summer. Of course, it wasn't his friends that were the problem. Ashton was actually quite glad that he was going to be surrounded by his best friends — brother's — as he answered questions that he had answered thousands of times before. But Ashton was having a bad day, and interviews were the last thing he wanted to do, no matter the circumstance.

Luke, Calum and Michael knew Ashton wasn't feeling great, but they carried on with their day as normal, knowing that Ashton hated it when they treated him differently. So they smiled and laughed and acted like their usual dorky selves, hoping that perhaps it would help distract Ashton from his feelings. To their dismay, it didn't.

As the car came to a stop outside the venue, Ashton's breath caught in his throat. High-pitched screams seeped into the car from outside the vehicle, and Ashton winced at the noise. Their driver opened the car's side door and Calum stepped out first, a grin covering his face. Luke followed soon after, running a hand through his golden curls as he smiled at the screaming fans. Michael hesitated, glancing back at Ashton.