Rhythm || Ashton Irwin

Chapter Seven

I woke up to the sound of my front door slamming shut, causing Cassie and Ben to jump as well.

“Lauren?” I heard my mom yell from the kitchen.

“Shit,” I muttered before sitting up in bed and glancing over at my two best friends who were frozen beside me. 

“Lauren, what is that ungodly smell?”  My mother’s voice echoed as she walked up the stairs.

“You guys need to go, now.” I whispered urgently as I handed Ben the remainder of his pot and Cassie the now empty bottle.

“M-Mom, give me just a second, I’m just getting dressed,” I shouted as I opened my window and ushered them both outside.

“Text me,” Cassie whispered before disappearing down the fire escape.

Sighing in relief, I looked at myself in the mirror, trying desperately to make myself look somewhat presentable.  I ran a hand through my hair and wiped off the make up that had rubbed off in my sleep.

“Could you hurry up sweetheart, I don’t have all day,” my mother spoke from outside my door.

I walked over and opened it some, giving her one of my award winning smiles.  “Morning mom, I didn’t expect you home until the weekend.”

“Yes, well plans change don’t they?” she said matter of factly, pushing her way past me and into my room.  “What happened in here it’s like you threw a party or something.  And what is that smell?  It’s like smoke and skunk, that’s fowl.  It must be the neighbor’s house.  Keep the window shut from now on, those people don’t understand a thing about being considerate of others.”  She stomped over to the window and shut it.

I stood awkwardly in the middle of my room, playing with the ends of my shirt, listening to her rant as she started to clean my room.

“I leave for two weeks and this place looks like a bomb went off.  It’s as if we don’t hire a maid at all.  Where is she by the way?”  She said looking up at me from across the room.

“I-I gave her a few days off.  Her son was sick and I figured Mariah deserved some vacation time..” I mumbled, knowing that’s not what my mom would have wanted.

“I’m pretty sure I pay the bills in this house.  I don’t remember leaving you in charge of our employee’s,” she snapped. 

“I just thought I could do it before you came home-“

“I don’t hire a maid for you to do it Lauren, clearly we see that you doing it doesn’t work,” she said gesturing towards my unkempt room.

“You weren’t supposed to be home for five more days, I had time,” I countered, getting more defensive by the second. 

She stood still for a moment, glaring at me before finally speaking.  “Is that what you’re wearing to school today, because I don’t think wearing sweats and a dirty t-shirt is really appropriate clothing-“

“I need to change,” I growled, cutting her off.

“You said you were changing before I came in here.”  Crap. 

“Well clearly this whole outfit doesn’t please you, mother,” I snapped before turning my back on her and walking towards my closet.

“I just don’t think people take you seriously when you dress like that.  You’re already a dance major sweetheart, don’t give them anything else to use against you.”

And just like that I felt myself snap.  She always spoke poorly about my dancing.  She never supported a single thing I did when it came to what I loved.  It was always about what was best for me financially and dance wasn’t something that my mother thought I could make money in.  The only reason I was even in NYU for dance was because my father told me I could pursue it if I kept my grades up and promised that if I slipped up, I would change my major to business and work with my mother in her fashion company.  I refused to let that happen.  I refused to let my mother win.  It’s part of what drove me to be the best I could be. 

“Get out.” I said flatly, motioning towards my door.

“Don’t speak to me that way, this is my home young lady,” she said in a shocked tone as if I said something that could offend her. 

“No mom, this isn’t a home for you.  It’s practically a hotel.  This is my home.  I live here.  You and dad come and go like the fucking wind while I stay here and work on my career day and night just to make sure that I’ll never end up working for someone as bitter and rude like you,” I spoke, raising  my voice as I did so while grabbing my clothes and running towards the bathroom where she couldn’t follow me.

Ashton’s POV 

The sound of my alarm woke me up from one of the best sleeps I have had in long time.  I groaned quietly as I shut it off before slowly sitting up.  I really hate mornings.

“Ashton?” I heard Harry whisper from outside my door.  “Are you awake?” 

I chuckled before standing up and opening my door, looking down at the eleven year old boy in front of me.  “What’s up little man?” I grinned as he made a face at my nickname for him.

“I’m not little anymore,” he said crossing his arms over his chest.

“When you get to be as tall as me I might think about changing it to big man okay?”  I smirked as I ruffled up his hair and walked past him towards the kitchen.  Our house was small, but definitely liveable.  Much better than the tiny two bedroom apartment we had when we first moved to New York.

“Mom already left for work and told me to wake you up so you wouldn’t be late for school,” Harry said sitting down at the dining table. 

I nodded as a yawn escaped my lips.  “Have you had anything to eat yet?” I questioned, glancing over at him.  He shook his head no, so I took that as a queue to grab two bowls instead of one for cereal.

“Lauren’s still sleeping,” Harry mumbled from his seat. 

I always found it odd that I had two Lauren’s in my life that meant to completely different things to me.  One was part of the reason I got up every morning.  She was the one I would take a bullet for and protect with everything I had in me.  While the other was someone I had grown to detest over the years.  But as much as I hated Lauren Chandler, I could never hate her name, and it pissed me off more than anything. 

“Of course she is,” I laughed before shouting down the hall.  “Lauren, get up now or I’m eating all of your pop tarts!” 

“Mom would be pissed if you did that!” I heard her yell from her room.

“Mom isn’t here so I guess it doesn’t matter,” I said while shrugging and grabbing the box from the pantry, making sure to shake it in the process.

“DON’T TOUCH MY POP TARTS ASHTON!”  Lauren screamed while running into the kitchen and lunging for the box in my hand. 

“Oh good, you’re up,” I smiled while letting her grab the pop tarts, giving her a kiss on the top of the head.  “Good morning my favorite little sister,” I cooed, pulling her into a hug. 

She let out a fake gagging noise while holding back laughter.  “Ew, Ashton you’re so gross, let me go.”

“Oh my god, Lauren I love you too.”  I hugged her tighter, making Harry giggle from his chair before running over and joining our hug.

“You guys are so dumb,” she sighed before giving in and hugging me back.

“But we’re awesome Irwin’s,” Harry smiled up at us proudly.

“Awesome Irwin’s,” I nodded in agreement.

------------

crying bc awesome Irwin's sjkdfmg theY'RE SO CUTE KILL ME.