she will be loved -- ashton irwin

iii.

he'd never thought about a girl for longer than twenty minutes, and that was only if he really wanted to fuck. so, when ashton couldn't get hunter off of his mind, it scared him a little bit.

he just couldn't get that image of that handprint across her cheek out of his head. who had done that to her? did she do it to herself? ashton was entirely too curious.

it had been three days since hunter ran out on their date. he knew nothing more than the girl's first and last name, but he wanted to find out more.

when the bell rang for lunch, he headed to the table where he, calum, and their other friends, michael and luke, sat. he immediately spotted the long, dark hair of marleigh, and right next to her was the oh so familiar girl his thoughts were focused on.

she was giggling at something that michael had whispered to her, and strangely, ashton felt his blood boiling in his veins. the mere thought of hunter close to him pissed ashton off more than anyone could imagine.

ashton sat down directly across from hunter, and he saw her tense up.

"hey, ash, this is hunter--" michael began, but ashton would have no part of it.

"i know. we went out on friday." he answered quickly.

"hardly." hunter mumbled.

"how was your weekend, hunter?" ashton asked, extremely curious about the girl.

"fine." she said simply.

he looked hunter in the eyes, noticing how pretty they looked. she was far from unattractive. "listen," he whispered as he leaned forward, so only she could hear. "i'm sorry if i said something to offend you on friday. i'm a huge dick, but i really didn't want to upset you. i'm just curious."

she nodded. "it's okay."

"it kinda worried me, and i don't know why, because i don't even know you, but--"

"i said it's fine, ashton, can we drop it?" she insisted, so he shook his head in agreement.

"so, ashton, hunter," marleigh said, dragging out each word, "how was your evening on friday?"

"great," ashton said, but at the same time, hunter scoffed.

"wait, whoa, i'm confused.."

hunter spoke up, "mine wasn't exactly the best, but it seems ashton's was. that's it. there's nothing to be confused about."

and once again, she stood up, and she ran away from ashton, and before he could stand and chase her, michael was out the door with her.

ashton's anger bubbled up inside him, but he managed to hold it back.

"what the fuck is wrong with her? did you do something to her?" marleigh asked, hostility in her tone. 

"no, i didn't. why would you even think that?"

marleigh shrugged. "we all know how it went with you and heather, so i just assumed--"

"well, i wouldn't do that to hunter." ashton hissed.

"goddamn, what is with everyone's attitude? everyone is just so mad, and i feel really left out of the circle because it's been a fantastic day." luke cried, throwing his hands up. 

"i'm not mad," calum added.

"well fucking great for you two, you deserve a cookie." ashton said, his teeth clenched. 

as the silence around the table grew uncomfortable, ashton followed suit with hunter and stood from his seat, slamming it back under the table. he could hear whispers of "what's gotten into him?" from around the three as he stormed away.