RUN! [Muke/Cashton]

Chapter Twenty-Six.

It was another Monday evening and Ashton was supposed to be at track practice. The boy understood how important practice sessions where now that nationals loomed closer, and, the boy understood that Coach Tomlinson would have his head when he returned to track on Wednesday for missing the first of his new triweekly practices. Ashton doubted there would be a chance for him to escape the man's impending lecture and disappointed stare and he would take the punishment that would be given to him but he had a reasonable excuse for skipping. 

The boy was in front of his house waiting. He absentmindedly picked at the splintered board of the steps, unbothered as the wind pushed his overgrown curly fringe into his eyes. His gaze trailed after each car that would pass through his avenue every few minutes, spirit falling a bit each time when it was not the vehicle he was waiting on. 

Calum had offered him a ride home when they had ran into each other in the hallway after the last bell of day sounded. The younger quickly noticed that Ashton walking towards the school's main entrance rather than to the back field where practices were held.  Ashton turned down the other's generosity arguing that the boy needed to be early for practice before Calum could give his rebuttal. They parted in the hallway, Calum walking away from him reluctantly when he realised that Ashton would say nothing more to him. Ashton turned around to check on the dark haired sprinter, watching his back as he exited the building with his track bag thrown over a shoulder. 

Ashton used his walk home as a time to analyse all he was feeling at that moment. There was so much running through his head as he went through the day that the boy wasn't sure how he managed to make it through classes without breaking down. He saw the concerned looks from his friends throughout the day, even Luke Hemmings checked on him during a class because he had obviously spaced out. The six and a half hours of his school day felt like they were dragging on even though afterwards it was all a blur.

He gotten the call that his mother would be discharged the night before as he was doing homework. The sound of his ringtone cutting through his focus and the news from the nurse on the other end of the line had halted any other studying he had planned for the night. His mum's boyfriend would be the one to bring her home as he didn't have a car. He could of asked Calum, but, he didn't want to bring the boy into anymore of his family drama. No matter how much the dark haired boy argued that it was okay the thought of placing all of his burdens on Calum made Ashton feel uncomfortable. 

After a week of being alone in an empty house (excluding the few days when Jackson, Joelle or Calum appeared at his door just to spend a couple hours with him) the teenager was happy to get back to the norm. At night the stillness within the bungalow would make him feel uneasy. The absence of his mum and siblings brought with it an unsettling quiet would make it harder for him to sleep. He'd grown up in that house and had adjusted to life with them, it was strange being in place that he linked with their presence and interaction being empty.

Despite his joy at the prospect of full house again, Ashton wasn't sure if he was ready to go back to life as before. With his mum back and her boyfriend still in the picture it was highly likely that she would fall back into her old ways. When his siblings returned he would have to continue being their protector, placing himself in between them and the adults when tempers flared and things got nasty. 

Life without his family around gave the boy a change to be a regular teenage for once. Of course he thought about them during the week they were separated, but he didn't have to worry about coming home to arguments, or have to fear beer bottles being tossed his way. There was something relaxing about being able to hang out with friends without having to be concerned about the safety of his siblings while he was away. Still, Ashton knew he couldn't change his life. He didn't choose his circumstances and it was too late for him to try to do anything more than what he already was. There was a reason he was given this role in his family, and so far he remained strong enough to bear it all.