Rhythm || Ashton Irwin

Chapter Thirteen

 Ashton’s POV

I stood at the edge of the road as I watched Lauren’s cab take off and turn down the next street out of my view.  Shaking my head of all the thoughts that were currently brewing, I walked back towards the still full house.  I was no longer in the mood to party and I needed to at least let the guys know I was leaving.

Shoving past people as politely as I could, I made my way back to the small room that was still clouded with smoke.  Once inside I did a small headcount, making sure all three boys were still around so I wouldn’t have to go find anyone else in this sea of people for the second time tonight. 

“Ash, you’re back?” Calum stated, more as a question than anything else.

“Is that surprising?”  I cocked a brow at him, giving him a puzzled expression.

“I just thought that maybe you and Lauren were leaving,” he shrugged, taking a few Cheetos from the extremely large bowl Luke was desperately clinging to.

“Together?” I stifled a laugh.

“Don’t even try to play me man, I saw the way you were looking at her.  You wouldn’t let her out of your sight.  And just for the record, the one time you did leave, she looked like a deer stunned by headlights,” he scoffed, shaking his head. 

“She did?” 

“Yeah, she did,” Michael nodded, vouching for Calum.

“I still can’t believe she smokes,” Luke muttered from beside Calum before shoving a handful of Cheetos into his mouth again.

“Me either,” Michael laughed, shaking his head.  “This changes her whole goody two shoes image.”  Calum and Luke nodded in agreement.

“Are those Cheetos?” I heard a familiar voice squeal from behind me, making me cringe. 

Luke nodded, sending a confused look in my direction as Paige scurried over to Luke and grabbed the smallest one she could find from the bowl.  “I love cheetos too!” 

An awkward silence fell over the room as the four of us stared at each other in complete confusion while Paige bobbed, completely off beat, to the music.  “Isn’t this place hoppin?” she giggled, shuffling her way back over to my side.

“Yeah,” I mumbled, “it’s uh.. really.. hoppin?” 

“What the fuck is going on?” I heard Luke’s failed attempt of a whisper, causing Michael and Calum to loose it.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” she giggled, seemingly un-phased by the laughter, while running her hand along my bicep.

I let out an awkward laugh as I shifted out of her reach.  “I actually have to get going. 

“What?” she whined, giving me what I assumed to be a pouting expression.

“Yeah, I uh, I have to work tomorrow.  Super early.  Can’t be late.”

“Oh yeah,” Calum nodded, backing up my bullshit excuse to leave.  “I totally forgot.”

“Yeah me too, but look at the time?” I shrugged, looking down at my bare wrist, hoping Paige wouldn’t notice the lack of an actual watch, before turning and walking through the crowd.  “I’ll text you guys later,” I yelled over my shoulder, giving them a small wave.

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Class with Lauren on Monday was awkward.  We spent the whole time focusing solely on the professor and avoiding all eye contact with each other, except for the end of class when she asked if we were still on for today, which leads me to right now.