What Doesn't Break You (Ashton Irwin Fanfic)

Chapter 7

A.J.'s POV:

I had to go back to the main office before I left campus to check in my class schedule. After the secretary looked it over to make sure I had made it to all the correct classes for the day, she smiled at me and asked how my day went. I just gave her a quick nod and said ‘good’ and left it at that. I just wanted to get home. “Well, you only have to check in after tomorrows lessons and that should be it. See you tomorrow A.J.” she smiled as I left the office.

I made my way outside, breathing a deep breath of relief. I made it out alive, I thought as I made my way across campus to the bus stop. I told my Aunt there was no need to drive back and pick me up. I wanted to take the bus for two reasons. 1) I didn’t want her hovering over me. I could use the bus ride to clear my head of all the nonsense before I had to face her questions of how my day went. 2) I wanted to be more independent here, right from the start. Once I had a car I could drive anywhere, but knowing how to manage without my own transportation seemed like a good idea.

I was about 100 feet away from being off campus when I heard a car pull up quickly right beside me and honk its horn. I screamed and threw myself to the side, falling in the process, and scraping my knees on the concrete sidewalk.

I didn’t stay on the ground for long. I quickly scrambled to my feet, ignoring the pain in my knees, and made sure my skirt wasn’t stuck up or my ass showing. The car that almost ran me down had stopped and turned off, and I heard the door open and scrambling feet coming up behind me. Before I turned around to confront this person, however, I heard a very familiar deep voice say “Oh shit! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for you to fall over!!”

It was Ashton. Of course it was, I thought

His eyes were wide and he was breathing heavy as he ran towards me and reached for my arm like he was going to help me. I jerked away from him and shouted “What the fuck! Really!? You almost ran me over asshole!”

His eyebrows furrowed and he snapped back at me “No I didn’t almost ‘run you over.’” He made little quotations with his fingers as he glared down at me. “You were on the sidewalk. I just pulled up to the curb too fast, I was just hoping to scare you a bit.” he finished with a slightly sheepish look on his face.

“Well congratulations!” I scoffed. “Ha ha ha! Everyone is amused." I tried to turn and stomp away from him but my knees gave out and I almost stumbled back to the ground. Ashton caught me by my shoulders and held me up before I could fall.

“Hey I’m sorry! I really didn’t think you would freak out that bad. Let me see your knees.” He reached down towards my leg and I shoved him back towards his car. “Fuck off!” I screeched.

“Hey I’m just trying to help. It’s not my fault you’re a klutz” he said smirking at me. This made me even more furious. That damn smirk!!

“It most certainly is your fault! You tried to scare me on purpose jackass!” I spit back at him. I could feel blood running down one of my legs and I brought my right knee up to examine the damage. Shit! My skin was peeled off my whole knee and there were bits of gravel stuck in it.

Then I heard him giggle. I snapped my head back up to look at him and he put his hands up in defense. “Hey I’m sorry, but your accent sounded kinda cute there for a second. It sounds thicker when you’re mad. Do people normally call each other ‘jackass’ where you’re from?” he asked laughing a little more. Seriously?!