Settle Down // Irwin

46

"I am so fucked." Ashton could hear someone else in the deserted library.

He had done the same thing he did the week before. He had lunch with Calum and Jade then stayed in the library for his free period. This time though he wasn't doing music he was trying to work out a way to get Harry and Lauren to school without dropping one if late and Ashton arriving at school a period later.

Jade emailed her mom in Italy to tell her what's going on. She told her dad too. He said he is willing to get one of his lawyer friends to support Ashton's case if his mom or ashton chose to go to court about custody or domestic abuse charges. Ashton told him that he was just trying to take baby steps and Mr Jones understood that. He also said he has some realtor friends that could possibly set Ashton up and if he tries and gets custody Lauren and Harry too. He said it would be a lot more complicated than that because Ashton is only 18 and just about to go to college so there would be more paperwork involved. Also because Harry and Lauren are younger it means more complications too. And it isn't like their mom and dad are dead. There are also their moms parents but Ashton knows how they feel about his dad. They always liked him. He doesn't even know if they know he beats their daughter and grand kids. But in their eyes he could do no wrong.

But Mr Jones said it would be worth it. And Ashton believes him.

"There you are." Ashton turns when he hears Charlie talking to him. It must have been her he heard earlier.

"What do you want?" Ashton snaps at her. He couldn't be bothered with her bullshit today. It was the first time he's seen her today and already he was so done.

"I need to talk to you." She looks teary eyes and kinda tired. This might have made Ashton a bit more sympathetic towards her. So therefore he was more tolerant.

"Okay?" Ashton says hesitantly before Charlie pulls out the chair next to Ashton.

"God!" She groans and her hand flies to her hair.

She looks at Ashton again. He now sees the redness in and about her eyes. Her top was only on one shoulder, her knees of her jeans stained with grass and mud, and two odd shows.

Then he smelled her.

Ashton had never tried weed before but he knew the smell from parties. And she stank of it. He could tell it was being disguised by perfume but it was unmistakable.

"Charlie?" Ashton furrows his eyebrows together. "Are you high?"

"What?" Charlie cocks her head to the side. "Shit!" She exclaims and begins fishing around in her bag. "No." she says still in her bag. "It is from last night." She brings out a can if body spray. "I'm hungover."

"Right." Ashton nods as Charlie whines spraying herself. Ashton wasn't quite sure what to think. Maybe he should be asking Charlie more questions, maybe seeing if she wanted to go home. Ashton was maybe the tiniest bit worried.

"Better?" Charlie stops and asks.

"Little bit." Ashton says slowly. He could still smell it. Just not as bad. Ashton had no idea how Charlie was still allowed on campus considering how strongly she was smelling.

"Okay, good." She sighs and leans back in her chair. Ashton is waiting for her to speak but she is quiet.

"Charlie?" Ashton nudges her shoulder slightly.

"Oh," she snaps back to reality. "Right." She nods and then takes a deep breath before saying, "I need to tell him."

"What?" Ashton says with confusion.

"I need to tell Michael the truth." Charlie explains.

"The truth?" For a moment Ashton had no idea what she is talking about. What truth could she be talking about? And then he realizes. "You're going to tell him about Calum."

Charlie bites her lip and nods. "I have to." Charlie rushes out. "I have to tell him about Calum and how I think I might like him, or I might be able to, but I still love Michael and want to be with him, but I can't because I don't deserve him, or Calum, and that I never said it was Calum because I knew he would kill him and, fuck, I couldn't live with myself if something bad happened to Calum." Charlie finally breathes. "You believe that I couldn't live with myself if something bad happened to Calum. Right?"

Ashton stares at Charlie for a long time before deciding what to say. He does believe Charlie wouldn't be able to live with herself, but it was Michael she would need to convince. Ashton has seen Michael on the football field. He knows how easy it is to set him off. This is exactly the right amount to drive him crazy.

"You can't say a thing."

"W-what?" Charlie stutters. "You said-"

"I know." Ashton says. "But I also knew you were right when you said that if Michael knew the truth Calum would be in trouble. I know you are trying to do the right thing Charlie but you shouldn't have slept with Calum in the first place."

"But... b-but?" Charlie stands. "You said I had to tell the truth. And now I am."

"Charlie it's too late." Ashton stands as well, wanting to make her see reason. "You left it too late to say anything. Michael has believed it was Luke for a long time. Their friendship is practically over and now you are going to chose to tell him? He's gonna be mad Charlie," Ashton warns her. "Really mad. And he isn't going to take it out on you. He'll have had enough of taking it out on Luke. It'll be Calum. And you know that."

"I can't keep him from the truth any longer." Charlie shakes her head.

"You're the one that says he can't live with herself if something bad happens to Calum. You know something bad will happen." Ashton warns her.

"Michael has to know." Charlie whispers. "I'm sick of playing around with him."

"Charlie," Ashton sighs. He wasn't expecting this to happen at all today. "You know that you've done the same to Calum. And now you think just telling one truth will get you out. Not a chance." Ashton says bluntly. "Charlie you have to face it."

"This isn't fucking fair!" Charlie begins to pull at her blonde hair. "All I did was have sex with Calum and you are acting like I've went and signed him over to the grim reaper." Charlie grabs ashton shoulders. "I can convince Michael to leave him alone."

"Can you?" Ashton slowly takes Charlie's hands off him.

"Yes!" She says stubbornly. "I can." Ashton just shakes his head. "Listen I can." the frustration in Charles voice was growing as Ashton just kept shaking his head. "I'll show you." Charlie begins to turn but Ashton grabs her by the forearm pulling her back.

"No." He says sternly to her.

Their eyes were locked on the others. Charlie cold blue ones against Ashton's usually warm hazel. But right now Ashton's looked more dark and hot-tempered rather than warm. The brown was slightly out shining the green.

"If I want to tell Michael." Charlie rips her arm away from Ashton. "I will tell Michael. You can't stop me."

Ashton opens his mouth to argue back but no words come out. There is nothing he can say to challenge that other than, "But Calum..."

"I can make sure Michael leaves him be." Charlie slowly starts to back away.

"No you can't." Ashton shakes his head a mutters. "What about Luke?" Ashton felt like begging now. "He is just as involved in this as Michael. You can't convince him too."

"I have to try." And then with a swift run forward to grab her bag and flick of her hair Charlie was gone. Setting up Calum for his funeral.

"Shit!" Ashton runs his hand through his hair in frustration before balling it in a fist and smacking down hard on the table. "Shit!" Ashton yells again before throwing all his stuff in his bag and running out if the library.

He had to find Calum. Jade and him have a science now. Biology, no chemistry, no, fuck, biology. Shit it's one of the two. Ashton just has to check both.

As Ashton reaches the hall the end of period bell goes and soon kids are flooding the hallway left, right and centre. Ashton didn't know if it was a double period or if Calum and Jade were off to a different Class. Ashton just had to find Calum.

And find him before Michael does.

Or even worse,

Luke.