drowning

16

Just as I agreed to help Michael with his paperwork, Ava appeared from around the corner cautiously.

"Ava" I smiled to her, seeing her wet hair laying on her shoulders, her oversized t shirt and shorts complementing the look.

"You've met Michael, Michael- Ava" I reminded them, seeing them both smile to each other.

"He just has some paperwork he needs help catching up on so I'm going to help him out while we watch the movie-" "we don't have to watch the movie, I don't want to interrupt." She spoke swiftly.

"Oh no" Michael spoke before I could.

"We're watching the movie, it'll make the paperwork more bearable." He smiled to her.

Therefore, we all started watching the movie together.

Michael and I worked on paperwork, Ava zoned into the tv.

"Want a sleeping pill?" I asked her once it was passed midnight and she was still up, talking to us and flipping through other movies and shows.

I knew she was prescribed sleeping medicine, but due to the sleeping schedule she's showing us now, she must not take them.

"Sure" she spoke swiftly.

She followed me to my bathroom where I found the exact medicine I had put her on, giving it to her, where she took it swiftly.

She soon sat back on the couch, continuing to talk to Michael.

"You are a baby!" Michael suddenly yelled as she brought up how she just graduated high school last year.

"I am not" she laughed back to him, her arm touching mine, her body seeming to get closer and closer the later it got, but I didn't mind.

We listened as she continued to tell us stories about her senior year

"Oh and for my senior trip, we got Jacob so drunk that we have to take him to get out on an IV, I didn't think my parents would ever trust me to take care of him again-" her laughter faded as she spoke, the smile not leaving her mouth though.

I put my arm around her, making her look to me swiftly.

"I'm not sad." She told me, and it was almost believable.

"Just reminiscing" she finished

Ava.

They were so comfortable to be around.

Michael and I were consistently making fun of each other, something that reminded me of the arguing Jacob and I used to do.

Anytime I went quiet for even a few seconds, Ashton was in some type of way gaining my attention to silently check on me.

It was like, a miniature- not blood- family.

I soon knew the sleep medicine was kicking in due to how heavy my eyes were getting and how the room would spin faster than my head when I turned to look to Michael or Ash.

"Luke and Cal are coming just to grab pizza" Michael announced after a moment of looking to his phone.

I get to really meet the other friends.

Suddenly, Ash threw a blanket over my body, making me thank him quietly.

I was finally so sleepy, I felt like I could sleep without a care in the world

Ashton.

She didn't respond to the fact that Luke and Cal were coming to grab pizza, so I looked to her face, seeing a purely tired expression.

Just as I touched her back gently, I noticed the chill bumps she had formed on her arms and legs, telling me she was cold.

I grabbed a blanket, carefully throwing it over her, hearing the smallest "thank you." From her, which made Michael smile.

And before another word was said, she leaned her body onto mine, myself immediately wrapping an arm around her.

"Someone's finally giving into the fight of the sleeping medicine" I laughed out, but I knew- she was probably already asleep, because I didn't get a single response, just felt her body relax against mine.

"I could tell it was coming." Michael laughed out.

Soon the guys came in, not confused over seeing her, because Michael had texted them a detailed paragraph about it all when he found out they were coming.

As they grabbed pizza, I carefully lifted her body bridal style, taking her into the guest room, laying her in bed and covering her up,

I cut on a lamp in the far corner of the room, not wanting her to be confused or scared if she ended up waking up.

I pulled the door, shutting it quietly before joining the guys, who were all now reading over some of Michael's paperwork.

"Bro- you might as well call in tomorrow, there's no way you're finishing all of this in time" Luke laughed out.

"There is a way- and it's with all of you guys helping, so grab a stack."