summer child | ashton irwin

Nine

Nine

May 13, 2022

4:46pm

Los Angeles, California

Sage

Next week was the last week of school, which was bitter sweet. I was excited to finish my junior year, plus my sixteenth birthday would be coming up, but I was not looking forward to being around my dad more. That was the part I hated. This weekend I was seeing my mom, since she was going on tour with Ashton again next week.

"Come on," dad mumbled. Without another word, I got in his car. I kept my hood up as he drove, which was something I had been doing more around him. He had started to drink more than usual, and I happened to walk downstairs at the wrong times.

As per usual, we sat in the McDonald's parking lot until mom had shown up. She was late, like usual, but I got out and went into her car. Dad didn't follow this time, so I assumed he had gotten his money from her. As mom drove, she didn't look at me, kept a focus on the road. It was clear something was wrong, but she wasn't saying anything.

"Are you ok?" I broke the silence.

"Fine," she muttered. I didn't say anything again. She pulled into Ashton's neighborhood and then into his driveway. Once she parked and turned off the car, she got out, "Grab your bags," she told me before slamming the driver's side shut. I did what she said and grabbed my bookbag before following her up. Angrily, she pounded on the door rapidly until it opened. Ashton wasn't there though, but Calum was.

He rolled his eyes, "Ash, Brooke is here," he called out. Ashton had quickly appeared, completely confused.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he questioned.

"You said I'm a shit mother, so here," she pushed me forward. "Take her then, if I'm so awful, take her,"

"Mom?" I questioned, quickly looking at her. My mom and I didn't get along, but I never thought she would abandon me somewhere.

"Brooke, that's not what I said-" he started, but mom was already walking out the door. "Brooke," he called out and quickly followed her. I was about to follow, but Calum grabbed my arm.

"Let Ashton handle it," he told me.

"What's going on?" I asked, trying to keep my emotions under control.

"After the tour Ashton and your mom broke up. He was trying to talk to her about how she was treating you and everyone on tour, so they broke up," he explained vaguely. I was shocked about that. I knew they weren't going to last forever, but Ashton was growing on me. He was actually nice to me, and he seemed to want me around. Knowing he wouldn't be in my life actually hurt me.

"Hey, it's ok," Calum quickly pulled me into a hug. "It'll be ok,"

"It doesn't sound like it," I stuttered.

"It is, I promise," he reassured me.

The front door opened back up and Ashton came back with a huff, "She's gone," he ranted, "Just fucking left,"

"Ash, now's not the time," Calum mumbled.

"Sorry," he sighed. There was silence again, but Calum kept hugging me until Ashton finally spoke up again. "Sage, this is not your fault and has nothing to do with you. You didn't do anything wrong," he reassured me.

"Doesn't sound like it," I hiccupped.

"It's not, I promise," he said as Calum let go of the hug, Ashton took his place standing in front of me. "You are always welcome over here, no matter what, and you still are very important to me," he said and I nodded. "For this weekend you can stay here, and I will drop you off at your dad's after," he said and I nodded. "I promise we will get this all figured out,"

"Ok," I wiped my cheeks to stop the tears.

"This will all be worked out, I'll figure it out. You have nothing to worry about,"

Though he said that, I had a lot to worry about.