summer child | ashton irwin

Ten

Ten

May 15, 2022

5:06pm

Los Angeles, California

Sage

"He should be here soon," I reassured Ashton as I nervously checked my phone, seeing it was six minutes past five.

"Don't worry," he smiled, "it's just a couple of minutes,"

"I'm sorry,"

"There is nothing to be sorry about, it's all ok," he promised. "Do your parents get mad when the other is late?"

"Yeah,"

"I'm not mad. There's traffic, he probably was busy, there is no reason for me to be mad," I nodded, but continued to check my phone. Ten minutes passed, twenty minutes passed, thirty minutes passed, and he didn't show up. "How about I drive you there?"

"Ok, I'm sorry,"

"Don't apologize, it's not your fault," he said and I nodded. He drove to my dad's, then we got there.
"Thank you for the ride,"

"Anytime," he smiled. I grabbed my bag and got out, then went to the porch. I tried to open the door, but nothing. I sighed as I dug through my bag to find my house key, but the door swung open. At the door, my dad stood, obviously drunk.

"What the fuck are you doing back?" he slurred.

"I'm back from the weekend," I stuttered, taking a small step back.

"You're not supposed to be back,"

"It's Sunday," I told him.

"Are you talking back to me?" he snarled, taking a step forward, almost falling over. My heart pounded as I rapidly shook my head.

"No sir, it's just-" I started to defend myself, but he grabbed my face and pulled me to him.

"I'm talking, you're listening, bitch," he yelled. "Do you understabd?"

"Get your fucking hands off of her," a voice angrily yelled.

"Who the fuck are you?" dad questioned.

"Doesn't fucking matter, let go of her," surprisingly, dad listened and let go of me, tossing me to the side. My head hit the railing as I fell. When I looked over, I saw Ashton angrily walking up to the porch. I didn't know what he was going to do to my dad, but my dad just started to head back in.

"You want her, take her, I'm done," dad said, slamming the door behind him. Ashton knelt down next to me as I rubbed the back of my head, staring ahead.

"Are you alright?" he asked. I just nodded in response, biting my lip to stop myself from crying. Honestly right there I just wanted to break down. No one has ever seen him do that to me, and now that it was known I was embarrassed. "This happens often, doesn't it?" he questioned. Again, I just nodded. I could tell he was angry, but was trying to keep it contained.

I felt like a burden as we were silent, "You don't have to stay," When I said that, he looked at me shocked.

"You're not going back in there,"

"I don't really have anywhere else to go," I chuckled dryly.

"You can stay with me until we find somewhere else, but there is no way you're going back in there,"