My Daddy || Ashton Irwin

Chapter 22 -

When I get home from school I text my mother a quick hello. I don't call because I hate talking on the phone, it just bothers me.

I do my homework so I can get that out of the way and go to the kitchen to get a snack. It ends up being apples and peanut butter, a wonderful combination. I plop down on the couch with my food and watch Click.

The sleepover slips into my mind and I have to admit, I'm actually excited about it. I wasn't before, especially considering my mother would never let boys sleepover, but I've changed my mind. I just won't tell my mother about the boys.

My snack is gone and I set the empty paper plate on the armrest. Towards the end of the movie I find myself in tears. This movie is funny, yet so emotional. It's one of the only movies I've ever cried about.

I wipe away the tears and stand up, throwing away the paper plate and going upstairs. It's only 5:24 and I'm not sure what to do.

I look through multiple boxes before coming up with a book titled 'Wonder.' It's great, I've read it many times before. It's about a young boy who has a weird looking face, and people judge him because of it. He goes to a public school for the first time in his life and he has all these obstacles he has to overcome.

I change into sweatpants and a t-shirt before situating myself on the bed, I pull the book onto my lap and begin to read.

I'm not the quickest reader but by 9:30 I have a little over half the book read. I set it on my nightstand and get up to turn the lights off. I return to my bed and lay down, tugging the covers over me. I let sleep take over.

-

Tuesday morning I wake up to the beeping of my alarm clock. I change into my usual attire, and go downstairs. Usually my mother would be there but she isn't today.

I fix myself a bowl of cereal and munch on that before I head off to school. I place the empty bowl into the sink and leave the house, walking to school.

"The house is so quiet and lonely, guys," I complain to Maggie and Paula. I've already collected my books from my locker and I'm hanging out at theirs.

"You're so lucky though." Maggie says. Paula nods in agreement.

"Can you guys do me a favor?" I ask as politely as I can. I really want them to come to the sleepover on Friday and I don't want to be the only girl.

"What is it exactly?" Paula asks.

"So, the boys want to have a sleepover at my house on Friday and can you guys come?" 

"Which boys?" Maggie shuts her locker loudly and looks at me.

"Calum, Michael, and Luke," I answer.

Maggie and Paula glance at each other before nodding their heads. "Yeah, we can be there." Maggie smiles.

"Good, be there at like, 5 o'clock."

"Cool," they say in unison. The bell rings soon after and we all go our separate ways.

-

"Hi, Tyler." I greet Tyler at his desk, sitting down at the one next to him. The first three classes were a bore, the usual.

"Hi Ella!" He smiles, running a hand through his red hair. 

I think of inviting him to the sleepover but decide that I don't know him well enough yet. He is so nice, but I should wait longer.

"How are you?" I ask.

"I'm good, you?"

I shake my head. "I just want to go home," I whine. "And even home is boring."

"Well." He grins. "We could go see a movie tonight?" he offers.

I bite my lip anxiously, pondering the idea. "Like a date?" I finally respond.

He nods slowly. "Yeah, a date," he replies, but quickly says, "Or we could just hang out, y'know, like friends."

I laugh. "No, it can be a date, Tyler. What time do you wanna pick me up?"

"Six? And I'll have you home before nine. I'll text you and you can text me your address." 

I agree. When class starts, I find that I can't stop smiling throughout.

The teacher reminds us of the homework when the bell rings but I rush out the door before he can finish. I have to find Maggie and Paula.

They aren't in the hallway so they must be in the cafeteria already. I wait anxiously in line for my food and once I have it I speed walk to our table. 

Without sitting down, I place the tray on the table. "Guys," I gather both of their attention before continuing. "I have a date tonight!" I squeal. I sit down and allow them to ask me questions.

"With who?" Maggie asks. Paula gasps when I point to Tyler, who is sitting across the cafeteria. 

"Tyler?" They both ask. I nod. 

"Isn't he cute?" I smile as I sneak glances at him.

"You can't date him, Ella." Paula shakes her head, frowning.

"And why not?" I ask.

"He used to date this girl, Vivian Carson, and when they broke up rumors spread that the reason was because he was really abusive." Maggie explains.

"Where is this Vivian girl?" I say.

"She moved during the summer," they answer.

I lean back in my chair and raise my eyebrows at both of them. "The key word in that explanation was 'rumors,'" I point out. "That means it was something that hasn't been proven. He probably wasn't abusive."

Paula sighs and rolls her eyes. "But do you really want to take the chance?"

"Yes!" I raise my voice slightly. "He is such a nice guy, he's sweet and he is adorable. He doesn't look like he could hurt a fly."

"Whatever." Maggie looks away from my gaze.

"I'm sorry, guys. I don't mean to be rude or anything. I just want to give him a chance, okay?"

They nod and I look between the two of them as Maggie says, "Alright. But you have to tell us everything that happened okay?"

Paula smiles. "If you get past the stupid rumors, he is actually really cute. We're going to have to do a three-way phone call after this date."

Maggie agrees and I assure them that will happen.

We spend the rest of our lunchtime talking about cute guys and Paula wouldn't stop swooning over Evans Peter.

When the bell rings, I tell them I'll call them both tonight before I walk off to my next class.

-

i'm not sure how i feel about this chapter. but anyways, i hope you guys liked it and thank you for reading! :)