The Jerks Next Door || Ashton Irwin [5 Seconds Of Summer]

Chapter 21 | Neighbors and Nightmares

Ashley POV

"How could you not invite me?" he bellowed through the phone.

"Jake," I sighed through the phone, "it was girls day, not girls-and-Jake day."

"But how could you think that I wouldn't want to watch you girls working out? Were you guys doing, like, squats and stuff? Four fit butts basically in my face the whole time!" he exclaimed.

I let out a loud laugh that caught the attention of a neighbor. "You're more of a boy than I thought."

"Gee, thanks," he said sarcastically. "So how is Al?"

A wide grin graced my face. "She's happy, I'm happy, everyone's happy." I kept the phone on my ear using my shoulder, and went down the elevator holding my laundry basket.

"I'm glad," he perked. "So what are you doing?"

"Well, right now I'm in the elevator going down to the community washing machine," I narrated, feeling foolish.

He chuckled. "Sucks for you, you have to do laundry."

I mock laughed back. "Oh, yeah, very funny. You still have your mom doing your laundry, am I right?"

He paused on the other side of the phone. "Shut up."

"Mama's boy," I taunted.

"Shut up."

"Aww, does the wittle baby need his baby bottwle?" I said in my best baby voice.

He sighed and I could practically see him rubbing his temples with his fingers to calm himself down.

I laughed. "Calm down, Jakie-boo, I'm only pushing your buttons."

"Jakie-boo? That's a new one."

"You'll find I'm full of originality."

"Yeah, that's not the only thing you're full of," he muttered.

I mock-gasped. "Ouch, Jake. That hurt."

I heard muffled yells from the other line then Jake's voice emerged again. "Hey, listen, I have to go. I'll text you later, 'kay?"

"Okay." I smiled. "Bye. Tell your sister not to wear you out too much! I still need you!" I heard nothing on the other line so I assumed he had hung up.

I finished putting my load into the washer, so I walked out of the washing room. I had come down to the ground floor on the elevator, so I decided it best to walk back up the stairs to get some more exercise.

As I passed the lobby window, I saw a large, white moving truck unloading some furniture. Al and I knew that the apartment across from us was empty because the single guy that used to live there had met a girl and moved out.

I offhandedly made a mental note to tell Al that the apartment was going to be occupied, though I knew that she wouldn't show must interest towards the subject.

With that, I made my way up countless flights of stairs to the floor of our apartment.

********

"But I don't want to!" Al protested.

I sighed. "It's common courtesy. Come on, we're just going to give them the cookies and offer to help unpack."

"Why would I offer to help unpack? I don't want to unpack!"

"Al, don't be ridiculous, we have to help; they're our new neighbors. Come on, let's go." I motioned to the door.

We closed the door behind us and walked to the new neighbor's apartment. Al knocked on the door. For a long while, no one answered.