On The Line (Ashton Irwin)

Prologue- Now

Prologue- Now

-The Morning-

-Ashton's POV-

"So, what are you doing today, babe?" I asked, my phone cupped between my shoulder and my ear as I set my drumsticks down on the tabletop, grabbing the white iPhone in my hand.

"I don't know," Madison sighed, and I could picture her, phone in one hand and the other on her hip, shrugging as she talked. "Good studio day so far?"

"Yeah," I said, smiling. "We were practicing together as a band, but then Luke and Cal starting messing around, so I called you. And now my day has gotten a thousand times better."

"Ash, you're such a cheeseball," she said. "But I love you, so it's okay."

"Well, I'm glad you love me, Madison," I said, "Because otherwise, it'd be sort of depressing."

"It'd be very depressing, actually." she confirmed. "So, I think today I might be going out, maybe getting some groceries. I'll definitely be missing you, as I have ever since you left for touring."

"I know babe, I miss you too." I told her. "But I'll only be her in LA for another week, then we're home and I'm all yours, I promise."

"Good," she said, and I could practically hear her smiling over the phone. "Because it's not the same here without you. I saw mom and siblings the other day."

"And how are they?" I asked, my stomach tightening as I thought of my family back home in Sydney.

"They're fine," she said. "But they really miss you, like I do."

"Well, like I said, I'll be home in a week, and then I'm all yours. Maybe Harry's and Lauren's too for a bit, but mainly yours."

"That's fine with me," she said. "I gotta go, babe, I'll talk to you later."

"Alright," I said. "Bye, love you,"

"Love you too," she said, and there was a click, signaling that the call had ended.

Setting my phone down on the table, I sighed, running a hand through my hair as I watched Calum chasing Luke around the house, thoughts of Madison going through my head.

-That Night-

"Hey Ash," Luke said, coming in the house where I sat at the kitchen counter, a ham sandwich sitting on a plate in front of me. "Your mum's on the phone, sounded urgent."

"Alright," I said, getting up and taking the phone from the younger boy, stepping into the hallway. "Mum?"

"Ashton?" she asked, her tone panicked.

"Yeah, it's me." I said nervously. "What's wrong?"

"Ashton, there was an accident..." she trailed off.

"Mum, who was in an accident?" I asked, tears already pricking at my eyes.

She didn't even have to say it, I had already feared the worst. "Madison."

The phone slipping from my hands, a tear escaped from my eye, followed by several others as I just stood there, my mother's voice calling my name over and over again from the other line. Hearing the phone hit the ground, the other boys' faces appeared around the corner, them seeing my face and rushing towards me.

"Ashton? What's wrong?" Michael asked, a panicked look crossing his face, but all I could think of was her.

"Ash?" Calum asked, shaking me. "Come on man, speak to us."

Luke bent down on the ground, picking up the phone. "Hello?" he asked. "Mrs. Irwin? Yeah, Ashton's here, he dropped the phone, and he looks like he's seen a ghost, what's happened? Madison? He'll be on his way home soon. Bye Mrs. Irwin."

Luke hung up the phone, his own eyes watery. "Ash," he breathed. "I'm so, so sorry. But we need to get you back home."

"What's happened, Luke?" Michael asked.

"Madison was in an accident." Luke said, and the next thing I knew, I was sitting against the wall, my head in between my knees and Michael rubbing my back.

"She'll be okay, Ash." Cal said over and over again. "Madison will be alright."

"I'll be right back." Luke said, going into the other room and grabbing his laptop, returning and taking a seat next to us. "Ashton needs to go home, Maddy needs him."