aesthete :: ashton irwin | au

n u e ve

Ashton was drunk and unable to drive us home, but I was sober and unable to drive. I was only sixteen and I had my learner's permit so I thought it would've made more sense to carry us by my home since Ashton lived on the other side of town. I wasn't going to risk our lives. My arm wrapped around Ashton's waist as I put his arm around my shoulders to help support his body mass. We walked passed the group of drunk teenagers as they cat called and hailed us out.

"Come on, you're missing out on the fun!" Blake yelled from the shoreline, waving his hands in the air for us to notice him. I looked over at him and then straight ahead, walking past them as one of his rowdy friends walked in front of me. I took one step to the right and proceeded to walk away but he made the route impassable.

"Excuse me." I said, looking up and waiting for him to move. Of course he wouldn't listen, he was drunk.

"Is Freaky Irwin bothering you?" He laughed, grabbing my hand.

"Um, no and his name is Ashton, dumbass." I said, yanking my hand out of his. His friends laughed at his awful attempt of seduction but he felt the urge to add a few more words to this conversation.

"You know, you only got invited because of my best friend's girlfriend right? She has some kinda project to do on freaks like him."

"Would you just shut up?" Carmen spat, walking over to us.

"Uh, Carmen is this bullshit true?" I asked as Ashton pressed his head against my shoulder, laughing at the bird that hit the street light on the other side of the street. I held on tightly to his hand, waiting for Carmen's answer.

"Yes," She whispered to me "but please don't tell Ashton when he gets sober, if you do he won't help me." She said, looking at me with guilt in her eyes.

"You manipulative bitch, don't you know this little lab rat you have running around the place with you has the biggest, fucking crush on you?"

I thought to myself, I was angry that she would do something like this but I didn't want to cause a scene in the middle of the night by the ocean. Ashton really didn't deserve to be in a situation like this one.

"Whatever," I snapped, looking her in the eye and walking passed her.

"You won't say anything, right?" She grabbed my arm, to ask.

"Of course I will, I'm not a fake bitch like you." I thought to myself.

"I don't know........" I responded to her.

"I hope you make the wise choice and listen to me." She responded as I walked to the car park, not turning back. Wise decision? Her friendship with Ashton was based on a lie.

I struggled to get Ashton into the car, he didn't want to stay put in the seat. He wanted to look at the stars in the sky tonight.

"Ashton, it's time to go home."

"B-But I wanna look at the stars." He groaned as I shut the car door. I turned the ignition with sweaty palms and reversed out of the car park. I was scared to drive tonight, what if I got arrested or in an accident? I don't even have a proper license and Ashton's drunk.

I took a while to get adjusted to driving in the night but I eventually got the hang of it. I looked over at Ashton as a tear trickled down his face. He wiped them away, breathing heavily and removing his seat belt.

"Ashton, what's going on?" I asked him, now focusing on the road instead.

"I wanted to look at the stars." He whispered to me. I looked into his red eyes and analyzed his face for a moment. His pink lips almost pouted, his messy hair and my beach blanket that was wrapped tightly around his body, conserving his body heat. I was freezing. I never saw Ashton like this before, he looked fraile and innocent. I didn't want to lie to him about Carmen but then I didn't want to break his heart with the news.