On The Line (Ashton Irwin)

Chapter 15- Then

Chapter 15- Then

-Madison's POV-

"Let's get this over with," Ashton said as we hopped out of his car in the driveway of Luke's house, him grabbing my hand as our fingers tangled together.

"It won't be as bad as you think it will be," I said, standing on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "You might even have fun,"

"Four letter word, but I don't have the guts to say it..." a voice sang from the other side of the garage door, where the boys would be practicing.

"Oh, so we're covering Boys Like Girls?" Ashton asked.

"Fine by me," I shrugged. "Be Your Everything is a good song," I said, recognizing the lyrics.

Knocking on the garage door, the door next to it was opened to reveal Calum standing there, smiling. He gestured us inside, and we entered to see Luke and Michael standing in there, both with guitars strapped to their backs.

"You came," Calum said, impressed. "And it's nice to finally meet Miss Madison here,"

"Hi Cal," I said, then waved at Luke and Michael. "Luke. Michael."

"Okay, so what's the plan?" Ashton asked, and I detached my hand from his, walking over to a couch in the back of the garage and sitting down on it, watching the boys.

"Drumset's there," Luke said, pointing to where a drumset sat in the back of the garage, on the other side from the couch. "And we're practicing to record Be Your Everything by Boys Like Girls."

"Figured," Ashton said.

"We heard you singing when we got here," I explained.

"Alright," Ashton said. "Let's see what you guys got,"

****

When the song finished, I couldn't help myself. I stood up, clapping and cheering, also laughing because of how goofy they were performing the song.

"That was awesome," I yelled, and the door separating the garage from the house opened, revealing a woman with features resembling Luke's.

"Thought I heard a female voice," she said, walking over to me and extending a hand, which I shook. "You must be Ashton's girlfriend, Madison. I'm Liz, Luke's mum,"

"Oh, it's really nice to meet you," I told her.

"Well, I know how boring practices here can be, would you like to come in the house for a cup of tea?" she asked, and I looked at Ashton quickly before turning back to her.

"That'd be lovely," I told her, waving goodbye to the boys and following her into the house.

"So, how long have you known Ashton?" she asked.

"Not long," I told her. "I moved here back in early September, and we became friends at school on my first day. I started to like him about a month after we met, and sort of blurted out that I liked him on top of a stalled Ferris wheel on Halloween, when we went to that carnival dressed up as Batgirl and Robin."

"And he liked you back?" she asked as she poured water for the tea, smiling at me.

"Yeah," I said, remembering that fateful night. "So we went out for milkshakes the next day, and he asked me to be his girlfriend. And here we are,"

"And Luke tells me that you're the one who convinced him to join the band?" she asked.

"Yeah," I told her. "I saw Luke at the grocery store, when I was getting food for Ashton and I to attempt celebrating Thanksgiving, even though we're not American. I talked to him for a bit, and then I saw Luke's point that joining the band would be good for Ashton."

"I can see why Ashton's so fond of you," she said.

"Really?" I asked her.

She nodded. "Even when I stepped into that garage a few minutes ago, when the song stopped the first thing Ashton did was look for you. And I noticed that smile cross his face, the one that proved how much you mean to him."

"Thanks," I said, a small smile playing at the corners of my mouth.

She handed me the cup of tea, and a cookie from the jar next to the sink. We sat down at the table in the dining room, just talking about anything really, until the door to the garage opened up and Calum peeked his head inside, his eyes settling on me.

"Maddy, Liz, you both might want to see this," Cal said, grinning, and Liz and I both stood up, grabbing our cups full of tea and following him into he garage, where Luke and Michael were trying to teach Ashton some handshake, and Ashton was cracking up laughing.

"What did you guys do to him?" I asked in disbelief, taking a sip of my tea.

"Nothing, we just played a few songs. I guess he's enjoying himself." Calum said then.

"Maddy, this was an amazing idea!" Ashton said.

"You broke him," I muttered to Cal, smiling at Ashton. "So you're joining the band then, I take it?" I asked Ashton then.

"Of course," he said. "Consider me the new drummer for 5 Seconds of Summer. Hey, that rhymed!"

****

"Hey, can I ask you something?" I asked Ashton as I looked up at him from my spot on the couch, head laying on his chest as we cuddled on the sofa, his arm around my shoulders as we watched a movie, Twilight of all things, Ashton making vampire jokes here and there. My parents were working late tonight, so I had Ashton stay for awhile to keep me company.

"Of course you can," he said, grinning.

"Earlier, while you were at practice and I was having tea with Liz, she mentioned that she saw the way you looked at me, something about it proving just how much I meant to you," I said, playing with the hem of my shirt nervously. "Is it true?"

"Of course it is," he said, kissing the top of my head softly. "You mean the world to me, Maddy. And if that's what she saw in the way I looked at you, then she's absolutely right."