The Chase ▹ Ashton Irwin

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

I wake up around 6:00 am the next morning. The beeps from my alarm clock seem to echoe through my ear drums as I groan and role out of bed. I get up and walk into my bathroom and quickly turn the shower on, because it was actually very cold on this November morning. My attention shot up as I remembered I have plans for tonight. A party at Michael's with Ashton. A smile crept on my face as I shampooed my hair, thinking about Ashton. I really hope he doesn't realize how awkward I am around him. I don't mean to be, its just that he makes me feel different. A good kind of different, of course, but I'm just not used to it.

Before I knew it I was already for the day. I wore a pair of jean shorts and a light blue shirt. I braided my wet hair to get some waves later on in the day, and I packed all my stuff into my bag. "Mom!" I called as I grabbed a banana off the kitchen counter. "Lets go!"

"Coming!" My mother replied. She came into the kitchen to grab her car keys. We hoped into her car and we headed towards Palo Verde. I remembered then that I haven't told my mom about my sudden plans.

"Hey mom?" I said.

"Mhm?"

"Is it okay if I go out tonight?"

My mother seems surpirsed at this, especially because I never go out like this.

"Well," She said. "Where are you going?"

She can't know that I'm going to be going off with Ashton...she doesn't even know about us yet.

"Uh, I was just gonna spend the night at Jessie's." I lied.

"Oh! Okay, thats totally fine." My mother smiled. "Call me, okay?"

"I'll be home after school," I assured her. "But I will call you while I'm gone." We pulled up to Palo Verde and I said goodbye. I quickly made my way to the courtyard to start my day.

Class seemed to go by so slow, I thought it would never end. FInally, though, it was 6th period. English with Jessie! Once the lunch bell rang, we walked over to the classroom and sat down in our seats. 

"Brooke," Jessie said, pulling out her homework. "Do you want to hang out tonight? All of us?"

I gulped. I really wished she hadn't asked that...because now I have to lie to her face as well.

"I can't," I fake sighed. "I've got family over."

"Awww!" Jessie said. "What about Saturday?"

"Saturday works!" I said happily. The bell rang, and we all went quiet.

English is usually so fast and easy for me, but today it was just long and agonizing. I just wanted to get home, and get ready for the hang out at Michael's house. I was actually very excited, because I wanted to spend more time with Ashton that didn't consist of us sitting in a hot trailer learning about shapes.

Finally, after what seemed like years, the bell rang. 

"I'll call you tomorrow, okay?" I said to Jessie as we walked out of the room.

"Course!' She said. I gave her a hug, and walked out to find my mom's car. I decided to take the back route to get to the front of Palo Verde to avoid the huge mass of people. I remember taking this route on one of the first days I was at this school. I laughed at that memory, because it feels like it was years ago. As I took a turn, I saw a group of people not too far away from me. I recognized birght pink hair to be Michael. I walked a little faster until I was close enough to smell the smoke emenating from them.

"Michael." I called out. Michael turned and smiled. 

"Heeey, it's Ashton's girlfriend!" 

I gulped at his words, but then I remembered Michael was Ashton's best friend, and probably none of these people cared about me and Ashton. I tried not to blush as I walked with the group. I recognized Natalie and Calum beside Michael.