The Only Reason

Chapter 6

"Did you guys have fun?" I asked, sitting on the couch as the boys and Mallory walked in through the door.

"Yeah, actually. We got you your candy." Luke passed me a box of Milk Duds. "We're just sorry you couldn't come. Feeling better?"

"Yeah, because if you still feel sick, we'll be taking that candy back. Sugar just feeds the germs that make you sick." Calum warned me. 

"Nooo!" I whined, closing my hands around the box. "I feel loads better now. Whatever I had went away an hour or two after you left."

Ashton plopped down next to me on the couch, sliding an arm around my shoulder and smiling at me.  "Glad you feel better; we also got ice cream and a movie."

Mallory, of course, immediately feeling left out, just had  to make her presence known. She sat down at Ashton's other side, beaming, booping his nose and giggling as she cuddled into his chest. Ash looked a little surprised at the sudden rush of affection from her but smiled as well.

The other boys and I pretended to gag, and Michael pulled out the movie and slipped it into the DVD player while Luke scooped large amounts of ice cream into bowls for everyone except Mallory, who said ice cream had to much fat and wasn't healthy enough for her. She always ate healthy, as if she was trying to loose weight, even though all of her clothes came from the size two rack! 

"Chocolate chip!" Ashton and I cried, grinning. It was our favorite flavor, and had been mum's, too, before the accident took her away from us.

Calum handed everyone spoons and handed Mallory her green smoothie before sitting next to Michael on the soft carpet, the both of them by me and Ashton's feet. Luke sat down on the other side and leaned his head on my shoulder. This way, everyone was touching at least one other person from the band.

As you can see, we're big on cuddling.

I opened my box of Milk Duds and grinned, dumping the whole box into my ice cream. Ash rolled his eyes.

The move was pretty good. It was the new Ghost Busters, which had the boys' new song, Girls Talk Boys  in it. Everyone except Mallory sang along whenever it came on. 

We all thought it was a good film, but Mallory scoffed at most parts and tossed her hair, eventually complaining to Ashton that she was bored. Before he could even say anything to her, she leaned in and captured his lips in a kiss. I couldn't tell if he wanted her to stop so he could talk to her, because he started to kiss back. After a while, he smiled into the kiss and she played with his lower lip.

Luke and I made 'ew' faces at each other and returned our focus to the movie. However, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mallory give me a nasty smile, which she quickly turned into a sweet one for Ash.

I didn't like that she did that. She had never done it before. She had never stopped in the middle of one of their kisses just so that she could smirk at me, as if to say, 'ha-ha, he loves me more than you!' like she had only started the kiss to spite me. Ashton didn't deserve that. He deserved someone who would kiss because they wanted to, not because they wanted to show off.

I really hoped she wouldn't do that again. 

When the movie ended, everyone was tired, a little more so Michael and Cal, who had done a bit more drinking then they should've, especially considering they were one year underage in America.

"Ready for bed, sis?" Michael asked me. I shrugged and nodded.

"I guess."

"Yeah, me, too. Calum and I are going to our room now. 'Night, guys." He said, giving me a hug.

" 'Night, Mickey." I said. 

"What about me?" Calum pouted.

I rolled my eyes and gave him a hug before he followed Michael to their room so they could sleep. Luke looked at me expectantly.

"Oh, fine." I said, pretending to be exasperated. 

As I hugged him goodnight, he whispered in my ear, "Are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know, just checking."

"I'm fine. I would tell you if I wasn't." I said, making my voice sound cheerful, as if I had found what he said funny. "Goodnight, Penguin."

He laughed. "You haven't called me Penguin for a while."

"Well, I am now. 'Night." I repeated, giggling.

Luke grinned at me and walked out the door, heading to the room he shared with the other two. Ashton and Mallory took a quick shower together before putting on pajamas, Mallory wearing one of Ashtons's T-shirts.

I scowled. Ash usually gave me  his T-shirts!

Whoa, Camden, I thought, attitude check, please. Of course your brother is going to give Mallory his T-shirts; she's his girlfriend! She has a special place in his heart that you don't, so try not to worry about it and just smile. 

I slipped on my pajamas once the bathroom was free, putting on my robe when I got to bed so no one would see my scars. Once I was safely under the blankets, I took it off and waded it under my pillow.

Ashton slipped an arm around Mallory and pulled her close. She snuggled against his chest and smiled softly, gently. This was the side of her he loved, the side of her that actually loved him, too. 

When was the last time I had cuddled with my brother like that? I suppose it was a little while after mum died. I had nearly always snuck into Ashton's bedroom in the middle of the night, and every morning, he would wake up and pretend to be mad, but we both knew that we liked cuddling together. It was nice to know that we were there for each other since mum was gone.

I turned my back to them and sighed into my pillow, trying to fall asleep.

Just smile, okay, Cam?  I told myself. Just smile.