Rhythm || Ashton Irwin

Chapter Forty-Eight

Ashton's POV

Lo: Hey

Lo: We're still on for coffee right?

The screen of my phone lit up as the texts from Lauren I had been expecting came in. I was an hour late for our meeting time and I wasn't planning on going either. I hit the lock button, making the screen go black and sliding the object into my pocket in my attempt to ignore her digital presence.

"You can't ignore her forever, Ashton, you're acting like a child," Luke sighed, clearly upset with my current behavior.

"Lucas, you better shut your mouth before I shut it for you—"

"Hey now, no hostility during bro day! Now, take this blunt and get with it dudes!" Michael pleaded as he tried to pass the burning blunt our way.

"I'm not getting with it until Ashton stops acting like an ass!

"And I'm not until Luke learns to mind his goddamn business!"

"Both of you shut up right now!" Calum blurted, aggravated with the both of us, "You're both acting like children! Ashton, it's bro day and you're bringing everyone down—"

"You try being in a good mood when the girl you love is one the front of every newspaper with some other guy!" I yelled, the room went silent as I lifted myself from my seat, adrenaline pumping through my veins, "You try keeping your cool when the girl you think is finally starting to like you again decides to ditch you for her ex! An ex that is a total dick, by the way!"

"Who's ex is a total dick?" We all turned our heads in surprise, there, standing in the doorway of Michael's apartment, was none other than Ben.

"Your best friend's," I grumbled, walking to the counter, grabbing said newspaper, and shoving it into his chest, "see for yourself."

Taking the stack of papers, Ben examined the picture on the front cover. Lauren, looking beautiful as ever, stood there smiling as Tristan Davenport kissed her temple, his arm around her waist.

"It's honestly not that bad, Ash," Ben tried to reason, only making me shake my head, "it's all about appearances in that world. I can assure you, that kiss means nothing,"

"Maybe not to us, but it clearly means something to them!" Running my fingers through my hair, I tried to regain my composure.

"Ash—"

"And if appearances are so important why couldn't it have been with me," I sighed, my mood shifting toward a more somber one.

"Dude, you're looking too far into this," Calum jumped back in, "Cassie told me last night that this whole dinner thing was just sprung on Lauren, she had no time to talk to her mother let alone ask you to come with her,"

Opening my mouth to reply, I could feel a familiar buzz come from my pocket. Pulling out my phone, Lauren's face popped up indicating a call. My thumb hesitated over the answer button as I contemplated answering the call. My choice was made for me when the artificially blonde boy hosting us all ripped the phone out of my hand.

"No. You're not answering that. We're not talking about Lauren," Michael growled looking at me, "or Cassie," he pointed to Calum before turning to Luke, "OR Annabelle! It's bro day, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let a bunch of chicks ruin it!" Walking out of the room and down the hall, the four of us waited patiently for him to return, unsure how to respond to his sudden outburst.

"You're phone is hidden and we're gonna be done with all of this negativity," Michael sighed, entering the room and turning towards Ashton, "Ashton, what do you want to do? No questions, no limits, I'll fund the whole thing, just say the word, and I'll make it happen."