The Chase ▹ Ashton Irwin

CHAPTER EIGHTY EIGHT

"Well it's about time." Michael said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I mean, come on," Luke came into the conversation from across the room. "How long have you guys been together?"

"I dunno..." my voice trailed off and I thought back to when Brooke and I began to date. Well, not really date... just get straight to the whole "boyfriend and girlfriend" thing. "...a long time."

"Exactly!" Michael said. "So why are you so jittery about it?"

I had told them about my new plans for Friday, which was now only one day away. I made sure to let Brooke know I'm okay with officially meeting her parents... but I'm really not.

I haven't seen her dad in a long time, and I don't want to. Everything thats happened so recently is so weirdly familiar, it was almost as if I was being clouded by some sort of nostagia that I had no idea how to feel about. I feel like an idiot, to be completely honest. LIke, I should have seen it all coming...and I kind of did, but why the fuck didn't I do anything about it? I could have stopped it, or at least warned Brooke about it...but of course I didn't do shit.

"I don't..." my voice trailed off and I sighed. "I don't know."

"I mean look at her house," Michael said. "I bet her family is perfect."

"Shut the fuck up." I snapped, whipping my head to the side to glare at him. I felt my jaw tense up and my fists tighten together, and the look in Michael's face instantly explained how confused he was at my random outburst.

"Huh?" He asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

"I said the shut the fuck up!" I exclaimed, standing up. "You don't know fuck shit-"

"Whoa whoa whoa whoa," Michael said, putting his hands up in defense. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about you shitty attitude!" I said, narrowing my eyes. Michael titled his head to the side, the expression of utter uncertainty on hi.s face. I looked over to Luke, and he was looking at me the same way. I looked back at both of them, the frown on my face growing. "What?" I asked, feeling a slight burst of confusion as well.

"What do you mean what?" Michael retorted, raising an eyebrow at me. "You just flipped shit again and told me I had a shitty attitude."

Michael and I stared at each other for a couple seconds, both of us completely silent. As much as I want to tell them what I know, I can't. Like shit, I probably shouldn't know at all, but I do. It's not their buisness I guess.

"I'm sorry," I sighed, sitting back down.

"It's fine," Michael assured. "What's on your mind?"

"Nothing," I lied. I looked to the clock to see it was only 3:30. I want to hang out with Brooke or something, but I felt like I would be all clingy and annoying and I don't want to be like that. I looked back over to Luke and Michael, and I guess they knew that I was infact not telling the truth. "Like," I spoke up. "What am I gonna wear?"

"You're such a girl sometimes." Michael laughed, and Luke and I joined him. I sat back, and thought about what I should do.

"Hey I think I'm gonna get going," I said, standing up.

"Where are you going?" Luke asked.

"I dunno," I replied. "Take a walk I guess."

"Alrighty," Michael said. "We'll see you."

"Bye my loves." I joked, exiting the room.

...

I walked down the busy road, my hands stuffed in my pockets and my gaze locked on the ground infront of me. I don't have a problem with the Las Vegas Strip, to be honest. People think it's this some crowded mess of cigarettes and prostitutes, which it kind of is, but there's a lot of charm to it that I like. I liked to just watch people that walk by, or people that are sitting on the side of the road with plastic cups in their hands, begging for loose change. Sometimes I feel like people stare at me, but I never seem to actually see eyes upon me. Maybe I can just sense people's judgement.