Shattered (Continuation of: The Chase) ▹ Ashton Irwin

Chapter Nine

The line went dead silent once the words left my mouth. I kept my eyes wide, full of surprise and shock and about 20 other emotions, as I stared blankly at the wall. My sweaty hands gripped my phone, praying that she will speak up soon. I didn't know what else to say, and my heart began to sink with each seilent second that went by. The fact that she actually answered the phone after all this time perplexes me, but it couldn't relieve me any more than it already was.

"Wh...what?" Anne's voice was nothing more than a soft breath as she finally stuttered something in response to me.

"I'm sorry to just call so randomly," I said quickly. "But I felt like I needed to get a hold of you-"

"What are you talking about?" She sounded just as shocked as I was.

"Um..." my voice got quieter, and I shifted a little in my seat. "Your son, Mrs. Irwin?"

"Yes yes I know..." her voice trailed off, and I could hear the way her breathing was getting heavier. Honestly, I've spoken maybe 20 words to her and I could already hear the resemblance she has with Ashton. "How do you...know my son's name? Wait, you know him?"

"Yes," I replied. "I'm sorry, this is probably really random-"

"He's alright? He's fine? He's alive?" her questions were fast and breathless, and I could hear rustling in the background of wherever she was. She sounded so scared...with her voice sweet yet a little hoarse, and this airless tone she had to her words. It seemed to only take 5 seconds for me to get her attention, and I guessed that was actually a pretty good thing.

"Yes of course," I assured. "He's perfectly fine."

"Oh my god," her voice finally broke into a cry, and my eyes widened as she began to sob on the other line. I could already tell, her cries were so much like Ashton's: heavy and a little jagged, with loud gasps of air in between. I got up and moved to my bed, and slowly sat down while I didn't know what to say. Anne kept on crying, and I was starting to grow worried as to whether she was crying out of happiness, or sadness. Well...I don't see how it could be sadness...but you never really know.

"I c-can't believe this-" she stuttered. She was interrupted by some more sobs, and I sat and waited patiently. "How did y-you..I'm-" she was interrupted by more cries, and I was surprised at how loudly someone could cry through the phone. Maybe about 2 minutes passed, and her crying finally died down. I heard her take a few deep breathes, before she let out a heavy sigh.

"I'm sorry for that," she laughed a little. "I'm just... I would think someone is just messing with me...but you knew his name-"

"No one's messing with you at all," I said. "I know...it's a little random. No one actually knows I'm calling you, but I really thought I should."

"Right right of course," she said quickly. It was actually starting to really amaze me at how much she sounds like Ashton. She sighed, and laughed a little bit again. "S-sorry, I'm A-anne."

"Brooke." I replied, a smile forming on my face. She had a cute tone to her voice; I guess that's where Ashton gets it from.

"So..wait," she said. "Ashton. M-my son, Ashton?"

"Yes." I replied slowly, nodding my head into the phone.

"My baby," she breathed. She sounded like she has been washed over so much relief in the past 10 minutes, it amazed me. "How do...how do you know him?"

"Well," I said, along with a friendly chuckle. "I'm his girlfriend, actually. He's kind of my baby too."

"Really?" she asked. "Wow...how did you find me?"