Shattered (Continuation of: The Chase) ▹ Ashton Irwin

Chapter Twelve

Suprisingly, I was greeted with a comforting warmth the next morning. Even though I felt no one next to me as I blindly draped my arm out to the side, I still felt relaxed. I managed to slowly open my eyes, yet squint them shut again to the harsh sunlight that peered through the open window next to Ashton's bed. I shook my head and burried my face into the pillow, groaning at the sudden city sounds I could hear below. I didn't know what time it was, but based on the position of the hot sun in the sky, it was at least eleven or twelve o'clock.

I opened my eyes again, and I sat up. Rubbing my hands over my face I let my eyes wander around the room, taking in the emptiness of it with ease. It was just me in here, yet I wasn't bothered by it at all. For the first time in a while, I managed to get a darn good night's sleep without Ashton beside me. Considering what happened yesterday, I feel just as content with myself as I hoped Ashton does with everything else.

I slowly got up out of the blankets, and searched the room until I found a pair of sweatpants to wear. I took out my mess of brown hair and re-tied it into a ponytail, keeping the loose strands out of my face. From what I could tell, the house felt pretty empty, and I wondered where everyone was. I opened the door as silently as I could, and peered out into the main room. My eyes instantly went to the kitchen, to see Annemarie standing at the counter. She wore typical sleep attire, with square framed glasses infront of her eyes. It looked as if she was reading a book or the newspaper or something, but her attention shifted to me as I opened the door.

She shot me the brightest and friendliest smile, and I happily returned the favor. I opened my mouth to speak, but I stopped when she held her index finger up to her lips. She glanced over to the couch, and I followed her eyes to see Ashton still curled up in a ball, sound asleep. I couldn't help the smile that forced its way onto my face as I looked at him, and I quietly shut the door behind me.

"I didn't know you were still here," Anne said quietly, reaching over the counter to push out a bar stool for me.

"It happens a lot," I laughed, gratefully taking a seat across from her. Now that I sat relatively closer to her than I did yesterday, I could really make out the slight tints of dark under eyes, as well at the way she stood so awkwardly. She leaned to one side more than the other, with her hands fumbling around with one another. But by the nonchalant look she had on her face, I guessed it's just a habbit of hers. "Sleep well?" I asked.

"Yeah," she smiled, her blues eyes glancing over towards the couch. "I was supposed to sleep in my mother's room... but geeze that's a great movie."

"Titanic?" I asked. Anne nodded in response, and once again I smiled like an idiot.

"It's my favorite," I said. "I remember I showed it to Ashton-"

Even saying his name made Anne's eyes gleam.

"-And he's been obsessed with it ever since."

"Did he cry?" Anne giggled. Even her giggle sounded just like him.

"Like a baby." I joined in the laughter. Anne squinted her eyes and covered her mouth as she laughed, and I swear to god I wanted to shout out to the world at how much they remind me of each other.

"I could see that," Anne said. She leaned over to the other side now, glancing down at the newspaper on the countertop. "I can still remember, even when he was little, that he always had a softer side to him."

"So he's had that his whole life?" I concluded, though it sounded like a question.

"You notice it too?" Anne chuckled.

"Mhm," I replied. "It took a while for me to notice it though..." my voice trailed off and I looked down at my folded hands in my lap. My heart sank a little as my mind dawned on recent and not-so-recent memories. "...but I don't think a lot of people see it or take much consideration to it."