Broken

• Chapter 89 •

Are they still bonding? I huff as I look at the time, it's been over half-an-hour. What has this world come to? I roll my eyes and focus on my essay, I want to get it done as soon as possible. What're some of my skills?

Hmm... I can sleep for the longest periods of time, I can eat an ungodly amount of pizza—

I squeal and backhand whoever it is that has just poked me. My eyes pop when I see Ashton holding a hand to his face, "Shit, I'm sorry. But I'm not responsible for your injuries if you scare me..."

Ashton nods and rubs the side of his face, "Noted. Nice hit, though."

I grin.

"That's my girl," I hear dad whisper from the other side of my bedroom door.

"Shh! You'll give away our position!" mom hisses.

My eyebrows knit together, Ashton looks amused. Do they really think we can't hear them right now?

"What were you doing?" he motions towards the stack of papers beside my open laptop.

I shrug, "Just working on college applications." Ashton's eyes grow dark. He nods, "Right. Where are you applying to?"

Why the sudden interest in my life, Ashton? "Columbia."

He's quiet, so I shake my head. "Ambitious, I know... I probably won't get in—"

"Nah, that's really cool. You'll get in," he surprises me yet again.

I shut my mouth and nod, trying to make sense of this boy. "Where are you applying?" I ask him.

His eyes grow dark again, and I realize it's yet another topic to add to the list of things he won't talk about. Yay.

I clear my throat and step away from him, remembering that he's here for a reason.

"So... What's up?"

Ashton is silent for a while, he opens his mouth to say something but is interrupted by my mother's loud whispers.

"Move over! I can't hear anything!"

"Can you be quiet? They'll hear you! What are we even doing? Why are we listening to their conversation?" dad hisses at mom.

"Because we can, and because I don't trust that boy!" mom hisses back.

Ashton purses his lips, and I feel a bit guilty. He doesn't seem fazed, though. Maybe he's used to people not liking or trusting him.

"I don't think we can do that—" dad begins.

"Yes, I can! I'm her mother! I can do as I please!" they're not even whispering at this point.

I groan and glance at Ashton, he's trying to hold in his laughter.

"Thinking what I'm thinking?" I whisper to Ashton.

He nods with a grin and I clear my throat.

"So, Ashton. Why have you come here?" I exaggerate a loud voice.

Ashton matches it, "Just wanted to thank you for last night!"

"What're they talking about?" dad sounds annoyed.

"Shh! I wanna hear!" mom tells him.

"I couldn't have sold all that coke without your help!" Ashton continues.

I hold a hand to my mouth to stop a laugh from coming out. "Anytime, Ashton!" I say when I've found my voice.

I hear dad's faint, "What the fuck? Are they talking about drugs?" and my mom's gasp of horror.