Paint You Wings // Ashton Irwin [au]

Eighteen

Ashton's POV

I blame myself.

If I hadn't left Emilia alone, she wouldn't have gotten hurt. I knew there was something wrong with the way she reacted to that Jared guy, and yet I still left her alone with him. I don't blame the guys for losing track of her because I should have been the one to watch her anyway. If it weren't for the business official my dad had mentioned me to, I could have protected Emilia and she wouldn't have locked me and everyone else out of her room. I want to see her, but I know how stubborn she is and how she wouldn't like me to see her in whatever state she's in.

Back at the party, after I had left Emmie alone, I was talking to an executive for a company stationed in Chicago. Despite my father's request, I had declined the man's offer for a paid internship and walked away without bothering to get his name. I gave up a great opportunity, but what good is an opportunity if I can't be happy? I don't want to work for some business company that's across on the other side of the country or any company for that matter. I may be good in the business and marketing field, but it's so dull. I haven't decided on what else I can do, but you can be damn well sure that I'll be switching majors by next semester.

I remember when I ended my conversation with the executive. Luke and Calum rushed over to me with panic etched on their faces, and at that moment, I swear time stopped around me.

"We need to go, Ash." Luke grabbed my wrist, pulling me roughly to our table and grabbing Emmie's purse before snaking through the large crowd and exiting the building. "Something happened to Emilia."

I felt my heart stop briefly at his words; a wave of panic spreading through my entire body. "Where is she?" I demanded, ripping my wrist away from Luke's grasp. My legs began moving on their own, jogging through the parking lot and to my car.

"Michael is taking her back to her apartment," Calum said. "We don't know what happened, but it didn't sound good." The vagueness of his explanation only added to the panic that was drowning me.

I pulled the keys from my coat pocket, fumbling with them as I tried to unlock the door. My hands trembled as I desperately tried to unlock the damn doors, which led to the keys falling from my grasp and to the ground. I cursed under my breath, pissed off that my hands couldn't keep steady and that I was wasting time.

"Mate," Luke said as I kneeled down to pick up my keys. "Let me drive. You are in no condition to be behind the wheel." On the outside, his body was relaxed, but I knew that he was just as worried as me. I nodded, tossing him the keys. Just the sound of the engine roaring made me jump in my seat. I was completely on edge.

"She's going to be alright." Luke said as he pulled out of the parking lot and onto the highway.

My knee began to bounce up and down as I looked out the window at the dark night around us.

"For all we know, she could be okay," he tried to assure, but doubt was clear in his voice.

"And if she isn't? You were supposed to watch her," I snapped.

"We tried to, Ash," Luke said. "The crowd blocked our view and when we tried to find her on the dance floor, she was gone. We're just as worried about Emilia as you are. You're not the only one who cares for her. We've also gotten close and we consider her like family."

"She's a big part of our lives too," Calum added.

"I know you're worried, I get it. But that doesn't mean you have to act like a dick to us right now. Try to calm yourself down. Emilia needs us right now and we don't have time to get pissed off at ourselves for not being able to be there for her," Luke lectured; his voice calm and collected.