Affection // irwin

Chapter 14

 “I just got here. Hi Joselyn.”

I nod at Michael who’s standing by the door, returning his greeting. He’s wearing a pair of black ripped off jeans and a red sleeveless plaid shirt, matching his dyed hair that had begun to fade. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him as punk rock as today.

“Hey man, can you get us something to drink?”

“Go get it yourself.”

“Please?” Emma pouts and Michael sighs.

“Fine, lazyass.”

“He’s my slave,” Emma winks at me, making me smile.

Michael returns after two minutes with three cups in his hands. He gives one to Emma and then hands me another.

“It’s soda,” he winks at me.

“Thanks,” I smile and take a sip.

I feel the bubbles immediately and I know he told me the truth. How did he know? Oh yeah, he was there when Emma gave me alcohol for the first time, the first day. I can’t believe he remembered.

“So you came.”

“Told you she would,” Emma smirks at him, taking another sip.

Michael, who’s taken a seat opposite from Emma, ignores her.

“Enjoying Sydney so far?”

“Oh God, please,” Emma rolls her eyes.

“What?” Michael fires back.

“Is that all you can ask? You always ask her that. I heard you the other day at The Diner, and I was by the bathrooms. Come up with some new questions!”

Everyone asked me that very same question and I was getting tired of hearing it, over and over again. My reply was always the same; it’s nice here.

“Okay, liking Emma so far?”

He smirks and Emma hits him on the arm.

“Hey!”

I laugh and Michael’s grin widens.

“Yeah, I like her.”

“I like you too,” she replies with a smile.

“I like you too, Emma,” Michael says, mimicking a girl’s voice.

“Nobody asked you, stupidface.”

Both Michael and I burst out in laughter and it doesn’t take long before Emma joins us.

“What’s so funny?” A voice interrupts us. 

I look up and see Ashton standing there with a grin on his face. His jeans are dark, and just like Michael’s, they’re ripped by the knees. His t-shirt is dark purple and I feel an urge to ask him how he always succeeds in looking so perfect? He takes the chair next to Michael, opposite from me. Just like us, he’s holding a red cup. I wonder how many red cups they have here, how many red cups they use at every party. If the girl with the glasses in class was here, she would probably give them a speech about recycling. Now that I come and think about it, I don’t even know her name even though we’ve talked a couple of times.

“Oh...nothing.” Emma wipes away some invisible tears.

That’s probably the best answer any of us could come up with since not even I could remember what had been so funny and I was the one who started laughing. Ashton gives me a small smile and pushes his hair off his face.