Sleeping on Sidewalks // Ashton Irwin

week 5 // Thursday

On Thursday we called the police again, this time with The Boy talking instead. We had the phone on loudspeaker, so that I could follow the conversation.

"Hello, police, what is the nature of your call?"

"Um, I think I'm Ashton Irwin."

"Think?" The woman sounded skeptical.

"I've got amnesia. Um, well it's me in all the photos."

"How do we have any evidence it's actually you?"

"I don't know."

"You know it's illegal to prank call the police department?"

"It's not a prank, I swear. I just really don't know who I am and my face is all over the news lately and I'm scared because I don't remember any of it."

"Did you have any form of ID on you when you woke up with amnesia? Do you know wjat happened to cause the amnesia?"

"Um... I don't know, I'm guessing I got beat up, and I had a scarpbook full of pictures of me and a little kid, I think maybe my brother, called Harry."

The woman paused. "Harry?"

"Yeah...?"

"I'm going to hand this phone number over to the police department, who will pass it on to the Irwin family. Is that alright?"

"I guess."

"Please stay by the phone in case anyone calls back."

Ashton looked confused, and I grinned. "They never said your brother's name on the news. They only called him 'your brother'. Knowing his name means there's a better chance it's actually you."

He looked at me, wide eyed, before grinning and jumping up and down on the spot like someone who's just found out their favourite band is playing their town. After that, we sat, tense, waiting for the phone to go off.

After about an hour and a half, our comfortable silence was broken by the shrill ring. The Boy practicallyleaped on it, fumbling around with setting it to loudspeaker.

"Hello?"

The voice on the other end was tearful. "Ashton?"

"I think so."

"You really don't remember?" She sounded ready to cry at any second.

"Not really. I remember some people from school, and I remember Harry, and a sister. I can sort of picture the house too."

"But not your mum?"

"I'm sorry, no." There it was. The waterfall of sobs. "I'm sorry! I'm trying really hard to remember, I just can't."

"I know baby, it's not your fault. It's those people who beat you up. Are you okay now?"

Ashton's awkward exterior softened. "Yeah mum. I'm fine."

"Good. When are you coming home?"

"What?!"

"When are you coming back. We miss you."

"I can't go back. I love it here! I love the school, an-and the town, and the-the people."

"But baby, we need you back."

"I know, but I don't want to go back. I hate Bankstown."

"But it's your home!"

"It's your home. It's where I have to live. I don't remember much, but I do remember hating every waking minute."

"But Ashton-"

"I'm not going back."

"But it isn't fair on Olivia's family!"

I piped in, although it wasn't my business. "We don't mind it. My parents love him."

"Not as much as I do!" She was crying again.

"Come to Riverstone on Saturday, Mum. I just want to show you why I love it."

She sniffled again at the other end of the line. "Alright, Saturday. But I'm taking you home with me afterwards."

The Boy and I exchanged a look, but didn't say anything. This time on Saturday, he'll be gone.

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This chapter sucked so bad, oh my god. I swear they will improve now I have my laptop back.