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Chapter 2. Olivia

The following day I found myself on the other side of town, thumping my fist against the door of 22a, the flat of my troublesome step brother Ashton Irwin. The banging echoing through the block of flats far too loudly for my liking.

"Ashton I know you're in there" I call out, knocking once again, as my frustration began to grow. The olive brown door to his apartment was distressed looking, the paint chipped in all places, with the doorbell hanging from its wires. The area he lived in was a rough one, and Michael hated me coming here on my own.

"If you're selling I ain't buying" he calls from the other side. Chuckling to himself as he opens the door, almost pulling it from its hinges in the process.

Ashton answered the door in just a plain pair of black sweat pants, sitting low on his hips, while he munched on a slice of toast. He was a handsome man, with a well built physique and gorgeous hazel eyes; he received a fair amount of female attention to say the least. "What brings you to my neck of the woods?" He asks inquisitively, burning his eyes into mine before taking a bite of his toast.

"I wanted to talk to you about mum" I stated, fidgeting with the cuffs of my jacket,  knowing his thoughts on the whole situation regarding my mum; his stepmum.  He took in a deep breath before letting out a huge sigh, rolling his eyes in the process. "Ash please" Almost begging for him to talk to me, I needed his advice.

"Don't you have a fiancé to moan to about all that woman's bull shit ?" He smirks, allowing his eyes to flicker to my engagement ring.

"I can't talk to Michael about her, he hates her just as much as you do"

"Then why am I any better to talk to? She isn't my biggest fan" he shrugs, swallowing the remnants of his toast

"You understand" I state, giving him a pleading look, in hopes he changes his mind.

"Fine" he utters, looking at me with the same expression I was giving him, allowing me to enter his unkempt flat.

I followed Ashton cautiously through toward the kitchen, the state of the place unforgiving as I tried desperately not to come into contact with any of the surfaces. " I really wish you didn't live like this Ash, would it kill you to give the place a hoover once in a while?" My nose scrunches up, at the smell of last nights take out and dirty laundry.

"I know where everything is when it's like this" again he shrugs, letting out a small laugh as he lead me through to the kitchen, the tidiest place in the house, using the phrase tidy loosely. "So what's she done now then?" Ashton chuckles leaning carelessly against the countertop.

"She doesn't want my dad at the wedding" there was a pause as I looked around the room, before allowing my eyes to meet his "she probably does want you there either. But what am I to do she's paying for most of it" my tone pleading as if Ashton were the only one in the world who could fix it all.

"There shouldn't be a wedding at all Olivia" his nostrils flare, Ashton's tone changed as he stood upright taking a step forward. My heart racing as he spoke, unsure of what to make of his shift in character "Michaels an ass hole, why on earth you're marrying him is beyond me" There was a moment of pure silence as I thought about my response. I could have argued with him about his statement, Michael wasn't an ass hole, but I was still very conflicted about the wedding.

Ashton came closer towards me, leaning in with our faces inches apart, there was a split second of confusion before he took a few steps back. He had grabbed his cigarettes from the counter behind me, a smirk now on his face which had replaced the anger that was once spread across it.

"Don't be like that Ash" was all I could manage, as I stare at the brown haired boy. That devilish smirk making me nervous.

"Why? Answer the question! Why are you marrying him you don't even know the guy" his jaw clenched as he began lighting a cigarette, bringing it to his lips and inhaling. As if it would take all the pain he felt away. I didn't agree with his habit and my nose instantly scrunches up at the scent of nicotine.

"I don't know, I love him?" I retort, trying to sound confident but only questioning myself in the process. Do I really love Michael Clifford? Of course I do that's why I'm marrying him... right?

"He's a safe option for you" he shrugs, taking a long puff of his cigarette before stubbing it out in the makeshift ashtray on-top of the microwave.

"Ash, I thought we were taking about my mum, not my questionable life choices" I plead with him, as I rest against the countertop behind me for support. Instantly I begin fiddling with my engagement ring once again.

"See, you're not even denying it. You're getting yourself so worked up about a wedding that really shouldn't be happening" he smirks to himself  "answer me this, when you lay awake at night, fiddling with that ring of yours. What do you think about"

"Is it that obvious that I fiddle with it that much?" I ask a little shocked he brought it up, I didn't think he payed much attention to little details such as that.

"Yes, I'm surprised Michael hasn't noticed. If he has he obviously doesn't want to ask the question, probably knowing the answer" he shrugs coming closer to me once again. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to put all of these doubts in your head. I care about you so much and I want you to be happy"

"I know Ash I appreciate it, you're just being a good brother" a smile tugging at my lips. Yet, doubt surrounding the Michael situation still sat uneasy with me.

"Step brother" he replies, with the same stern tone Michael had used last night "And if I were you, I'd squeeze everything I could out of your mum. Then have your dad walk you down the aisle anyway, what's she going to do if she doesn't know until the day?" He smirks once  again, allowing me to ponder on that thought.

"That's actually a really good idea" my tone becoming more chirpy at some good advice for once "thank you" I smile once more, wrapping my arms around Ashton to embrace him in a hug.

"Don't mention it" he smiles, reciprocating the action and hugging me back tightly.

Ashton and I said our goodbyes. After he shut the door I stood there as the cool air had begun to swarm the outer block. My mind  pulsing with stress, there was only going to be so much more I could take. Only a few seconds had passed, before I then headed back to my apartment that I shared with Michael.

Doubt has been swarming my mind the whole car journey home. Ashton had always been right about these things and gave out advice accordingly, was he really so certain that Michael was a safe option?

So certain that even I was beginning to think the same.