Outside the Lines (lashton)

(2) +455 -0

I can't read the clock from my side of the room, but from the looks of the light spilling through the blinds, it must be morning.

Groaning, I go to yell Ashton's name to wake him up. I can't see the clock on his bedside table because his giant curls are blocking the view.

Just as I open my mouth, I remember that he is sleeping. If Ashton's sleeping, then I can start my morning routine without interruption.

Pulling the covers away from my body, I step out of bed and head towards my suitcase. I'm pretty sure we have a meet and greet today... I think to myself, pulling out a tee shirt, jeans, and socks. I lock the door as soon as I enter the bathroom, and put my clothes on the counter adjacent to me. I go about the rest of my routine: pee, shower, and fix my hair.

~

"Oh I love American talk shows," Ashton enters the shared living room while flopping onto a spread out Calum laying on the couch. As Calum squeals and attempts to break free from beneath Ashton, Michael runs through the open door across from mine and Ashton's door.

"BREAKFAST SANDWICH," Michael declares a little too loud for the morning, and lands on top of Ashton. I can't stop laughing from my seat on the recliner; Calum is begging for both Ashton and Michael to let him breathe, while Ashton is groaning for Michael to "get the fuck off of me or I'll spit in your breakfast."

Michael admits defeat at hearing this, and pushes himself off of Ashton, who ends up rolling off Calum and falling to the floor while Calum attempts to breathe with success.

"I don't know why we're in a band, you guys would be better off as a comedic act. Oh, oh! You could be the three stooges!" I say in between laughs.

"But what would you do?" Michael questions from below me, seeing as Ashton grabbed his ankle and pulled him down with him.

"He could be our assistant," Ashton says, rolling from his back onto his stomach and makes eye contact with me. "Assistant Hemmings, I would like room service!"

I chuck my phone towards him and attempt to respond cheerily, "You have functioning vocal cords, order it yourself." Ashton lets out a shriek when my phone hits his arm.

"Someone woke up on the wrooong side of the bed." Michael declares in a sing-song tone, which made me want to fling a pillow towards his face. Closing my eyes, I start to rub my fingers in a circular motion on my temples.

His words shouldn't have affected me but they did.

"Come on, leave him alone Mike," Calum sighs, "I'm gonna head for some coffee, do you want to come? We can pick up breakfast for you and Ash along the way."

One second Michael's on the floor muttering a string of words that consist of "food" and "yes", and the next second Calum is shutting the door behind him and Michael.

When I open my eyes I see Ashton sitting on the arm of the couch, leaving little distance between him and the recliner I'm seated in. His mouth curled into a smile, muttering a hushed greeting to me immediately after I opened my eyes.

I reply with a hi in the same hushed tone. I start to feel less tense.

"So what's up? Is something going on?"

This is how it always plays out. I snap, Calum and Michael go off somewhere, and Ashton talks with me. It's not always me who snaps though, everyone wakes up on the wrong side of the bed sometimes.

That's usually the case when a person snaps in the morning, but it just wasn't the case for me this time. "Nothing," I lift my head up from looking at my lap and continue, "I didn't wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, I woke up in a great mood actually. So Michael can fuck off."

Ashton is silent for a few seconds before speaking again. "Well you were in a great mood this morning, did something happen before Michael and I came in the room? Calum seemed to think that Michaels comment would bother you."

I couldn't explain to him what changed my mood. When I came into the shared living room this morning, Calum was awake and talking on the hotel phone when he noticed my presence.

~

"Actually, could you make that two?"

I groan internally, but put on a smile and head towards the sink to get a glass of water.

I heard Calum finish with "Okay, thank you, have a nice day," followed by the sound of the phone being hung up.

"Why are you awake so early?" I ask him, gaining his attention.

"Michael was sleeping with his mouth open and snoring this morning. Now here we are," he motions his hands in a gesture around the room. "I was ordering room service, so I just got you the same as me," he finishes with a smile.

"Actually I just came out here to grab a glass of water. I was going to go back to bed after," I tell him.

This is not how I planned my morning to go. I'm always the first awake, everyone else wakes up an hour later, give or take. By the time everyone wakes up, the Luke they know has already washed his face and fixed his hair, gotten dressed, and ate breakfast.

I wasn't always like this. A couple years ago, I would have slept in with the rest of them. My sleeping hasn't been too regular since then though, which is perfectly fine. I can't fall asleep, but when I do, I wake up more or less than two hours later. It works for me because I'm up early, and no one is awake to see me skipping breakfast.

"No, don't go back to sleep! You wake up at this time everyday anyways and I'm lonely. Please just have breakfast with me, please?" Calum asks me. No, he begs me.

"Fine Calum, whatever," I pull out a seat and plop down on it with a huff.

Calum seemed taken back by the bitter attitude laced in my reply. "Well you don't have to if you don't want to, I don-"

"No Cal, it's fine, seriously. Sorry, I'm just tired, you know?" I reassure him after interrupting. Someone starts to knock on the door. Oh joy, food's here.

"It's fine Calum, thanks for ordering me breakfast," I finish off saying, cringing internally at my spoken words, as he opens the door.