A Certain Romance || Ashton Irwin

Overachiever

So there is no confusion; Sage's brother Sam will always go by Sam or Samuel and Samantha (Michael's ex) will always go by Samantha or Sammy.

Brother: Sam or Samuel

Ex: Samantha or Sammy

gr8

"On a scale from one to McDonald's, how unhealthy do you think the cafeteria food is?" Luke deliberated out loud, flicking the instant mashed potatoes around on his tray.

"Strongly bordering McDonald's." I scratched out another character and person to compare and possibly contrast. Nothing was coming to me and it'd only been two class periods. I considered writing about one of my newer friends from the cheer team or writing about Ashton, but I still didn't know enough about the people coming to mind. I also refused to write a half-assed essay over someone who might only be my friend out of convenience.

"Elizabeth and Calum are talking." Luke slapped the ever-so-quiet Michael's arm and nodded his head over. Michael took a glance but then looked back down at his tray of food. I was terrified of quiet Michael. I thought the regular Michael was slightly terrifying being a ball full of spontaneous energy that always kept things interesting, but quiet Michael was the scariest thing to ever exist. It was scary because it was lonely. Not hearing his obnoxiously loud voice, that never seemed to silence, could ensure the most lonely life for those close to him.

I looked over my shoulder. Elizabeth was shaken up over something and Calum appeared annoyed as he held his project baby. "Is no one gonna mention the fact that Calum has his and Lydia's child in a headlock?"

"It's his grade not ours." Michael muttered with infuriation.

Those were the only words he spoke for the rest of the day.

-

"What are you doing?" Ashton asked.

Ashton could be upset with me, he could be on the verge of ripping my head off and he'd still show up to my house because no one else would hang out with him. Which I thought was a total defense because of the fact that he still barely knew his way around Seattle. Twice had he taken the wrong turn on the way to school, forcing us to be late.

While I attempted to write something for the English essay, Ashton watched television, distracting himself because I wasn't any help. I hadn't noticed that I was his entertainment. Or anyone else's for that matter.

"Essay for English." I ripped the paper from the notebook, crumbling it and tossing it behind me, for once again my idea seemed foolish written out with detail.

"The one for Goodwin that isn't due for two weeks?"

"That'd be the one."

"Overachiever." He scoffed. "I have Goodwin third period."

"Cool, didn't really ask, but that's really great. I'm so happy for you." I said from behind the notebook I had slapped to my face out of frustration.

"I think I'll write about you...I'll compare you to Hermione Granger. Or maybe Ricky Balboa."

"Yeah okay," I waved him off with agreement, going back to writing down a new idea. "Can you make Lily stop crying?" I groaned, letting the notebook fall from my face down to my lap.

"I feel like such a single father sometimes." Ashton cradled Lily in his arms, gently humming a tune to the machine.

"If we sit and talk about this like a decent couple we wouldn't be fighting like this all the damn time!" Dad pleaded to my mother as she charged to the front door.

Dad's tone of voice caused Lily to go deeper into a fit of crying, but Ashton nor myself could get up and soothe the machine. Too stunned to even breathe. If they were in the middle of an argument, this was the rarest form of my parents that I'd ever seen. They never raised their voices at each other in front of me or Sam and they never held a big duffle bag, getting ready to flee.

"I've told you so many times that there is nothing to talk about, Sky." Mom tried to calmly say behind her clenched porcelain veneers she made my dad pay for two birthday's ago.

"Sienna, come on. Don't do this. Not now." Dad tried pulling her coat and bag away from her. "Not while Sage is around."

At the mention of my name, Mom's face went cold. Me? What did I have to do with this? Why was I being dragged into something that had nothing to do with me? Why did my mother look so unsettled at the sound of my name?

"Sie-" Dad's call was cut off by the door slamming in his face.

"Dad?" I hopped over the back of the couch, slowly walking towards him. "What happened?"

Shaking his head, he rubbed his eyes. "Sage, go upstairs."

"Da-"

"I said, go upstairs!" He yelled.

I ran to my bedroom, forgetting about my notebook full of ideas for the English essay, forgetting about that stupid project Mrs. McLane was making us do as if we didn't understand the consequences of having reckless sex, forgetting that Ashton was going to be left in the awkwardness downstairs with my father.

Swiping the numerous crumbled papers off my desk, I found my phone, eager to call Sam for help. He'd know what to do. Weren't the older siblings supposed to know what to do during these situations? Weren't they supposed to tell you that everything would be fine and that they would fix it, they would sort out the problem with the parents? I became unsure of that when Sam's phone went right to voicemail.

"Hey Sam, something happened with Mom and Dad. I don't know...Mom left. Please come home."

"Are you okay?" I heard Ashton's voice behind me and the bedroom door shut. I assumed he left Lily downstairs or the machine was finally done screaming its head off because it was too quiet.

Without hesitation, Ashton turned me around, engulfing me into an embrace. I eased into it instantly. I wanted to cry, I really did. But I couldn't remember the last time I had cried and I wanted to keep it that way. So I just slowly breathed.

"Do you want to stay at mine?" He asked.

"It's probably best I stay here." I pulled away from him, rubbing my bangs from my forehead.

"I can stay?" He offered.

"No, you should get some rest."

"Positive?"

"100% sure."

"Call me, if you need me..."

"You know, I will."

Double update because this reached 20k.

Sage's family is a cult of S's !!!!!!skylar sienna samuel sage!!!!!!!! k00l