Ashton Enchanted » [cashton] √

2.2

The events of the week before still weighed on him; he was honestly feeling more hopeless than he had last year. More certain than ever that he was never going to fully understand nor break the curse. So he'd been moping around, answering questions in the most half-hearted of ways, and Luke had accused him of not listening more than once this week. And he could feel the others' eyes on him; he was sure Crystal hadn't said anything, well, maybe nothing specific but the way they watched him, like a china cabinet teetering on a cliff, meant they knew something was up. 

He supposed he should have been in a better mood. He'd triumphed over the curse, avoided deaths icy grip, but all he could think about was what might come next. What would be the next hurdle or hoop he had to jump through and whether he could land on the other side unscathed? He didn't like his odds. 

So when he found Calum waiting outside his last class with a broad grin across his face, he was surprised. He'd been bringing the groups mood down all week, and he didn't expect someone to appear grin on their face willing to spend time with him, but there Calum was. He'd somehow managed to ditch his uniform already; Ashton had noticed he was good at that, always turning up in jeans and t-shirt minutes after the bell had rung as if his uniform would give him a rash outside school hours.

"Thought we could head to Marrickville; I wanna go to a new record store you in?" He asked as soon as Ashton was within earshot.

"I still have detention," Ashton said quickly, part of him not wanting to be alone with Calum, and the leftover piece from after the party, before the incident on the roof, wanted desperately to have a shot with him.

"I'll wait,"

Ashton rolled his eyes, waiting half an hour? It seemed unlikely to him, but true to his word Calum was waiting outside when he returned. He was on the floor, legs extended out in front of him and his back to the wall, looking at something on his phone. He wasn't paying attention, so when Ashton approached, he gently kicked the younger boys shoe's sole. 

Calum looked up, seeming a touch confused, but recognition registered on his face when he saw Ashton and quickly climbed up off the floor, "You don't mind taking the train, do you? Do you have your Opal card?"

"Nah," Ashton smiled, shaking his head, "I like the train, got my card here," he patted the side of his bag as he spoke, and Calum gave him a grin.  He led them quickly through the school and out the gate, passing Luke and Sierra, who were 'studying' on one of the picnic tables at the front of the school. 'Studying' because Luke was laying with his head in Sierra's lap while their textbooks sat open on the table beside them. Luke looked up as they passed and gave him a wink when Calum wasn't looking. 

Calum talked about the store they were heading to as he continued leading them toward the train station, and when they got to the platform, it was to see that the train would be arriving any moment.

"Sorry, that's why I was hurrying; after this one, the service changes to the express and we won't be able to get off at the station I want," he explained, finally seeming to relax. 

When they climbed on the train ago, their only option was to stand near the door and hold onto the poles with a few other kids from their school. Different uniforms littered the seats with a few business professionals and casual people strewn between, but a full train wasn't that unusual for 3:45 on a weekday.

They didn't speak most of the train ride; there were only a few stops between their school and Marrickville; when they were coming up on the second last stop, Ashton had his phone out texting his mother when the train came into the station. He thought, having been a city kid his whole life, he'd know by now how to navigate remaining upright on a train. Unfortunately, not- he toppled right into Calum, who caught him under his armpits at crotch level, causing the older boy to blush profoundly and scramble up, mumbling his apologies.