Floating in the Abyss ✔️

Chapter 54

"Who's the girl Jonah?" Ryan nodded towards her. He wouldn't play with me yesterday, so I was trying to stay grumpy with him, but I also wanted to be close to someone because meeting knew people makes me nervous.

"This is Scarlett. Scarlett, that's Ryan, that's Nick and that's my sister Ashlyn." He introduced me with my full name, which I didn't really like, but then again, we'd never actually had a conversation before.

"Hey guys." She smiled. The two of them disappeared upstairs to get changed into their bathers.

"You swimming?" Ryan asked me.

"Not sure." After my last experience with the water, I wasn't sure if I really wanted to get back in.

"You probably shouldn't whilst everyone's in there. It's a bit crowded and risky." I knew he was just trying to look out for me, but the little bit of fire I had burning from him ignoring me last night meant I wanted to have it my way.

"I think I'm going to swim." I stood up confidently and went to go change.

"I literally just told you not to." He grumbled, throwing his hands up in the air.

I got changed into a different pair of bathers. This time they were blue with little flower textures all over them. I put on a t-shirt over the top and went back out. Sean, Austin and Jonah were already in the water. Scarlett hadn't gone in yet.

"Could you at least put on a top that covers your butt Ash?" Ryan rolled his eyes at me. "Wait there."

I waited as he raced upstairs and came down with one of his shirts. I switched it over and his was massive on me. It went halfway down my thighs and definitely covered what he wanted me to cover. It was kind of comfortable though, as strange as I felt.

"Now no one can look." He muttered.

"Look at what?" I asked.

"Don't worry. Let's go swim." I grabbed my towel and got a seat outside, pushing the boys towels aside.

I sat quietly on the seat, covering myself with the towel each time I was close to getting splashed, and just watched as they played in the water.

Scarlett was joining in but seemed to give up after a while.

"I'm going to have a break." She told them, getting out and sitting in the seat next to mine. I didn't speak to her, but I got the feeling she was trying to work out what to say to me.

"So, how long have you been here?" She asked.

"Uh, a few months." I told her, counting in my head.

"What's it like to be adopted?" She said, after a brief pause.

"What?"

"Well, you're adopted, right?"

"No." I shook my head, trying to laugh it off.

"Then who are you?"

"I'm Austin's twin." I explained slowly.

"That's not possible. The Hughes brothers don't have a sister."

"Well..." I didn't know what to say to her. I didn't know why she felt the need to tell me I wasn't related to my brothers. How would she know?

"So where've you been for 15 years?" She was getting angsty.

"Uh...I lived somewhere else."

"Why?"

"Long story." She didn't say anything for a while after that. I tried to keep my breathing steady, since she was making me so nervous.

"So, when are you starting at school."

"About two weeks, I think." I didn't really like this girl, but obviously I couldn't tell anyone that, since Jonah seemed to like her.

We didn't talk after that. I'd had enough and wanted to go back inside, so I did. I shut myself up in my bedroom, away from all the noise, and started doodling at my desk. I didn't usually spend very much time in my bedroom. I think mum liked it more when she could see what I was up to and liked it when I socialised with the boys.

I thought about what Scarlett said. It made me really uneasy and I wasn't sure what to do.

After a while, I noticed I was starting to get really hungry. I went out into the hall and called out for Mum. When she didn't answer, I tried dad. They must have gone out together. I looked for Nick but couldn't find him anywhere, and River was playing his game, and after how that went yesterday, I decided it was bet not to bother him at all.

I went downstairs and set it upon myself to make food. I could see bread and the toaster, so figured that was my best option. I was never going to learn if I never tried, right?

I dropped the piece of bread into the slot, then had to work out how to make it start. The was a button on the side that said push, so I pushed and waited until it clicked at the bottom. I could see red light coming from inside the slot, so I figured it was working. I was finally making myself food! With no help at all!

I jumped and let out a little scream when it popped. My next problem was getting the piece of bread out of the toaster. It was too hot for me to touch, so I looked around for something to use. The first thing that came to mind was a fork, so I grabbed one from the draw and attempted to find the best way to pull my toast out.

"What're you do- Ash! Stop!" Austin yelled at me, lurching forwards. In fright, I dropped the fork and jumped backwards.

"What? What did I do?" I panicked. My breathing sped up along with my heart rate. I sat down on the cool floor.

"Deep breaths Ash. Calm down." He said in a soothing tone. He sat down next to me and held my hands. Once I was calm again, he explained. "You can't put metal in a toaster. You'll get electrocuted." He told me, with a pained voice, recounting what he just watched me do. "You should have come got someone."

"I wanted to do it myself." I whispered, hanging my head low. I'd made him panic and he'd done the reverse back to me.

"But you're still learning. If you're unsure, the best thing to do is just ask."

"I couldn't find anyone."

"I was just outside! You knew that." He exclaimed, frustrated at me.

"Yeah but..."

"What's going on?" Dad asked, mum in tow behind him.

"Ash tried to make herself toast." Austin explained. "She thought the best way to get the toast out was to use a fork." They both gasped slightly at this.

"Oh honey, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I reassured her. A little shook up, but not hurt.

"Let's try make you some toast again, but I'll show you how to do it without putting yourself in danger." Mum helped me up from the floor and helped me make toast properly. Turns out the thing you press down, also can be pushed up, which makes the toast rise enough so you can grab it. "There we go!" She smiled at my new achievement. 

Eek okay. Scarlett is going to be around for a while, so everyone, get used to her.

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