Blue Ribbon

Chapter 23 - Second best thing

"When my father didn't have my hand, he had my back."

***********

Katherine's POV

Blatant shock rocked Ashton's expression as Chase muttered those few hurtful words and stormed up to his room.

I couldn't talk or even stop him, that same shock tumbled within my being. I couldn't wrap my mind around the fact that he said such things, or that he felt this way, even remotely.

I thought that he tells me everything, but apparently he has been keeping hell a lot to himself lately and that hurt my heart.

I could feel Ashton's anger radiating off him in waves, yet it was covered with something else that resembled guilt so much. He went and dropped on the couch, a loud breath pushed out of his mouth as his hand nervously raked through his hair.

I sat by his side, my hand rested over his arm, grabbing his attention to me. I couldn't be angry at him not when I, myself couldn't notice the things Chase just said, or what he was going through alone and on his own.

"He didn't mean that," I said, referring to the last sentence, "He is just angry, and he is just like you, when he's angry he doesn't think before talking."

Ashton's eyes dropped on mine, "But he is right about everything else, isn't he?" The muscle of his jaw worked, "Zack is always getting himself in trouble and Zoe keeps worrying about him, I just...I didn't notice how because of that I unconsciously gave him more of my attention." He shook his head and his eyebrows pulled together, "How could I not notice that?"

"Apparently, I didn't either." I said as the shame rolled deep down and pressed against my chest, "Chase never got himself in trouble, he always seemed all-together and able to do everything on his own...we just got used to it I guess."

Ashton rubbed his hand over his jaw before he looked at me, his forehead creasing, "Was I hard on him?" He asked, "In general I mean."

"No," I shot out and my eyebrow raised, "Ashton look, I know that you look all tough on the outside but inside you're just a little teddy bear."

He shot me a glare, "Katherine."

"Come on, you just played bad cop when I played good cop, that's all, that's why our boy turned out to be so perfect," A small smile pulled at my lips, "You were never hard on him, we just...we both kind of messed it up in this subject in exact," The doubt in his eyes pushed me to assure him more, "Do you remember when he had his first asthma attack," My head tilted, "I wasn't home, you were with him, do you remember that?" I rubbed at his arm soothingly, "You didn't sleep even, you stayed up in his room, watching him all night, making sure he's breathing."

There is no one in this world that could come even close to what Chase means to Ashton. Not Zack, not anyone. But, as Chase grew up, I think they both kind of lost touch of that connection. I need to fix that.

"Look, to fix this, all we have to do is just talk to him, hear him out," I said and he nodded, agreeing with me, "So now, you go sleep, and when both of you have totally calmed down, promise me that you'll talk to him about this."

He nodded, "Of course I will."

I smiled as I inched closer and left a kiss over his cheek. I got to my feet after and turned around, ready to walk away, "Where are you going?" He asked.

"I am gonna go talk with my boy now," I said. He needs me, I know it.

I walked to his room and knocked on the door. When he didn't say a thing, I twisted the knob and opened it. He was laying on his bed, his back facing me, "Hey," I said as I stepped inside.