Unbroken | Ashton Irwin's Little Sister (COMPLETED)

Chapter 20

When you try your best but you don't succeed... When you feel so tired but you can't sleep

***

| Ashton |

I can see Bailey increasingly getting worse. Everyday she gets a little weaker, every day she gets little more tired. It feels as if I'm watching her waste away before my eyes and I can't do anything about it. That's the most infuriating thing. I can try to shove food down her throat and make her drink water and try to keep her warm, but it's no use. She refuses to eat now and there isn't much anyone can do about it. I just feel so helpless, it feels like I can't breathe.

"Bailey come on, you have to eat," I sigh in frustration as I try to get her to eat something, anything, unsuccessfully.

"Ashton, I'm not hungry!" She groans and pulls her blanket over her head. I sigh and stomp down the stairs, suddenly filled with anger and sadness. I mumble to mom that I'm going for a walk before slamming the door shut.

I kick a pebble on the road as my feet slap angrily against the pavement. I don't know why I'm so upset over this. She has cancer, things were bound to get complicated sooner or later. I just wish there was more I could do to help. I hate feeling so helpless; I grew up being a father figure to Arden and Bailey, always helping mom with them, and not being able to help Bailey is like having a knife stab me in the heart.

As I continue to walk and kick stones aimlessly, I find myself walking to Calum's house. He just so happens to be on his porch fiddling with his bass. When he sees me he jogs down the driveway and joins me in walking.

"Hey, you okay?" He asks. I shrug and run a hand through my hair. "I don't know," I mutter, kicking another rock. Cal raises his eyebrows, "Troubles at home?" I nod as we walk to a nearby park. "I'm trying so hard to help Bailey, and nothing's working. We had so much fun at Luke's the other day, and suddenly she won't eat, she won't drink, all she does is lay in bed. I just feel so damn helpless!" I slam my fist into a tree and wince at the scrapes it leaves.

"Whoa, calm down mate," Cal says gently, putting a hand on my shoulder. I sigh and run my hand over my face with a groan, "I just don't know what to do," I whisper. Cal sighs as we sit down on a park bench. "I know this isn't what you want to hear, but there isn't much else you can do, Ash. Just be there for her, you can't force her to do anything." I let out a deep breath, "I know, I know. But that doesn't make this any easier." Cal rubs my back gently, "I know."

Just as I start to relax, we're suddenly surrounded by paps and flashing cameras. I put a hand to my face in an attempt to shield my eyes from the blinding lights as Cal jogs next to me. I try to push my way through the growing crowd when a woman stops me.

"Ashton! I heard you sister is battling cancer, anything you'd like to say?" I freeze for a split second. How did they find out?

"Ashton," Calum whispers, nudging me. "Come on. Let's go." I nod and we continue to push our way through the crowd. Since they follow us, we duck into a cafe a little ways away. Thankfully, we both have hoods and put them to good use. We slide into a corner booth at the very back and breath out in relief when the crowd of photographers rushes past. I lean my head back and close my eyes.

"Today sucks," I mutter.

***

I open the door and am immediately met with screaming.

"Bailey, you have to eat," Arden grumbles loud enough for me to hear her from the bottom of the stairs.

"I told Ashton, I told mom and I'll tell you, I'm. Not. Hungry." Bailey states monotonously.

I shrug off my hoodie with a sigh and hang it up by the door as my sisters continue to bicker.

"Fine," Arden huffs, "if you want to starve, fine by me."

"Why do you care so much?" Bailey shrieks suddenly. "I get that my illness is a burden to you, so just go away!" I hear a thud followed by a loud crash that makes me bolt up the stairs as Arden is standing with wide eyes in the doorway, unsure what to say.

"It's okay," I say. She sends me a shocked and apologetic stare before slowly making her way downstairs and out of the house, probably to visit her boyfriend or something.

I turn my attention to Bailey, softly sniffling while buried beneath her covers. I cross the room and pick up the pillow she threw, which I'm assuming knocked the picture frame off her desk. It's now shattered on the ground, so I carefully pick up the broken pieces and throw them away before sitting on the edge of her bed.

"Bailey," I whisper, resting my hand on her shoulder. She flinches away and her sniffling stops as her head pokes out from underneath the covers.

"I'm sorry," she whispers, wiping her tear-stained cheeks. "This just sucks," she sighs.

I just give her a small smile and brush a loose lock of hair from her face. "It's okay. I'm sorry, too. I just want to help," I sigh. Bailey inhales deeply and pulls the blanket up to her chin, turning on her side so she's staring at me. "I know you always want to help, but this time there isn't much you can do. Just promise me one thing?" I nod. She pauses before continuing, "Just promise me that you'll always be there for me."

I smile, "I'll always be here for you, Bailey. No matter how hard or bad or rough things get, you can always come to me," I assure her. She smiles, her eyes dropping shut. "Get some rest, lil sis," I whisper as I leave her room.

"Ashton, stay?" She mumbles sleepily. I smile and renter her room, slipping under the covers and laying so Bailey can rest her head on my chest. I sigh intently and play with her hair until her even breathe tell me she's sound asleep.

I don't plan on breaking my promise anytime soon.

A/N - Do you think Ashton will keep his promise? Just wait until the next chapter, mwahahaha;) Tell me your thoughts please! Xoxo - Em:)