The Chase ▹ Ashton Irwin

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

"Booke!" my mother completely screamed as I pushed the garage door open. Oh god, here it comes.

"Hi." I said quietly, my voice squeaking. I set her car keys down gently as I walked into the kitchen to see her cooking pasta. 

"Would you like to tell me what the hell happened to you this afternoon?"

"Didn't the school call you?"

"Well, yes, but just please tell me what happened!"

I sighed and sat down at the kitchen table. "Mom, its fine. Really, it is. I got in an argument with Nick and he unfortunately  he had to get physical."

My mom looked so scared. So incredbly scared. I know it would scare me too if my daughter got hit by someone at school, but there was another look in her eyes that made my heart stop with worry.

My mother shook her head, as if to get whatever she was thinking of out of her system and kept talking.

"They told me someone helped you?"

My heart instantly started fluttering at the thought of Ashton. Or you know, my boyfriend. Wow. Now that I finally put those words in the same sentence, they sounded so odd yet amazing together.

"Yeah, Ashton," I said. "The kid I tutor." I added.

I decided to leave everything else out of my description of Ashton.

"How old is he?"

"My age."

"And you're tutoring him in geometry?"

"Even if he's behind me in math that doesn't mean he's not strong," I said, defending him. "Without him I would've gotten the crap beaten out of me."

My mother nodded and turned back to the stove, obviously still disgusted in the fact that a boy hit me.  It wasn't even that big of a deal, I don't know why she's so emotional. I sighed and went to go start my homework.

 -

"Brooke." Jessie's voice echoed through my head as I walked onto campus the next morning. I was texting Paige and I had no idea Jessie was here as well. I looked up, startled, and saw Amanda, Abby, and Annie there as well. They waved me over and I hastuly walked over.

"Oh my god, are you alright?" Jessie asked. I nodded as they all looked at the scratch that still hasn't disappeared from yesterday.

"What even happened?" Abby asked.

"I don't know," I repiled. "I guess I got really carried away and he got pissed?"

"Got fucking damn it, Nick." Amanda muttered. I shrugged, so we didn't have to talk about it anymore.

"What I wanna know..." Abby said.

Oh no, please don't say it.

"...is why did Ashton, out of everyone, help you?"

My heart sank to the bottom of my stomach at the mention of Ashton. I realized then that they can't have any clue as to why he helped me, or the fact that we were now a thing. Once again, I felt guilty.

"I don't know." I repllied, mentally kicking myself in the face for lying to them again.

"But don't you think its weird-"

"No."

I spun around at the sound of Jessie's voice. She wasn't looking at any of us. She stared down at the ground and you could feel the awkwrad in the air. I was very confused. She must've noticed, because she looked up and continued to talk in a rushed tone of voice.