Imagines and One-Shots (Book Two)

There For You (Ashton Irwin)

You could handle finding out 'Ryder' wasn't who he said he was. You could handle finding out he'd been doing this to countless other girls. You could even handle finding out he'd never felt a thing for you.

But what you couldn't handle was the way Bradley – Ryder's real name – said you were 'just another nobody online he was using to improve his skills at talking to girls', and you certainly couldn't handle hearing him say that the only reason he was coming clean to you was because he 'would have felt worse if he admitted his real identity to one of the cute girls'.

Two years ago, you'd met this boy named Ryder in a chatroom and instantly hit it off with him. He would always ask about your day and offered up advice whenever you needed it. Overall, he seemed like a really great guy who was really into you.

But you'd always had your suspicions.

Whenever you asked him to call you, he would always have some excuse as to why he couldn't. It didn't bother you at first – you understood that some people were just not somewhere they could speak on the phone and texting was easier and quieter – but as time went on, you were starting to feel like he wasn't being entirely honest with you.

And that was why you contacted Catfish, putting you in the position you were in now.

You were finally face-to-face with the man you'd known as Ryder and he was spewing out all this shit that was really hurting you. You'd never met someone who you thought to be so into you, only to find out that they'd been faking it the whole time.

And it was honestly starting to get the better of you.

Ashton's POV

You and Ashton had met when the crew showed up at your house on the first day of filming. He was one of the cameramen for the show and after finding out that Ryder wasn't who he said he was, Ashton became someone who was more than willing to offer you words of encouragement when everyone took breaks from filming.

Ashton was understandably growing more and more agitated as he listened to the things Bradley was saying about your appearance and how you meant nothing because he knew you really thought you were in love with this guy... But even he was a little surprised when he noticed your jaw was tightening slowly and your fists were clenched at your sides.

And he knew he had to intervene before you did something stupid.

"Can you hold this for a minute?" Ashton asked the producer next to him softly, referring to the camera he was holding.

"Why?" she cocked an eyebrow.

"Please," he grumbled. She brushed off his sudden attitude change and finally took it from him, watching him step in front of the cameras.

Before anyone could ask what he was doing, he quickly ran up to you and grabbed your hand just as you were reaching up to hit Bradley, making everyone freeze in surprise. No one had even realized that you were getting so worked up about what Bradley was saying – especially not enough to hit him – except for Ashton.

Ashton wrapped his arm around your back so his free hand could hold your hip and led you back across the street to get you away from the situation. He stopped when he reached behind where the car you'd come in was parked, turning to face you with every intention of asking if you were okay – he knew you had every right to be as upset as you were – but when he saw the tears falling down your cheeks, his heart felt a little heavier.

He took his hands off of you so he could open his arms, offering you a hug. He was a little surprised when you immediately ran into him, your arms wrapped tightly around his waist as you cried into his shirt, but that didn't stop him from hugging you back just as tightly.