Paint You Wings // Ashton Irwin [au]

Twenty-two

Ashton's POV

After taking Emmie home from her rewarded dinner, I go back to my house for some needed relaxation. Never again am I going back to that finance class if Linda is going to be there. I didn't think that by agreeing to help would mean that she would be all over me. I had thought that it was going to be a simple study session, but that idea was scratched when Linda began groping my arm to feel my muscles. She is a perfect example as to why I don't trust women. I try to perform an act of kindness and she takes advantage of it.

Thank God, Emmie got me out of that or else I would have been close to taking Linda's fake glasses and snapping them in two just to piss her off enough to leave me alone. I was surprised that Emmie was actually spying on us. Was she jealous that I was with Linda? It was the first time that I actually conversed with another female besides Emmie, so I can understand if she was a bit shocked, but would shock be enough of a motive to spy? She looked ashamed of herself when she got in trouble with Finn, as if she was surprised by her own actions.

In all honesty, I'm actually happy that she spied on us. She's curious about my personal life outside of our friendship and is willing to go as far as hiding behind a bookshelf to see what's going on. I don't know if it was jealousy or curiosity that motivated her, but I am satisfied with either because it's proof that she does care about me. Or I'm just over-thinking things and trying to convince myself of that.

I park behind Cal's truck like usual and head over to the front door where loud muffled voices seep outside. I can't make out what the boys are saying to each other, but it sounds like they're arguing with one another. When I hear my name being thrown out between them, I silently open the door, mentally thanking Luke for always forgetting to lock the door. I sneak inside the house, determined to hear their conversation.

Calum's voice echoes from the kitchen where they are all gathered. "We can't just keep this from him," he says.

I untie my boots and slip them off, allowing me to be even more silent as I hide behind the wall in the entryway, eavesdropping on their conversation.

"This will kill him," Luke says.

What could be so bad that it will kill me? Is it about Emmie?

"He's going to have to find out one way or another," Michael says. "She was a large part of his life and he deserves to know."

"But to have to find out this way..." Calum trails off.

"I can't believe Nat was brave enough to send it despite the circumstances," Luke says and my ear perk at Natalie's nickname.

My feet move with a goal of their own into the kitchen.

"Maybe we should just wait-" Michael stops mid-sentence; his eyes widen as he hears my backpack drop to the ground and my eyes meet his.

The three boys are circled around the kitchen island. A single white envelope rests on the middle of the counter and they keep their distance from it as if it were a deathly disease. My eyes are drawn to the piece of mail and before I know it, I'm standing directly in front of it. The hand-written calligraphy that spells out my full name on the square envelope causes my stomach to drop and my to heart ache.

I don't want to believe it. I don't want it to be real.

I don't even have to open it to know what kind of letter this is. I can feel three pairs of eyes on me, waiting for some kind of reaction and all I can manage to do is walk over to the refrigerator and grab the bottle of scotch that sat on top of it.