Dirty Little Secret // C.H.

Twenty-two

Sienna fell asleep in Ashton's arms that night. She stayed by his side from the time the show ended until late into the night.

They talked about everything on Sienna's mind until she couldn't think of anything else to tell him. Ashton listened without judgment and could see the pressure and stress fade from her features the longer they talked.

She told him about the "relationship" she had with Calum and how it ended. She told him how Calum hadn't even tried to speak to her. She told him how lonely she had been because she couldn't tell anyone but Niall. Niall was great to talk to, but he was on the other side of the world.

Having Ashton here to hold her and listen to her made all the difference.

Sienna had fallen asleep in his arms after telling him everything. Ashton carried her to bed. He tucked her in with a soft smile and pulled the curtain to her bunk closed.

When he turned to head to the refrigerator to grab a drink, he found Calum leaning with his back against the wall and arms crossed over his chest.

"Hey, mate." Ashton said quietly, walking past Calum. "What's up?"

"How long have you had feelings for her?" Calum asked bluntly.

"What?" Ashton stopped in his tracks. He nearly laughed at Calum's accusation.

"How long?" Calum demanded, annoyance clear in his tone.

"How do you, of all people, have the nerve to ask me that?" Ashton spat. "I don't have feelings for her. She's practically family."

"You two have been inseparable today." Calum noted. "She runs backstage during the show and you didn't hesitate to go after her. Something's up with you two."

"Yes, I ran after her." Ashton nodded. "And not long ago, you would've done the same." The words came out as sharp as knives. "So, what's going on with you?" Ashton asked.

"What's going on with you?" Calum sassed, furrowing his eyebrows. He did his best to seem as though he had no idea what Ashton was referring to.

"Why are you really acting so odd?" Ashton interrogated, determined to finally make Calum admit it. "Being so irritable with everyone, icing Sienna out of your life, accusing me of having feelings for her. This isn't like you." He continued. "Something happened." Ashton told him. "You don't go from being attached at the hip to someone to pretending they don't exist for no reason."

"So, now you're pissed because I actually did what you asked me to do? What do you want from me, Ashton?" Calum groaned.

"What I asked you to do?" Ashton raised his eyebrows, wondering how everything that happened between his friends had been his fault.

"You asked me to back off and I did." Calum defended.

"I said to not get romantically involved. I didn't say cut her out of your life." Ashton scolded him. "You two were inseparable. What happened?"

"Nothing." Calum sighed.

"Bullshit." Ashton quickly retorted. "You used to lose your mind when she had so much as a sad look on her face." He reminded Calum. "She gets upset and runs backstage crying during the show tonight and you don't even bat an eye? I'm not buying it." He explained, attempting to suppress the growing anger and frustration toward his friend. "So, I ask again, what happened?"