The Jerks Next Door || Ashton Irwin [5 Seconds Of Summer]

Chapter 13 | Disappointment

Michael POV

I walked away from Ashton in disgust. Calum and I were walking, with Luke following. We were all very disappointed, but Luke was extremely crestfallen. Out of all of us, though, I think we could all agree that Calum was most infuriated. I was just irritated and frustrated. Big words, I told myself proudly. Girls dig big words.

Okay, so I was a bit pathetic.

"I don't believe him," Calum muttered.

We then stalked away in silence until Luke started speaking.

"Actually, Cal," Calum flinched as Luke used the same nickname that Ashton had used to make him mad, "I believe it completely." Suddenly, Luke's voice became more courageous. "He needs to stop being an ass to everyone. He keeps treating people like that, acting as if it doesn't bother anyone. He's not the only person with feelings. I'm not even sure he has feelings. I wouldn't be surprised if Ashley slapped him or something."

I saw Calum smirk, out of my peripheral vision.

"Why are you smirking, Calum, huh?" I asked, laughing, even though nothing in the situation was really funny.

He looked as if he had just come out of a trance. With a dazed look on his face, he turned to me and said, "Hmm? Oh nothing, I was just imagining Ashley actually slapping him. It was pretty funny."

Luke chuckled, shaking his head.

"Guys," Calum said, "I think we need to go teach Ashton a lesson."

Luke and I shared a glance, then Luke shrugged and concluded, "Whatever you say."

We briskly walked towards our dressing room, with determined looks planted onto our faces. Ashton probably wasn't in there anymore, but we could wait. The effect would probably be more menacing like that, anyway. So we sat in the dressing room and waited.

******

We couldn't wait there for long, we all knew. We eventually would have to get up and pack up to get into the tour van. We mutually decided that we would wait Ashton out as long as we could.

Yet, we didn't see the point of just sitting around and wasting time, so we got ourselves up and got to work. We started cleaning out the room. (Eating all of the food may or may not have been included. It was mainly Calum, in my defense.)

By the time Ashton finally came around, Calum was scarfing down the popcorn, Luke was air-guitaring to "crushcrushcrush" by Paramore, and I was planking on a sofa, checking my Twitter feed. Yet, once Ashton stepped into the room, we all tried to look as intimidating as possible, Calum struggling to swallow all of the food at once and nearly choking on a popcorn kernel midway, Luke freezing in mid-air and quickly straightening himself up, making sure to loudly clear his throat, me trying to get off the couch as suavely as possible, but ending up on the floor with a giant what-was-soon-to-be-bruise on my left buttock.

Calum was the first to speak (after spitting out the kernel that was previously lodged in his throat). "What the hell do you think you were doing?"

Ashton scoffed. "Being an ass," he answered in mock-innocence.

Luke scoffed in return. "That sounds about right. Ashton? Ass? In the same sentence? Yup, that's definitely correct."

Ashton sardonically laughed. "Very funny, Luke, but I've just about learned my lesson."

I then spoke up. "First of all, explain how you 'learned your lesson,' as you say. Second of all, what does 'just about' mean? Are you implying that you haven't quite learned your lesson? Because I'm sure we would love to finish teaching you this lesson," I finished with my eyebrows raised, hands crossed over my chest.

"Ahem, first of all," Ashton mimicked my voice very nasally, "guess who slapped me?"

Calum's eyes went wide with amusement. "You mean to tell me," he said slowly while Ashton started nodding, "that Ashley actually slapped you?!"

Ashton's nods had now escalated to violent head spasms. "Yes, yes, yes. You see this red mark?" He pointed to a normal cheek, but I guess if you looked especially hard you would see little pink splotches on his cheek.

"What red mark?" Luke questioned, eyes squinted.

Ashton glared at him, then proceeded to ignore the question. "As I was saying, before someone rudely interrupted me, you see this red mark? I hardly even felt it. Didn't hurt a bit!" He looked a bit too proud of himself.

Calum snorted. "Well I sure hope it didn't hurt, because there is no red mark, you big baby."

Luke rolled his eyes, as did Ashton, trying to play it cool.

"Anyway," I tried to change the subject, "we've now gathered that we're psychics, but did she actually slap you?" We all burst out in laughter. Ashton glowered at us.

He kept his head held high. I wondered why he had come back in the first place. He was a confusing guy, Ashton. Sometimes he actually convinced you that he cared. He doesn't care, idiot, I thought. He had to come back to take his stuff to the van.

"I don't think laughter is necessary boys," he said, trying to sound brave, "I've had quite enough."

"Aw, did Ashley cause little Ashton pain?" Calum said in a baby voice, trying to provoke him.

"There was no pain on my part, but if you keep going in this direction, there might be some on yours."

"Ha!" I mocked. "As if. Three against one? I don't think so."

"Well boys," Luke stated. "There's only one way to settle this."

All of a sudden (I don't think any of us saw it coming), Calum pounced on Ashton. We were only bluffing and I assumed the other boys knew that. Now, things were getting dangerous. I felt some unresolved feelings between Calum and Ashton being settled right now, and I wasn't letting anything happen to either of them. Behind the facade, we loved each other, even though it didn't seem like it at times like this.

By the looks of it, Luke hadn't expected it either. We quickly exchanged glances and leapt to separate the now brawling boys. Our shouts of, "Let go!", "Get off!", and, "Stop fighting!" could probably be heard from the other side of the arena. I was sure that someone would come to our rescue soon. Then again, we always had our little play-fights in the dressing room and management had learned to ignore the yelling.

Right when Ashton threw a particularly painful-looking punch to Calum's gut, a familiar figure ran into the door, with an alarmed look on her face. Probably the most-needed person right now, but at the same time, the least-needed. When Ashton saw her, he immediately let his guard down. Why he let his guard down was beyond me, but it happened. It was much easier for Luke and I to seperate them now, but not without Calum getting a few punches through to Ashton's 'beloved' face.

"Oh my gosh," she whispered, putting her hand on her forehead. She was exactly who we needed, exactly when we needed her apparently,  because Ashton had stopped.

Ashley.

**********

is it hi or hey?? idk man

dedication to @_temperance bc she's my mandy

COMMENT BC I LOVE YOUR FEEDBACK, FAN BC I'D LOVE YOU FOREVER, SPREAD THE WORD TO YOUR FRIENDS BC I LOVE TO MAKE PEOPLE SMILE, BE YOURSELVES AND BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER

GOODNIGHT WORLD -ROCKSTAR EXIT-

ashley x

PS I ALMOST FORGOT - VOTE BECAUSE QUEEN LATIFAH TOLD YOU TO