Let Me Be the One to Save You

Chapter 22 - Schooling

A couple of days passed on from the night Ashton and I got together. Stella and Jason were home, so it was back to the normal routine. Well almost. I still wasn't going to school. To be completely honest, I was scared. After missing so much, and being so close to the exams, I didn't have the courage to go. 

Plus Ashton wasn't helping. Every day he'd be here. Lately it's been from like twelve in the afternoon to about nine at night, which probably sounds like a really clingy relationship right? Well suprisingly it isn't. Even though he's here, he doesn't want to do anything other than talk or watch movies. 

Don't get me wrong, theres the odd make out sessions we have, but they weren't intense. More gentle, really. I was expecting our friendship to change a lot since the night we made it offical, but it honestly hasn't. Not much, anyway. We still act the same around eachother. 

"Grace can I talk to you for a sec?" I heard Stella yell from the botton of the stairs. 

"Coming!" I called. Ashton groaned as I removed his hand from my waist and paused She's the man on my laptop. "I'll be back" I told him, before walking out of my room and down the stairs. Stella, Jordan and Jason were all sitting at the table silently, as if waiting for me. 

I feel like I've just walked into an interrogation. 

"Uh" I coughed out as I sat down, "What's up?"

Stella took in a deep breath and looked away from her twiddling thumbs, "Grace, Jordan has told us that you haven't been going to school the last couple of weeks" she stated, staring directly into my eyes, as if she's looking for something in my eyes. I shifted my gaze over to Jordan who looked sympathetic, but I could see it in her eyes she was enjoying this. "Is this true?" She asked me.

I looked back at Stella and nodded slowly. Before I could explain myself, Jason cut in and said quietly "This Ashton..Is he...Is he stopping you from going? I know he's nineteen and well, We can't stop you from seeing him but maybe if h -"

"No," I shook my head violently, "He isn't stopping me from going to school" I scoffed, "He has nothing to do with it" Kinda 

"Then why?" Stella cut in, "Is it the kids? Are they being mean? Because I can ge-"

"No," I said again, "The kids are fine. I've made friends and I don't need you to get involved in it alright? I just don't want to go. There's no point, if I've missed more than half of my education throughout life. I don't see myself coping through the exams that are coming up" I blurted out. 

"Is that what this is about?" Stella asked.

I stood up from the chair I was sitting in and brushed the hair out of my face, "Is that all you needed to talk to me for? Because I have someone waiting upstairs for me and I'd rather be up there with him instead of talking about my school problems" I told them. I waited for Stella to nod before I quickly ran back upstairs.

Ashton was typing something on my laptop, which got me incredibly suspicious. 

"What are you doing?" I asked him. I laughed when he jumped a few inches off the bed and grabbed his chest. 

"You scared me!" He chuckled, "I was just updating the facebook page" He told me. I nodded slowly and crawled into the warm bed next to him. "What was that all about? I heard you say my name, but I chose to stay up here" he laughed, "I don't think that Jason guy likes me much" He pointed out

I rolled my eyes and scoffed. "He doesn't not like you...He just doesn't like your age" I laughed.

It's true, though. The first time I brought Ashton back to the house to introduce to Stella and Jason and anyone else willing to listen -While Stella was happy for me- Jason went all father on him. I mean, it was awkward considering he's only been my father by law for a couple of months, but Ashton didn't seem to mind.