I Need You || a.i. (EDITING) [On Hold]

Chapter 26

Ashton's POV:

I checked my phone to make sure I was at the right club, or at least the one Calum had sent me too. There were flashing lights and people lined up outside. Shit. How the fuck was I going to get in? Sneak around back maybe...

Parking my car a block away, I got out and fixed my shirt. My hair was still damp from the quick shower I'd taken at home, so that mixed with the cold air basically froze my ass off.

Walking toward the front door, I looked up and down the line to see if they were already outside, but they must've gone in already. I don't know how... They didn't get here much sooner than I did.

Well fuck this. What was I supposed to do now?

"Sir, you're gonna need to move to the back of the line."

A younger man urged me to move back, but I shook his arm off of me.

"Don't fucking touch me, mate-" I met the man's eyes and the realization hit us both at the same time. A smile spread across his face and he opened his arms wide, bringing me in for a hug.

"Ashton, mate! Long time, no see, huh?" Jason swung his arm around my shoulders and patted me on the back. 

We'd been mates back in school, but he'd gotten quite the muscles since the last time I'd seen him. We hadn't talked in months, and I didn't know he was working at a club like this. I never pictured him as the type, but he did like to party.

Jason and I moved back to his place by the door, where he let two more girls inside.

"How have you been? Same old Ashton?" He laughed and nudged my torso, but I knew what he meant and I didn't want to talk about me.

"Things have been okay until recently, but that's kind of why I'm here-"

"-Are you still seeing Kate? God, she was so fucking hot. You always hooked up with the nicest girls..." I could feel my blood starting to boil under my skin as my fists balled up by my sides. I didn't want to talk about my old school reputation or Kate. Those were literally my least favorite things to discuss.

"We broke up. I'm seeing a new girl, and that's why I need to get inside, Jason. That's why I'm here." I felt bad cutting him off like that. He didn't mean to be rude. He hadn't talked to me since I'd really changed much or met Lauren, but I wouldn't want to be talking about my past hook ups anyways.

He shrugged his shoulders and put a hand into his pocket. I hope I didn't offend him or anything; I wasn't trying to be rude. Jason and I had been good pals in school. He usually had my back and he was a nice guy. We'd go to parties and stuff, but we lost contact after graduation and me meeting the guys. However, right now, I needed to get inside and find Lauren or I was going to lose it. Now wasn't really the time to reminisce on and dig up events I didn't really care for in my past.

"What do you say, mate? Can you help me out?" I was desperate at this point. I'm sure he could see it too. He nodded and pulled the bar back for me.

"Thanks, Jas. Let's hang out sometime soon." I patted him on the back as I rushed inside to try and find Lauren and the others. They had to be around here somewhere...

It was gross inside. I had no idea whose idea it was to come here, but they must've been desperate. The music was way too loud and it was humid and sticky. You could see the VIP lounge, which looked slightly nicer, but not by much, and it wasn't like I had access to that anyways.

Pushing my way through the scantily dressed girls attempting to grind on me, I found Calum toward the middle of the dance floor. I felt like I was going to suffocate and pass out, but I finally got to him and pulled him away from the three girls pulling on his clothes.