Not A Bad Thing//A.I.

10

Ashton called his mom on their short walk to Everly's, letting her know where to pick him up at.

When they entered the house, they were greeted by Everly's parents arguing. Everly was mortified as she glanced up at Ashton, who was trying his best not to look uncomfortable.

"Mom? Dad? I'm home!" She called out quickly, silencing her parents yelling from upstairs.

"And I brought a friend." She added. There was silence.

Everly was waiting for her parents to come out, but after a couple minutes, nothing happened. They were up in their room, probably too embarrassed to come out.

"Um let's just go to my room." She said emotionless, leading Ashton upstairs to her bedroom, which thankfully was on the other side of the house, away from her parents'.

"I am so sorry." Everly quickly apologized once she closed her bedroom door.

"I've never heard them argue like that before." She continued on the verge of tears.

"Hey. Hey. It's okay." Ashton said trying to comfort her. He quickly pulled her into a hug and rubbed her back soothingly.

"It happens. It's okay." He shushed her, continuing to rub her back.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, until Everly pulled away.

"Gosh you must think my family is crazy." She said wiping the remainder of her tears

"No. Of course not." He quickly defended.

"Don't stress about this Everly. It happens. It's not the first time something like this has happened to me." He said giving her a small smile, hoping to ease the tension and to get her to smile.

'You're just saying that to make me feel better." She said trying to fight the smile that was creeping it's way onto her face.

"Well, is it working?" He said poking her nose, getting a giggle and a smile out of her.

"Now that's the smile that I love so much." He smiled down at her.

"Shut up." She blushed, jockingly pushing him.

"Make me." He stuck his tongue out at her, tickling her sides.

"S-stop Ashton." She breathed out inbetween laughter.

"Say the magic word." He continued to tickle her, taking them both down onto her bed in the process.

"Please." She laughed out.

"Errr." He made a buzzing noise, "Wrong. I would've accepted Ashton is the hottest person ever."

They were cut off by Ashton's buzzing.

"That's my mum." He said looking at the text.

"I guess you better get going." She said sitting up, fixing herself.

"Yeah. I guess so." He said slowly getting off of her bed.

They took their time walking down the stairs to the front door.

"I never thanked you for walking me home. So thanks." Everly said looking down at her feet.

"Hey what kind of person would I be if I let you walk home alone. I know my mother would give me a lecture about raising me differently." He said putting his jacket on.

"Also, thanks for being understanding about you know." She said looking down at her feet feeling embarrassed again.

"Hey, like I said, don't worry about it." He said touching her shoulder, causing her to look up at him.

"If you ever need me, I'll be there." He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, to see her face better.

"Thanks." She blushed looking down. Ashton's phone buzzed again, letting them know his mother was starting to get a little impatient waiting for him.

"I better get going for reals this time." He said pulling in Everly for a hug. They pulled away after a few seconds of being in each other's embrace.

"Bye Everly." Ashton looked behind while exiting the door.

"Bye Ashton." She said watching him walk to his mom's car, and watching them drive away.

Everly locked the front door and turned around to be greeted by her mother.

"Sorry, if we would've known that you were bringing company we wouldn't have been-" Her mother was beginning to apologize.

"Stop." Everly said looking at her mother not wanting to hear anymore.

"Just keep it down next time." She said walking past her mother towards her bedroom.

~~~

Ashton climbed into the passenger seat of his mother's car.

"She's pretty." His mother greeted him when he climbed into the car.

He looked out the window to see Everly giving him a small wave goodbye.

"Yeah she is." He said looking at her enter her house, while they drove away. The car ride home was filled with mindless chatter.

"Hey you guys are back." Ashton's father greeted them when they entered the house.

"Yup." his mother went over and gave her husband a kiss.

"I ordered pizza it should be here soon." his father told them.

"You should've seen Ashton's pretty friend." his mother told his father.

"Mom." Ashton groaned.

"What?" She asked pretending not knowing what she said, Ashton just shaking his head at his mother.

"She is." His mother defended, "Oh I never asked, what is her name?"

"Everly." He sighed going into the fridge grabbing a soda out of it. Ashton was trying his hardest to avoid talking about Everly at all with his parents.

"What a beautiful name." his mother smiled at him.

Before anyone could say anything else the doorbell rang.

Saved by the bell. Ashton thought.

"Go let your brother and sister know dinner is here." his mother told him.

"Oh Ashton." he stopped midway up the stairs to turn around to see what his mother wanted.

"Don't forget to take your pill." he rolled his eyes, but nodded.

He knocked on each of his siblings' doors to let them know dinner was there, then headed to his room. Ashton grabbed the familiar orange container from his nightstand drawer.

He just stared at the pill bottle held in his hands. Go on Ashton take your pill and you can be done with it.

Missing one day isn't going to hurt...

Now you know that isn't true. You remember last time you thought you were 'good' to miss a day, then it turned into a month, and we all know what happened next. Just take the pill.

Ashton shook off his subconscious fighting with one another, like an Angel and a Devil. He shook out one pill from the bottle and took it.

Good job.

"Yeah good job..." he numbly said.

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Sorry I haven't posted in awhile. Just lost a bit of inspiration for this story, but now I know exactly how this is going to play out.

Thanks for reading :)

xx