december 2015
houston tx
Awsten gets in his car and drives to Ashley's apartment.
He has a steady grip on the steering wheel as he drives, his mind running over every possibility of why Ashley didn't tell him about her parents.
She always spoke to him about the issues with her parents. Before she moved out, she'd come over and usually spend the day with him— and Gracie, too, obviously.
He's so used to knowing what's going on in her life, and knowing how to help her; but, now, he feels like he's been left in the dark.
How is he supposed to help her, if he doesn't know there's an issue?
Maybe Ashley doesn't want him to help her.
Awsten frowns at that thought. He doesn't like the idea of not helping her. That's what he's always done. Why would it change now?
It doesn't take him long to arrive at her complex, and he swings into the first parking space he sees, before heading straight up to her apartment.
He knocks on her door with a little more force than intended, before taking a deep breath and rolling his shoulders, in hopes it'll relax him.
Awsten's foot taps anxiously on the floor below him, and the longer he waits, the more concerned he grows that Ashley hasn't come to the door yet. Eventually, he pulls out his phone to text her.
awsten🌀
Are you home?
He stares at the screen, now tapping on the side of his phone awaits a response, and he lets out a small breath of relief when the bubble at the bottom of the screen appears, signalling that Ashley is typing a reply.
🐚
yeah, why?
awsten🌀
I'm at your door
I just knocked but you
didn't answer
🐚
oh, sorry i didn't even
hear anything
it should be open. you can
come in
Awsten hesitates for a moment before putting his phone away, and opening her front door.
As he steps inside, he can hear music playing, fairly loudly, which explains why Ashley didn't hear him knocking.
He follows the noise to her bedroom, knocking gently on her already-open door.
By the time Ashley turns around, Awsten has already spotted the suitcase on the floor, half-filled with plenty of her clothes.
"Uh, what's going on?" He asks, hesitantly, a hint of panic in his tone. "Are you...going somewhere?"
"Yeah, I'm just—"
"Where are you going?" Awsten continues to question, the words falling from his mouth before he can even give her a chance to answer. "Are you leaving—?"
"Will you chill out for a second?" Ashley manages to cut in, causing Awsten to finally meet her gaze, tearing his eyes away from her suitcase. "I'm going to see family for Christmas."
