The Chase ▹ Ashton Irwin

CHAPTER SIXTY THREE

"Really, guys?" I said, rasing my eyebrows at them. Memories from last night never left my mind since I woke up this morning, actually.

"Ah, he's blushing!" Luke laughed, along with Calum and Michael. I burried my face in my hands, because I probably was blushing.

"Why are we talking about this?" I muttered.

"I'm gonna take a wild guess and say your girlfriend's a virgin?" Michael said.

"Well duh," I said, looking over to him. "We didn't fuck or anything, if that's what your thinking."

"Really?" Calum asked. He looked surprised at that, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Yes Calum, really." I confirmed. I didn't know why they were all throwing out these random questions to me; I don't think its their buisness of what Brooke and I do when we're alone.

"Dude you gotta get on that." Luke said. 

"Oh my God you guys are so annoying." I muttered, laying my back onto Michael's bed. The room fell silent and I shut my eyes. I was actually very tired, but I didn't feel like going to sleep right now.

"I broke up with Jessie last night." Luke's voice made my eyes shoot open, and I sat up to look at him on the floor. "You did?" I asked.

"Well, yeah," Luke replied. "What, you think after Friday I like her anymore?"

"Well, I don't know-"

"Of course I don't!" Luke said frustratedly. "She's a fucking bitch!"

"Ugh, I'm so glad you see it now," Calum mumbled."I've been waiting for you to break up with her."

"Yeah literally." I agreed, relief washing over me. Its about time he gets rid of ther and moves on from his other friends..

"I'm sorry," Luke said to me. "That she's so mean to you."

"What did she even say?" Michael asked.

"The usual." I replied. Michael rolled his eyes and took another sip of the bottle of vodka he held.

"She was really heart broken, when I broke up with her..." Luke said. "..then she got really mad and called me a prick."

"That's Jessie for you." I replied, not in the mood to talk about her anymore. I was about to change the subject, when I felt my phone buzz in my back pocket. I took it out and looked at the screen, surprised that Brooke was calling me.

"Hey, uh, I'll be right back." I said as I walked towards the door. Michael's parents weren't home, so I sat down on the couch, nervously tapping my foot on the floor as I answered it.

"Brooke?" I said.

"H-hi." Her sweet voice stuttered. There was definitely a hint of worry in voice, which instantly got me anxious.

"You alright?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows.

"Um, yeah, I'm just really tired." She said. I could tell she was lying.

"Brooke." I said.

"What?"

"Is that it?" I asked. The phone line went silent for a couple seconds, and I could hear her breathing on the other line. 

"I just wanted to hear your voice." She said. My tensed muscles softened at her words. Maybe it was something she didn't want to talk about right now.

"I'm here," I said quietly. "Why aren't you asleep?"

"I was, but then I woke up and I can't fall back to sleep." she replied. 

"Why?" I asked, running my free hand through my hair. 

"Because I want you here with me." She said after a pause. Her voice cracked tiredly and she sighed heavily. I shifted my body so I layed comfortably on the couch, because I'm willing to stay on the phone the whole night. I heard Michael and Luke laughing about something in the other room, but I just turned my back to that direction and kept talking.

"I would go over there," I said. "But I'm gonna guess and say your parents are home?"

"Mmhmm," She said quietly. "My mom said I was grounded."

"What the fuck?" I said. "Why?"

"Because I lied to her about last night."

"You told her we went to a club?"

"No of course not!" She assured. "But she got really suspicious because of what I was wearing and I told her Natalie had a party and thats what she thinks I lied to her about."

More relief washed over me, because the last thing I wanted was for Brooke's mom to know I took her to a club while we're both way underage. "But, maybe she'll forget about it in the morning." Brooke said.

"Hopefully." I added. The line went quiet again, and I was starting to feel my own eyes getting heavy.

"I miss you a lot." Brooke said.

"Babe I've been away from you for like, 7 hours." I laughed, even though I missed her a lot too.

"I know, but still." She chuckled.

"I miss you too," I said quietly. "But I want you to sleep because I can  tell that you'e tired.I'll stay on the line until you fall alseep, okay?"

"You don't have to do that," She said. "That could take a while."

"I don't care," I assured her. "Just close your eyes and pretend I'm there."

"I can tell you're pretty tired too," she said back. "So I want you to do the same thing."

A small smile crept on my face as rolled over on the couch until I was comfortable. "Okay, Brooke." I said.

"Goodnight." Her voice was sweet. I closed my eyes, and realized that I was actually extremely tired as well.

"Goodnight." I said softly. I kept my ear on the phone, listening to her breathing on the other line as we both went silent. I know there's something bothering her, but I could tell now wasn't the time to ask her about it. I knew she could tell me, and I hope she knew I would listen, just like she always does for me. Even though she wasn't here with me, just hearing her through a phone line was enough for me to fall into a deep, peaceful sleep.