Shattered (Continuation of: The Chase) ▹ Ashton Irwin

Chapter Eight

"What?" I asked, his words making my heart sink a little. What the hell was he talking about?

"Ashton," I said. "What are you saying?"

"I could ask you the same thing, actually," Ashton replied. "You don't remember anything?"

"No..." I sat up. "What happened?"

Ashton sat up too with a sigh, and ran his hands through his messy morning hair. I slumped my back a little, looking at him for an answer. I thought about what we were talking about here, and how familiar it sounded to me. Ashton waking up with so much alarm, yet I had absolutely no idea why. On the same bed, feeling the same way...it finally clicked in my mind, and I think Ashton could tell I was catching on.

"I don't remember a thing." I said, furrowing my eyebrows and looking down at my hands that were clasped together in my lap. I shook my head, wondering what the fuck happened last night. I was fearful to ask Ashton, because I really didn't want to know the answer.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly. "I didn't mean to wake you up, I-"

"No Brooke it's fine," Ashton scooted closer to me, running his right hand down from my shoulder to my wrist, taking my hand in his.

"No it's not-"

"Yes it is," he interrupted. His tone was soft, yet his words were almost a little demanding, as if all he needed to do was convince me that I was wrong to myself. I don't think I was, though. "Don't say it's not okay, because it is."

"Well what about this whole week, huh?" I asked, my voice raising a little bit. "I was a bitch to you this whole week, and you know that!"

"Brooke-"

"Like shit I don't know what's wrong with me!" I spat, hopping off the bed. I began to pace the floor, unable to look anywhere besides my feet.

"Exactly," Ashton said calmly. "Because there is nothing wrong with you."

You shouldn't lie to him, I thought to myself. My heart began to sink, as I stopped pacing the floor. I turned and stared at Ashton, who sat on the edge of the bed and looked at me with concern. Shit. I've been lying to him.

"I'm sorry." I sighed.

"For?"

"For being a freak of nature, Ashton." I said angrily. I wasn't angry at him, at all... I was furious with only myself.

"You're not a freak," Ashton stood up, his gaze harshening. "Don't say that to me."

"I'm not saying it to you!" I yelled. "I'm saying it to me!"

"Well when you say it to yourself it still hurts," Ashton's voice was getting louder too. He stepped closer to me, but I froze with no idea what to do. "You're not crazy."

"Oh yeah?" I challeneged, anger still bubbling up inside me. "Then would you please, fucking explain these voices in my head?"

It only took a split second, but that harsh look on Ashton's face was gone, and his eyes widened. He froze where he was, and he stared at me. His eyes were full of something I couldn't describe, but it made my heart pound and my hands start to sweat. Ashton finally made a movement, but it was just to look down, and fiddle with his fingers with his eyebrows together in thought.

"You get that too." He said so quietly, I could barely hear him.

"Yes- wait," I stepped a little closer to him. "Too?"

"Yeah," Ashton shrugged, still unable to look at me. "It sucks, doesn't it?"

"Why does it happen to you?" I had to press questions; worry and confusion were bubbling up inside of me, but it was mostly worry at this point. "Wait, are we thinking of the same thing?