Bad Dreams: A 5 Seconds Of Summer story

27 (Kelsie)

Kelsie's POV

As I start to wake up, the first thing that I notice is that my phone is buzzing. I check the caller ID before answering. "Hello?" I say sleepily.

"Kelsie? What's wrong?" Ashton asks.

"Nothing. I just woke up, like, thirty seconds ago."

"Oh. Did I wake you?"

"Yeah, but it's fine. By the way, your bed is comfortable," I say giggling slightly.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to- Wait a second. You slept in my bed?"

"I was looking at your pictures and posters, I guess I fell asleep. I told you I was tired."

"I guess so," he says laughing. "I don't really have much time to talk. I just wanted you to know that I'm going to be really busy for the next few days. I won't be able to respond right away whenever you try to reach me."

"That's totally fine. Please don't feel like you need to be here for me all of the time. You don't need to be worrying about me on top of the stress you're going to have the next few days."

"Thanks. But if you do need me, please do tell me. I will always answer as soon as I can," he tells me.

"You don't have to. But okay. I know you have to go, so I guess I'll talk to you later."

"Okay. And Kelsie?"

"Yeah?" I ask.

"If you ever feel weird about any of this, just remember that we're friends, okay?"

"Okay," I say trying to convice myself that I believe that.

"Sorry, I have to go. Bye Kels."

"Bye Ash."

After Ash hangs up, I take another second just laying in his bed. This is such a surreal moment. Honestly, what am I even doing here? Why would Ashton choose me to become friends with? I'm definitely not the best girl that he could have picked. He only chose me because I'm messed up. Because he thinks that if he doesn't help me, I'll do something stupid. Why am I laying in rock star Ashton Irwin's bed while he's off in the UK? I love him more than anything, but he'll never feel the same way about me as I do about him- if he ever gets past the fact that I'm just a fan, that is. I just need to keep my distance from all of this until he comes back and I can actually talk to him.

I sit up and grab my backpack off of the floor. I take one last look around Ashton's room, then walk out and go downstairs. I find Anne Marie in the living room watching tv, and I walk over to her.

"Thank you so much for letting me spend some time here, but I think I'm going to go home now."

"It's no problem. I'll be seeing you again, I assume?"

"Yeah. Probably," I say with a smile. "Thanks again," I say as I walk out of the room. I walk out of Ashton's house, and aimlessly wander the streets until it's time for me to start walking home. I panic as I walk into my house and check the time. My father will be coming home soon, and he will get mad if dinner's not made. I stop for a second and think about what I can make that's fast. I quickly decide on grilled cheese and tomato soup. I can always make something else later.

As I'm finishing with the last sandwhich, I hear the door open, then close. He's home. My dad has to walk through the kitchen to get to the living room, and as he does, I can tell he's looking intently at what I'm doing.

"What is that?" he demands.

"A grilled cheese," I answer, trying to keep the sarcasm out of my voice.

It must have worked, because he says, "I know that, stupid girl. I menat why are you cooking it? Surely that's not what's for dinner."

"Well, I got home a little late, and I wanted to make something so you wouldn't be hungry. I can always make something when I'm done."

"What part of our agreement do you not understand?" As my dad starts yelling, I feel my phone buzzing. I already know it's Ashton who's calling me. I disceratley answer so that he can hear what's going on. "You're supposed to be home early enough everyday so that dinner is done by the time I get home," my dad continues.

"I know, but-"

"Shut up! I'm talking," he says as he pushes me back against the stove. I put my arms out to stop myself from falling, and I end up putting my right forearm on the hot burner. I try extremely hard not to cry out. I'll only get punished again. "You know the punishment. Up to your room with no food. I'll fend for myself. Turn off the stove, clean up this mess, then go upstairs."

"Yes sir," I say quietly. As soon as he's gone, I put the phone up to my ear so I can talk to Ashton while I clean up. "Ash," I breathe out quickly, trying to hold back a sob.

"Kelsie? What happened? You sound like you're in pain. And crying." I reach up and wipe my tears- not even having noticed that I started crying in the first place.

"My dad. He got so mad at me, and- and shoved me. I was cooking, and I put my arm out, and I- I burnt my entire forearm. I-it's not that big of a deal."

"Kelsie. You need to get out of there. You're just going to keep getting hurt."

"Don't worry. I've got it under control," I mumble.

"Cleraly not! Kelsie, he pushed you into a hot stove, And over what? That you didn't make enough to please him?" he yells.

"That's just how it works around here," try and explain. I finally finish cleaning, and I go upstairs to put my arm under cold water.

"Bullshit. You know it's not right. He-"

"I know, Ash! God, don't you think I know? But what other choice do I have? I can't go into foster care; I'm 18. I only have to put up with it for a few more months, then I can leave."

"You're eighteen. You can stay with a friend. He can't control you."

"I don't have any friends. I have no where else to go. And I don't have enough resources to move somewhere else. It's only four more months."

"A lot can happen in four months."

"I know, okay? I- ahhh." I finally put my arm under the ice cold water, and it burns like hell.

"What's wrong?" Ashton asks.

"Put my arm- under water- burns- really- bad." As soon as I finish the sentence, I bite down realy hard on my lip to keep myself from crying out.

"I'm really sorry. I know it hurts."

"You have- no- idea."

"I wish there was some way I could help."

"There's- not."

"I know that. I just wish- Hey, I'm really sorry, but I have to go."

"It's fine," I say with a sigh. "I'll talk to you later."

"Bye Klesie."

"Bye Ashton."

I set my phone down, and continue keeping my arm under the water. Eventually, I just wrap it up and decide to just go to bed.