Thick and Thin [l. hemmings]

six

"Whatever." Ashton mumbles,

"So, what's on the menu tonight? Seems like you're going all out once again." Michael asks, his eyes scanning across the food items all laid out.

"You'll find out at dinner. You'll love it, I promise." He replies, though more focused on prepping the food.

Ashton loved cooking for us when he had time to. Though he was always busy with work, school, trying to have a social life and everything else, he always tried his best to cook at least once a week.

"Come on, Michael, let's leave him to do his thing." I chuckle, looking over at how concentrated Ashton is before dragging Michael to the living room.

"How was your day?" Michael asks, pulling me close to him as we sit on the couch.

I groan, "Long. Class was boring, work was even worse."

"I know, I get it. I left halfway through mine this morning." He laughs.

"As long as you don't flunk out."

"Oh, don't worry. I'm killing it. Like, actually. Somehow." He says, shaking his head, "But work is going well, right?"

I nod, "Yeah. I've been back doing normal hours for a while, things are great there."

He smiles, kissing my forehead, "Good."

-

Nina and Kyle both joined us at the table as Ashton was finally sitting down, so we could all eat together.

"Thanks, Ashton. You're really the best roommate anybody could have." Nina tells him as she looks down at her food.

"You're high as fuck." Ashton quietly giggles.

"Uh, yeah." She mutters, looking over at me, "Sorry."

"Guys, it's okay. I don't want to hold you back from living your lives. I've been sober for a while now, don't worry about me." I tell them, after Nina apologizes and they all look at me like they feel sorry for me.

Though sometimes I might wish I was as high as Nina, I know I can't. Sometimes thinking about how I'd have to be sober for the rest of my life made me want to start drinking at this exact moment.

"Babe, you okay?" Michael quietly asks me, as the rest of them are in conversation.

I nod, "Michael, I'm perfectly fine. Please stop worrying about me."

He just forces a small smile, before finally beginning to eat.

Michael groans, "Dude, what can't you do? You're a fucking chef, phycologist, philosopher, artist, and a biochem student? Fuck."

Ashton laughs, "I know, right? But, thanks."

I roll my eyes, "Michael, you just boosted his ego way too much, now he's going to think he's elite."

"I already knew I was elite!" Ashton exclaims, putting down his glass he was holding.

"Bro, you're not that special." Kyle mutters.

Though Ashton acted as if he was better than us, he actually hated when anybody made jokes about it. He knew he was smart, he knew his mind definitely worked different than the rest of ours. That's why I loved when it was just the two of us up talking all night, Ashton would say things I'd never even think were real.

"Ashton, this is so good." Nina mutters, not paying any attention to what's happening around her.

Ashton giggles, shaking his head, "Will you all just eat, please?"