buddy bench 》irwin + cake

ii

{immediate continuation}

i scoffed,"buddy? you mean friend."

"buddy sounds nicer."he shrugged and looked down at the ground.

"so...will you be my buddy?i'm new here." that's when realisation hit me.

he was the absolute perfect person to make michael jealous. i glanced up at him once more before faking a smile,"sure,what's your name?"

"ashton." he held his hand out for me to shake.

i took it in my hand,shaking it twice,"eleanor,glad to meet you. may i sit?"

he nodded and i took a seat, making ashton smiled. there was a short awkward silence as i took a bite from my sandwich.

"so ashton why did you move schools?" i questioned and he grinned.

"my carer wanted me to move,since its closer to the house."

it sounded weird calling his parent "carer" like that but i didn't question and faked a small smile.

"what year are you in Ashton?"he kicked his feet in the dirt before answering.

"year twelve, what about you?"

"twelve as well."i said and he nodded happily.

"i can tell we'll be good buddies."he smiled and inside me i felt a pang of guilt in my chest for using him.

~

"hey eleanor, whose this?"michael asked and i smirked.

"this," i grabbed ashton's hand and he smiled,"is ashton."

his eyes widened and he began to stutter, "umm...eleanor we need to talk alone.one s-second ashton."

i was dragged away and ashton smiled as he waved at random people. they waved back, a hint of fright in their eyes. what was going on with people?

"listen eleanor i know how negative you can be so be careful of what you say around ashton." he warned and i raised an eyebrow.

"what are you even saying? and why is everyone looking so freaked out of ashton?"i asked and michael furrowed his eyebrows.

"you didn't hear? ashton's dad left him when he was seven,then his mum committed suicide. he's once tried but he didn't succeed at it thankfully. he then found a note his mum left him saying to stay happy. from then on he's tried his best to smile and be happy.i swear to god eleanor trigger him and i'll-"

"what? ashton's parents are gone?"i asked and he nodded slowly.

now i understand why he said carer instead of parent. i felt the guiltiness in my chest, knowing i'm only using him to get michael's friendship.

he sighed, glancing at ashton,"just don't say something that might upset him. he was told to not talk to anyone by the principal."

"i promise, i won't hurt him."i said and with that,he walked away.

seriously, i think michael wants us to drift apart. he never hangs out with me anymore, and now i can't even use ashton to make him jealous.

i walked up to ashton with a fake smile and he asked, "what was that about?"

"nothing, c'mon ash lets go to class."he giggled at the nickname i gave him.

"okay el."i didn't realise it at first, but i grinned at what he said.

no one's ever given me a nickname before,not even michael.

+

a/n: what the fuck did i just write.

-bella