after you left |ai|

18

Josie👽: SO WHEN WERE YOU GOING TO TZLL US THAT YOUR FEIEND IS ASHTON FUCKING IRWIN
elle: if you freak, you're banned from any upcoming events where I will invite him too
elle: I DIDNT KNOW YOU WERE A FAN OKAY
elle: and I didn't even fucking know until a long time after I met Jackie

I quickly texted her back before starting to guide Ashton through the busy streets of LA. I was happy once we had reached the highway and I reached over for the volume to turn it up with a grin on my face.

I was ready for a weekend with my friends at my favourite place.

"That's your band right?" I shouted when they announced the next song they were going to play, he laughed and nodded while he kept his eyes on the road. "So do you sing any parts in this song?"

"No just the drums." He replied with a soft smile when the song started playing. We've been friends for two months now and it's been great but I still haven't actually heard him sing or play any instruments other than his crappy attempt at teaching me how to play the piano. Just a few songs that came on the radio.

"I wanna hear you sing." I said all serious and he laughed softly. "I'm serious, Emma will probably have her guitar with her so tonight, at the campfire. For my birthday." I gave him a small pout and he smiled widely before looking at me for a second

"You should do it Ashton, it's her birthday." Jackie said to defend me and I held out my hand to high five her.

"Fine, just because it's your birthday." He said and I smiled widely.

"Thank you." I said as I looked at him before looking at Josie in the back who had accepted Ashton was sitting infront of her. I really didn't get all of the 'fangirling'.

"I just got a text from Anna, they already arrived and are starting to put up their tents. Jack will be there in 5minutes" Josie said when her phone buzzed. "How much longer until we're there?"

"20minutes" I said to her with a smile before looking ahead of me again.

"So how many other friends will be there?" Ashton asked and I realised I never told him that.

"We're with 14 in total, there are 5 other guys so you're not alone." I said and he looked relieved about that. I had been looking forward for this weekend for the past two weeks and I was happy it was finally here. I couldn't care less about it being my birthday but I got all my best friends here with me in my happy place.

—

"So usually we sit around the fire and we all sing these random songs together but all of us sound like absolute shit." Emma said when she sat back down with her guitar, "But now this year we finally have someone that can sing with us. So Ashton, are you ready to listen to a bunch of dying cats for the next hour?" She asked amused and Ashton laughed

"Yeah I'm ready" he replied with a genuine smile, I could see he was happier and that he finally seemed to be able to let go of his worries a little. My group of friends had welcomed him with open arms and nobody acted crazy. We spend all day in and around the lake with smiles on our faces and laughs replacing the usual silence. "But I told Elle I would play something for her and I'm a man of my word, so can I?" He asked and Emma nodded happily before handing over her guitar to the boy sitting a few spots away from me.

"I'd never say no to that." Emma said with a laugh and Ashton laughed too before looking at me with a smile. I smiled back at him before he looked ahead of him again and tried to come up with a song.

"I haven't played this song in ages so don't judge me." He said with a chuckle before he started to play the guitar. Everyone watched him in silence and waited for him to let out his voice. I was curious and excited that after two months, I'd finally get to hear it.