Unpredictable // Ashton Irwin

Chapter 38.

It’s been some time since I’ve actually spoken to her.

“Hello?” My eyebrows rose as it was not her voice that answered.

“James?” Why did he answer? Where was Courtney? She usually always answers her phone, I don’t think I have ever seen someone else use her phone, or answer her calls.

“Ashton, hey what are you doing?” He asked.

“I was just wondering if I could talk to Court; is she around?”

I stood up from the couch and headed out to my back porch. The warm sun was gone and in its place was a cold air.

“Yeah she’s just getting some food. I’ll pass you to her.” He said. I could hear the phone being taken away from his ear and then rustling before I heard her voice for the first time in a while.

“Hello?”  James didn’t tell her it was me so her voice was light and chirpy.

“Hey Court.” I mumbled. I didn’t want to be the reason her mood turned sour, or upset her.

“Ashton?” She seemed shocked that it was me on the other end of the line, talking to her. I bit my lip.

“Yeah, how have you been?”  I asked then mentally smacked myself for asking her such a stupid question. She probably doesn’t even want to talk to me since I was the one who sounded like a prick by breaking up with her.

“Good. Kyle and James are in until y’all get back. How’s Australia?” I shifted in my seat, feeling the nerves come back. This is going to be the most awkward conversation we’ve probably ever had.

“Warm. My brother and sister keep asking why I didn’t bring you with me; they both, plus my mum, want to meet you. “

“Oh, well I would love to meet them sometime.” She didn’t sound very convincing as her voice wavered a bit. Meeting an ex’s family for the first time after breaking up sounded like torture.

I shook my head, this small talk was not working; if I didn’t ask her soon then I would chicken out. So I built up all my courage and went for it.

“Actually there was a reason I called. I have to ask you something.” My palms became sweaty; it was feeling like I was breaking up with her again.

“What is it Ashton?”  She asked. I took note that she called me by my full name and not by my nick name I told her to call me the day after we met.

“I actually don’t know how to say this without sounded like a total dick. Everyone’s been down my throat about breaking up with you and I know it was wrong but I just need to think this through. Our relationship had just started when you were half way through your pregnancy and when Braxton is born we’d only would have been together for about five months. I just didn’t know if our relationship would have lasted through learning things about each other and raising a child.”

The words had tumbled out of my mouth without a filter and as I waited through her silence I wondered if I had said something that had upset her. When I heard her take a deep breath, my heart skipped a beat.

“Ash,” She sighed. “You broke up with me because you aren’t ready to do this. I could never blame you or make you stay. You didn’t do anything wrong so don’t feel guilty, you did what you think is right and I could never be mad at you for that. So you do whatever you have to do. If you think that somewhere along the line you want to be here then me and Braxton will be here, and if not then it’s still okay. I promise that I’ll be fine with whatever you chose.”

It was that conversation that made me feel better. I enjoyed the rest of the night on the back porch until my mum got back. I helped Harry and Lauren get ready for bed before I went downstairs. My mum had put the groceries away and was now flipping through the channels as she sat on the couch.

I plopped myself beside her. She smiled brightly at me before pulling me into her side. Even if I was twenty, I’d always give her hugs. As we sat there, I told her about my phone call. She still was a bit upset but better understood the situation.

The next morning I met up with Calum as he was heading to the beach. We brought some small fold out chairs that we placed against the water and then we sat in silence.

Even if I had cleared thing up with my mum, I still had my best mates to win back over. None of them were actually mad with me, just saddened in my decisions. So I decided I would start with the hardest one to win over since he’s the one who’s probably mad at me the most

“Courtney called me the other day, she loves the blanket.” He looked over at me, starting the conversation.

I smiled, remembering the first time I saw the blanket; I loved it and knew that she would too.

“I’m glad.” I told him. Calum looked back to the ocean, watching as the waves crashed against the sand by his feet.

“I called her last night.” He looked at me again, warily.

“Everyone’s been mad at me for doing something I believed was the right thing to do and I just had to talk to her about it. She is the only one who could talk to me and tell me I did the right thing for me.”

He looked at me with a face full of remorse. “You know we all still love you, it was more of a shock because you had always said you would be there for them. None of us are really mad at you. We know it’s going to be different for you than it is us since you two actually love each other.”

“I’m still going to be there for them just like you and Mikey and Luke. I just don’t think I’m ready for the responsibility of the relationship just yet.”

- Stay Beautiful <3