Last Train Home (5SOS and 1D)

Chapter 39

ASHTON'S POV

"So, how did the meeting with the client go?" Calum asked, pouring himself a cup of tea.

It was a grey and chilly Saturday morning and the boys decided to have a sleep over in my apartment last night. Luke and Michael were perched at the couch, watching Family Guy while eating cereal.

I sat at the counter, facing Calum. "It was fine." Man, how that so-called meeting went. I actually thought it was some cult and it frightened me when I saw Victoria's picture in their hands. But, it turned out to be a very creative act pulled by Victoria's older brother and her friends.

I wondered if Gabriel ever went through that. Maybe, maybe not. Most probably not. The boys wouldn't go to such extents if Gabriel and Victoria did become official. Victoria told me the story herself.

"Define fine," Calum asked.

"They...uh...how do say this? They somehow made me feel that I'm part of their circle, which is nice," I admitted.

"How about you guys?" I asked. "What stuff did you do last night?"

"Well," Michael said, walking to me and Calum. "She shed a few tears."

"Calm down, bro, calm down," Michael said, holding up his hands when he saw me staring daggers at him. "Robb Stark died. That's why."

"I have no idea who that is, but okay," I said, now relieved upon hearing the reason on why Victoria cried. "I thought one of you made her cry."

"Of course we wouldn't," Michael assured. "You'd surely beat the crap out of us."

"Actually, Ash, she's the one who made Michael cry," Calum said, perfectly amused. "No matter what Michael did, he never won against Victoria in the game."

"I lost so many times, it actually made me question my gamer existence," Michael said.

"That's 'cause you're shit, Michael," Luke called out from the sofa.

"Love you too, bitch," Michael shot back.

Luke showed him the finger.

We all stayed by the living room all morning and watched some TV. A Christmas episode of The Simpsons showed and the lads and I couldn't help but reminisce how December used to be, back at home.

"I wish that we had some of that hot cocoa Michael's mum makes," Calum sighed.

"And those cookies Ashton's mum bakes," Luke added.

"Yeah," I said. "Good times."

"Any of you heard from Tom?" Michael asked.

Thomas Birch or Tom, for short, was a person who worked for our parents' companies and he pledged his allegiance to us, promising to help bring back what was ours. We thought there was no kind soul to help us out, but there he was, doing his best to salvage what he could for us. Every week, he'd update us on how our parents were doing, and what's amazing was that Tom used to be a private investigator before he started working for us.

"Not yet," Calum said. "We'd just received a follow-up from his earlier reports. The ones that had our companies' transactions from the day we tied up with the Kristophers."

"And nothing's been found yet, right?" I said.

"Yup, nothing that could prove our hands clean," Luke affirmed.

There was a moment of silence that enveloped us for a while. We all sat there, unmoving, the sound coming from the TV was now distant.

Michael got up and stood by the window, his hand placed on the glass as he stared outside. "Winter is coming."