Happy Friday everyone! I'm back with a new update! Hope you enjoy it! Music video above is titled "Superheros" by The Script. This song is for later on in this story. It will be starting in this chapter. You'll know when ;)
P.S- THIS STORY GAINED LIKE ALMOST 200 READS IN LESS THAN A WEEK!!! WOWY!!
P.P.S-Dedicated to lethologicas for her huge sudden support on this story. Thank you!!!
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Chapter 8- Ashton Eaton
Watching Mays leave, I can't help but feel protective over her. When she was telling me, Laney, and Mr. Bates about Mr. Reys and his obvious passes, I couldn't help but feel the need to pummel him.
Not only that, but seeing her smile brightly despite what happened, seeing her friends caring so much about her and meaning it (trust me when I say that...I can tell), and finally, having her brother come over from out of the country just to be with her, I came to the conclusion that Daniela Mays isn't the typical high school Ms. Perfect I first thought she was.
I still don't know who she is, however, I have an idea on how to find out. I'll be helping her set up the ball and I'll try to get to know her more then. I mean, what's a better way to get closer to someone than to have easy access around them and watching them?
Wait, that sounds pretty creepy now that I actually thought it through. Ah, this girl is driving me insane.
"Earth to Ash," Laney calls out as she waves her hand in front of my face. I blink and take a step back.
"Woah, too close there," I comment as a smirk graces her lips. That's my thing not hers so why is she smirking? Whenever I smirk, it's for a reason so what's hers?
"Whatcha' thinkin' about?" she questions smugly as we walk towards my car. Laney and I live fairly close by each other so I pick her up and drop her off at home most of the time.
"Nothing," I reply as I go to my side of the car. She smirks more.
"Is that so? Then why did your face go from anger, to awe, then to satisfaction? Are you thinking about Danny?" she continues to question in a teasing manner. I falter for a fraction of a second before returning back to normal. I wasn't that obvious was I? But time to act cool and oblivious to what she's pointing out.
"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about. Now buckle up. I'm taking you home," I tell her instead and mentally brush my shoulder. Nice and smooth.
Laney just hmphs before doing as I tell her and buckling up. "You're no fun," she grumbles and I smirk.
"Never said I would be," I tell her.
"Yeah well, I don't want to be your friend anymore," she adds. I chuckle.
"I never wanted you to be my friend in the first place, remember?" I ask her with a raised brow.
She frowns, lost in thought. "No, I don't actually," she finally responds. I just roll my eyes.
"Too bad I do," I joke as I recall the day we first met.
Laney and I met when junior year in high school started. She was the new girl and fate decided to lay his cards down by having her crash into me, quite literally. I was on my way to the library when this blonde crashed into my chest and knocked us both down.
"Ah I'm so sorry! I got lost and I accidently walked into the men's restroom and now this big scary dude is chasing me and—," she began when an angry stomping of feet came in our direction.
Stopping in front of us, Tyler Maxwell, a huge football player in our school, was glaring down at the blondie.
"You pervert!" he screamed as the girl scampered behind me. "Come here so I can teach you a lesson," he continued and I started blocking him from the girl.
"Hang on Tyler," I began as I took steps back with the girl.
"Step out of the way Eaton!" he growled as he tried to reach over me but I smacked his hand back.
"It was an accident! She's new here can't you see?" I demanded with a frown. Tyler paused and glared at me.
"No, I can't see," he snapped.
"Well I should hope you do since you have two eyes and were clearing chasing her down hallways," I had replied smartly. Fuming, Tyler landed a punch on my face and left. It was worth it since the blondie didn't get hurt.
"Oh my gosh you saved me! What's your name? My name is Laney! I can't believe you stood up to that guy! Ah, are you secretly a hero from Marvel or DC? Oh, oh, oh! Are you Spider Man in disguise?!" she demanded and I frowned at her. What?
"Um, no?" I decided to answer with confusion.
"Hm, if you're not Spider Man, are you actually Batman?" she asked and I knew she belonged in the Looney Bin then.
"Nope. Sorry. Well, gotta go bye," I told her as I grabbed my scattered books off the floor and marched back to the library.
"Hey w-wait! What about your jaw?! He landed a pretty nasty blow," she told me as she ran to catch up to me.
"Look, I've felt worse. This was nothing. Now go to class and don't get in anymore trouble," I told her briskly before stalking off.
"But I don't know where my next class is! Please help me?!" she begs as she stands in front of me and pleads with big eyes. I just stare at her.
"No," I tell her coolly before slipping away at her side and heading inside the library, flashing the librarian my card. She nods and I proceed to sit at an empty table.
"Please, I need to do something important!" I heard that Laney girl plead and I sighed but ignored her.
"No young lady. You get to class this instant or I'll send you to detention myself," the librarian told her sternly.
"B-but I'm with him!"
No you're not, I thought as I flipped through my textbooks.
"Yes and I'm in a relationship with Brad Pitt," the librarian snapped. I hid my smirk with my book. I always knew she was a sassy thing.
Everything was quiet for a bit before I heard a dejected sigh and a grumble of a 'yes ma'am' before everything was really quiet.
Finally. I would be left alone again. And how wrong I was since the next day, I was stuck with her in several of my classes.
And here we are now. Somewhere along the way, I let her in my circle and now we hang out. Funny how fate works right? Things happen when you least expect it. Or the harder you try to push someone away, the stronger they come and stay in your life.
"Thanks Ash! See you tomorrow!" Laney calls out as she plants a kiss on my cheek and hops out my vehicle. I watch as she bounds up the steps to her modern house and closes the door. I shake my head and release a sigh.
Yes Laney lived nearby but that doesn't mean she lives in a dump like I do. But again, I don't really mind because my life can honestly be worse. At least my mother and I have a roof over our heads right? That's right Ash. Remain positive.
I crank my car backwards and head towards home, only to pause and make a U-turn and go to Eddie's music store. I know I don't have to work today but I honestly can't go home right now. Mom won't be there anyway.
I pull up to the store and park in the back before getting out and locking my car after grabbing my school bag.
I walk in through the back door and Eddie meets me there with a confused face on his face. "I thought I said you don't have to work today?" he asks me and I let loose a breathy chuckle.
"I know. I'm not here to work. I just...need to work on my music," I answer. Eddie eyes me then smiles warmly at me.
"Alright kid. Come on," he tells me as he leads me to his private office which has all sorts of instruments in there. "Take all the time you need," he adds before he slips out of the room and enters the main room.
I let my bag fall gently to the ground after grabbing a few sheets of paper. I then stalk towards the electric piano standing in the corner of the room and sit myself down.
I turn it on and begin playing with the notes before smiling and playing what's in my mind. I have a chorus for my song set out, now I just have to see how it goes with the melody I have in mind.
"When you've been fighting for it all your life. When you've been struggling to make things right. That's how a superhero learn to fly," I begin to sing but stop when I realize I'm missing something. Something that should go there before I repeat the chorus.
"Every day, every hour, turn the pain into power," I whisper then grin. Perfect. I add that quickly onto my sheet of paper then begin playing the chorus again.
As I sing, I'm unaware of the presence that enters the room. Only when I hear clapping do I startle. I jump off the piano seat and manage to make my papers float to the ground.
"Sweet goodness," I mutter as I hold a hand to my racing heart.
"Sorry kid," laughs Eddie as he walks towards me and picks up my papers.
"You got a real good song there. I'm impressed. And what's this about?" he questions and I look at what he's pointing at. "All his life he's been told he'll be nothing when he's old. All the kicks and all the blows, he won't ever let it show. Cause he's stronger than you know. A heart of steel starts to grow," he reads and I gulp.
"It's...um...just lyrics," I stammer and mentally smack myself with a brick. Way to be obvious Ash.
"That's pretty deep kid. I like it," Eddie compliments and I fight the urge to sigh in relief. Looks like he hasn't figured it out. Yet anyway.
"Thanks. Now, did you need something?" I ask as I take my papers from him and tuck it in my bag.
"Yup. Your ma is in the front," he tells me and I widen my eyes.
Without a word, I rush past him and run into the main room to see my mother standing there with her home outfit on.
"Mom, what are you doing here? Are you alright? Is something wrong? Why aren't you at work?" I begin firing and her tired brown eyes meet mine.
"Oh Ashton. I was worried when you didn't come home. I waited for you but you never showed. Oh thank the good Lord you're alright," she mutters as she walks up to me and embraces me.
I'm a lot taller than her so she is only able to embrace my waist and let her head rest on my chest just under my chin.
I hug her back immediately and start apologizing. "I'm sorry ma. I didn't think you'd be home today," I told her.
"I didn't think so either. They called me right as I was about to walk out the door that they don't need me today," she tells me with a dejected sigh. I feel anger and panic build up in me. Last time my mom's work said this, she got fired for reasons we still aren't sure about.
"Oh well they probably wanted to give you some rest today. After all, you've been so busy working every day," I tell her in hopes of raising up her spirits.
She looks at me and smiles before patting my arm. "Thank you my boy. Now, are you working or..." she trails off.
"No, he's off Mrs. Eaton," Eddie answers in my place.
"Oh you're not going to fire him are you?" she asks with panic clear in her voice.
"Oh heavens no. I haven't had help like Ash before so it's appreciated. He's too helpful and talented to let go. You should hear the song he's working on," Eddie replies with his easy going grin.
I roll my eyes and pull my mom away from my boss. "Not true," I tell him as I walk towards the door.
"Yeah right kid! Finish that song and send me a copy when you're done! That's a money maker there," he calls out with his flashing white grin visible.
*A/N: Just picturing Sam Claflin's grin here and melting <3<3 Ahem, sorry carry on xD*
I scoff but wave at him and let a smile dance across my lips as I turn my back on him. "Is that true? You're working on a new song?" my mom suddenly asks as we walk to our cars. I blush but nod.
"Yes ma'am," I inform her and she beams at me, her tired eyes lightening up.
"Oh that's wonderful Ash! I'm looking forward to hearing it!" she exclaims as she claps her hands once together.
I smile warmly at my mother and bend over to give her a kiss on her head. "Thanks mom. Love you, you know that right?" I ask her.
She smiles at me and places her hand on my cheek. "I love you too my boy," she whispers as she then kisses my hand. "Now let's go home and clean some things up okay?" she asks me and I smile and nod.
"Let's go," I tell her and we both head to our respected vehicles before driving back home.
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"Morning Ashton!" squeals Laney as she buckles up in the passenger seat of my car.
"Laney, it's too early for this. Tone it down will you?" I complain as I crank the car backwards and head towards school.
"I can't! I'm so excited! Today we get to see what we can help Danny with. I do hope she's okay though. After yesterday," she tells me as her voice drops down several volumes.
I sigh as I remember yesterday's situation. I hope Mr. Bates took care of the perverted teacher. He has no business being in this school or society in general if that's how he acts to younger females.
"Yeah well, I'm sure she'll be fine. She's not so weak," I respond as we near the school.
"True. And plus, she mentioned her brother was coming? Where does her brother live anyway? Isn't he home?" she asks. "I didn't even know she had a brother to be honest," she adds.
"She has a brother but he moved from home to go to school in a different country. It was all over the news a few years back," I muse as I pull into the parking lot. Quite sad how nothing seems to stay private in their lives.
The school is already filling up but I notice that Mays's car isn't in sight. Is she not here yet? Weird. But why am I worrying about that? Oh right. I'm supposed to help set up the Cinderella Ball. Why did I offer to help again? Maybe I felt bad? Or was it to find out the story behind her? I don't even know anymore. Great.
"Well, whatever. I wonder what our jobs will be," Laney says as she grabs her bag from behind her seat and steps out of the car.
"Guess we'll have to find out right?" I point out as I lock my vehicle and plug one headphone in my ear before pressing play on my playlist from last night.
We both enter the school building and suddenly, I surrounded by a mixed group of males and females.
"Ashton! We need your help!" they exclaim and I suddenly realize they are from the science group. They are the chemists who wish to go into the science field and create whatever it is they dream the world should have in stock.
"What do you need help with?" I ask since they are some of the most brilliant students in chemistry here at school.
"We can't seem to figure out why this concoction isn't working together," one of them explains as she hands me a journal with notes scribbled on it.
"Every time we attempt a new version, a different outcome happens yet all are based on the previous ones- explosions," another adds as he perches his glasses further up his face.
I glance through their work, skipping over the first parts since they have those correctly added. I skip towards the middle where I know they're struggling. Assessing the problems and formulas, I mentally calculate the answers and soon, I figure out their problem and dilemma.
"You guys are using the wrong formula. You have to use this one," I tell them as I write it down with the pen they provided. "As you can see, plugging the numbers with this one gives you this outcome," I add once I finish calculating and solving. I hand them the notebook and watch as they stare wide eyed at me before shaking their heads and huddling around it, ready to see if I was right or not.
"Gee thanks Ashton! We knew we could count on you. Thanks and we owe you!" they exclaimed with grins on their faces before they saluted me and rushed off to their 'lab'. I roll my eyes and give a small smile before I turn around and come face to face with Laney who was staring smugly at me.
"Are you getting softer?" she asks and I frown.
"What do you mean?" I respond back in a question. "And before you sing Justin Bieber, you know that I'm not quoting him," I add when I spot humorous and mischievous glints in her eyes. She pouts then crosses her arms over her chest.
"Fine party pooper. What I mean by that is, normally you'd ask for payment before helping them with that 'oh so swoon worthy' smirk of yours," she informs me with a raised brow.
"Huh, I didn't even notice," I tell her honestly as I scratch the back of my head because I really didn't. But she does have a point. Why didn't I do that? Oh whatever. It's just one group. Next one won't be so lucky. "Anyway, let's get going. Bell's about to ring soon. You coming?" I ask her as I start walking towards our shared first class.
Laney snaps out of her trance, whatever it may be, and hops to my side. "Yup, let's go!" she cheers, causing some students to look our way. I just glance at them and give them my signature smirk, knowing that it holds some power over them.
The girls blush and quickly look away with giggles while the males roll their eyes but give a curt bow of their heads in my direction. I do the same and walk off, disappearing in the crowd where I am meant to be. The spotlight is for people like Mays and her friends.
"I'm always amazed that everyone seems to know you yet no one hangs out with you or never acknowledges you unless they need your help," Laney whispers as we walk down the hallways.
"Well, it's how I prefer it. I'm the guy they come to in need and when I'm not needed, I'm just a shadow. And I don't mind. Being around people is a hassle. I would barely get anything done if I did. Plus all people these days, or most, are foolish and narrow minded," I inform her in my normal tone of voice. There is no point in whispering when no one is paying attention to us anyway.
"Yeah well, it's weird if you ask me," she pushes on as she wrinkles her nose.
"Well no one is asking you so drop it," I snap as I walk inside the classroom. I then take my seat after giving a nod to the teacher. Laney hmphs but she plops herself to the seat next to me and we both wait for the bell to ring.
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And here we go. A 3.4k+ chapter in Ashton's P.O.V. I know there wasn't much action in this chapter but there will be a bit in the next. Not too much though since we are barely starting the ride ;)
Anyway, what did you think of this chapter? What do you think of of Ashton's song? Think there's a secret meaning behind it? Also, where is Danny? Why isn't she at school yet? And is Ash really becoming softer? Mmm, who knows? Guess you'll just have to read and find out ;)
Thanks so much for reading and I do hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave comments and votes to show your support on this story. That'd mean a lot to me :)
Well, I'll just see y'all next (hopefully) with a new update. Take care till then and have a great day/night!
~Moni~