Long Way Home
7
The four teens had gathered into Michael and Calum's room. Calum was asleep in his bed, but the three remaining teens sat in Michael's bed, knowing that if he woke up and couldn't find them, it would set him off again.
Michael sat in between his two friends, waiting for one of them to start talking about what the hell just happened.
Ashton finally broke the silence, looking down as he played with Michael's black comforter.
"I can't." He cleared his throat after his voice cracked. "I can't sit in there with all those children and not think about Harry."
"Oh, Ash." Michael sighed, resting his head on his best friend's shoulder.
"I just uhm." The older boy continued. "My family called yesterday."
"Why didn't you tell us that?" Bree asked softly.
"Didn't wanna talk about it." Ashton replied, biting his lip. "I just... I miss them. And tomorrow is Harry's birthday and they wanna come visit, but I can't even go out and get him a proper present."
"Hey, hey." Michael soothed. "Maybe we can see if Zoey will take us out tomorrow, yeah? We can go to the mall."
"I just feel like a shitty big brother because he saw me like that and he shouldn't have." Ashton sighed, wiping at his eyes.
"Ashton, you're not a shitty big brother, you were just going through some shit. He still loves you, yeah?" Michael said.
Just then, Bree let out a whimper and both boys turned to look at her.
"Bree Bear." Michael sighed. "What's wrong?"
The girl curled in on herself, bringing her knees to her chest.
"My sister found me close to death a few months ago and I've felt like a shitty big sister ever since."
The girl sighed, closing her eyes.
"My mom's dead and my dad remarried, but I just feel really responsible for her, and I let her down."
"Bree-" Michael started, but she cut him off.
"And my dad keeps calling because he and my stupid step mother want to come visit me. And like, my step mother is the reason I'm in here."
Everyone paused and Bree put a hand over her mouth, realizing what she said.
"What does that mean, Bree?" Ashton asked softly.
Before the purple haired girl could open her mouth to respond, the bedroom door flew open, making them all turn their attention towards the door, and Calum jolt awake.
Sasha stood in the doorway, panting heavily.
"Luke. Needs us. Now."
That's all it took for the other four teenagers to stand up and follow her, running out the door and down the stairs toward their friend.
Michael sat in between his two friends, waiting for one of them to start talking about what the hell just happened.
Ashton finally broke the silence, looking down as he played with Michael's black comforter.
"I can't." He cleared his throat after his voice cracked. "I can't sit in there with all those children and not think about Harry."
"Oh, Ash." Michael sighed, resting his head on his best friend's shoulder.
"I just uhm." The older boy continued. "My family called yesterday."
"Why didn't you tell us that?" Bree asked softly.
"Didn't wanna talk about it." Ashton replied, biting his lip. "I just... I miss them. And tomorrow is Harry's birthday and they wanna come visit, but I can't even go out and get him a proper present."
"Hey, hey." Michael soothed. "Maybe we can see if Zoey will take us out tomorrow, yeah? We can go to the mall."
"I just feel like a shitty big brother because he saw me like that and he shouldn't have." Ashton sighed, wiping at his eyes.
"Ashton, you're not a shitty big brother, you were just going through some shit. He still loves you, yeah?" Michael said.
Just then, Bree let out a whimper and both boys turned to look at her.
"Bree Bear." Michael sighed. "What's wrong?"
The girl curled in on herself, bringing her knees to her chest.
"My sister found me close to death a few months ago and I've felt like a shitty big sister ever since."
The girl sighed, closing her eyes.
"My mom's dead and my dad remarried, but I just feel really responsible for her, and I let her down."
"Bree-" Michael started, but she cut him off.
"And my dad keeps calling because he and my stupid step mother want to come visit me. And like, my step mother is the reason I'm in here."
Everyone paused and Bree put a hand over her mouth, realizing what she said.
"What does that mean, Bree?" Ashton asked softly.
Before the purple haired girl could open her mouth to respond, the bedroom door flew open, making them all turn their attention towards the door, and Calum jolt awake.
Sasha stood in the doorway, panting heavily.
"Luke. Needs us. Now."
That's all it took for the other four teenagers to stand up and follow her, running out the door and down the stairs toward their friend.