[b]Chapter 18 – Ashley's POV[/b]

I slammed my locker shut and turned back to my brother, “So, you have a sweetie now? Like, for real?”
He blushed and looked at the floor, “Yeah.”
I nudged him and we headed off in the general direction of our classes. I was in a good mood, I had no idea why. But it was nice.
“You seem happy today,” Pete noted with a slight smile.
“Compared to you, I’m like the kid who got the lollipop. You’re more the kid who just found out all the presents under the tree were his.”
He glared at me, “Do me a favour and shut up please?”
“Make me,” I said, poking out my tongue.
“I’ll get you to one day, you just wait,” He said just as we turned the corner.
I smiled, “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
A locker door slammed loudly up ahead. I looked up to see Mikey standing there, staring right back at me.
Since when was he back? And why didn’t he tell me? Did he really expect me to find out in music? Really?
I vaguely felt my books slip from my arms and clatter to the floor.
I couldn’t move.
He was back, right there, in front of me.
Before I knew it I was running to him. He ran too, away. He ducked into a classroom. I stopped just by the door. I stepped inside to see Mikey standing there.
“Mikey,” I said in a small voice before launching myself at him. I wrapped my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck. I felt him lightly wrap his arms around my waist. I felt him smile. This was good.
I leant back and slapped him.
I unwrapped my legs and landed back on the floor. I landed a hit directly on his jaw, “You bastard,” I hissed, “All this time with only so much as a couple of [i]texts?[/i]”
Seriously, he sent a couple of texts the whole time he as gone. I wanted to continue slapping him.
“Ashley, I’m sorry, I wish I could-” he started.
I cut him off, “[i]Fuck you![/i]”
“Ashley,” he said grabbing my shoulders, “Ashley, I’m sorry. But I’m ok, alright? I’m here and I am definitely not going to do that to you again.”
I breathed hard. It was easy for him to say. Did he not know how fucking horrible I’d been feeling the last few weeks? Hearing him scream like that was not the easiest thing to deal with, “Promise?”
He looked me in the eye, “Yes.”
I gave in and hugged him again. No matter how much hell he put me through, he was still my best friend. I could never hate him.
“You had me fucking worried there, Mikes.”
“I’m sorry.” He said again. He swallowed before pulling away from me.
I drew my eyebrows together and looked up at him, “What happened? Where were you?”
I gulped, “I came down with the flu.”
The flu?
Did he expect me to believe that? Really?
I rolled my eyes slightly, “Yeah, Bullshit, that’s why you were screaming in pain.”
He swallowed again before screwing his eyes shut and biting his lip. He seemed really nervous.
I took a small step towards him, “Is there something wrong?”
He didn’t answer. He just remained standing there with his eyes screwed shut.
“Mikey, tell me what’s wrong,” I said, lightly laying a hand on his forearm.
He opened his eyes and grabbed my wrists in his hands, “I- I- you need to – I...” he babbled. He couldn’t seem to form a sentence.
He growled.
My eyes widened, I tried to take a step backwards, but since he had hold of my wrists, it did nothing for me.
I tried to gain one of my hands back, nothing worked, “Mikey-”
His eyes seemed to snap back to reality. The reality where he was hurting my wrists, “I’m sorry- I...”
I tried to get away again, realising I’d successfully cornered myself. Fuck. I was shaking in his grip. I was near tears at that point. I really couldn’t believe he was doing this. I was scared of him. He seemed so different now. I don’t know what happened when he was gone but I didn’t like it.
He looked at me and growled again.
I felt the tears coming closer. I wanted to scream or make some kind of noise but nothing was exactly working. It was like my throat had closed up.
He released one of my wrists. I used my now free hand to try claw my way out of his grip completely. I felt my eyes welling up.
While I was clawing, he reached up a brushed the hair off my neck.
There was a whoosh of air in the doorway
I looked up in time to see Frank throw himself at us. He grabbed the hand enclosed around my wrist and forced it to let go while his other hand gripped Mikey's shoulder.
In another impossibly fast movement, Frank had Mikey up against the wall on the opposite side of the room by his throat.
I was breathing hard and felt the tears falling down my cheeks like it was a rainstorm.
Frank looked back at me.
“Ashley, RUN!”
And I did just that. I ran to the door, nearly falling over as I reached the door and turned out into the hall which was empty except for Gerard who was walking towards me. I didn’t stop though, I kept running.
I went straight past him and into the courtyard. I fell into a corner and hugged my knees to my chest. I sat there for a while. Pete constantly asking me what was happening. I really didn’t know how to respond, so I didn’t.
I heard someone in the courtyard with me; I looked up and saw Frank. He had saved me but I didn’t want to exactly talk to him, or anyone else for that matter, yet.
I felt my eyes well up again. I had to run off again, just in case he told Mikey I was here. I got up and ran off toward the bleachers surrounding the football oval. As far as I knew, nobody except our little group sat there or knew about how easy it was to hide there.
I reached the bleachers and ran into the shadows. I kept backing up until I ran into someone. I turned around and looked up to see Josh standing there looking incredibly worried.
I slumped to the ground and let the tears flow. He sat down next to me and pulled me onto his lap and let me cry into his chest.
At that moment I could see why my brother was his best friend. He cared about his friends and right now, he was doing a pretty good job of being a shoulder to cry on.
The bell rang and Pete came out and sat with us.
Josh handed me over to Pete who cradled me. Kind of like when our parents were fighting, Pete would sneak into my room and we’d both sit on my bed, huddled under the blankets.
We may have been twins but Pete was bigger than me. He physically towered over me.
When the bell went off again, we stayed put. Eventually I stopped crying and Josh gave me his water bottle. I couldn’t stop shaking though. How could Mikey do that? What the hell had come over him? He usually couldn’t hurt a fly.
After a while, Josh spoke up, “So, are you going to tell us what the fuck happened?” he said quietly.
I looked up at him, “Mikey tried to eat me.”
His eyes widened, “What?”
“Mikey, we were talking and then he... he cornered me and he wouldn’t let me go and... and he brushed the hair away from my neck and then Frank showed up and stopped him.”
Pete pulled me close again, “What the fuck?”
“I will fucking kill him.” Josh growled, “If he’s on drugs, fine. But when he actually attacks someone...” he didn’t finish, he just stared at me, shaking with anger.
“Look, as I ran off, Gerard as walking to the classroom we were in. He may have taken Mikey home already or something.” I said, “I can’t hate him for this. If really is on drugs, it’s the drugs, not him. I’m just scared to be with him now.”
Josh seemed to calm a bit, but not very much. Pete was shaking too. I really wanted them to stop but nothing I could say could ever stop them.
Josh got up and picked up his bag, “That’s it.”
Pete and I looked up at him puzzled.
“We’re ditching school for the rest of the day and hiding at my house.”
I got up, “Sounds like a plan. All I need to do is get two things.”
Pete laughed.
Josh looked at me, “What’s that?”
“My entire Tim Burton collection and chocolate.”

Notes

[b]Authors Notes:[i] Ash and Jay[/b][/i]

OK! So... that's the four POV's of that event OVER! (I'm sure you're all very glad :P)