[ugh lashton ❤️]

"Let's do a search of that Ryder kid," Awsten suggests. The two of us have been going through the journal since we got it a week and a half ago from the police department. We haven't found anything else to go off of.

"We don't know his last name, and the police are already looking into it, it won't really help."

Awsten frowns, nodding.

"I don't know, I wish we had the journals from when they were dating, maybe it could give us something."

That's an interesting thought, but I don't know if it would be helpful. I don't know if he was planning this back then, and if he wasn't then there's no point.

And Vi didn't really want to talk about that, I wouldn't want to invade her privacy any more than I am by studying this journal. I'm only doing it because it's the only clue we have.

My phone vibrates on the table but I just push it away. I know who's texting me, and I don't want to talk to them.

"Dude, who's blowing up your phone?" Awsten chuckles, glancing at the messages lighting up the screen.

"It's just Luke, he wants to go dancing tonight and has trouble being told no," I mutter, resting my head in my arms on the table. I'm so tired of reading the same passages over and over and getting nothing from it. We've got nothing to go off of and every second we waste, Vi is being tortured.

Awsten sighs, getting up and grabbing a freeze pop from the kitchen. I watch him walk into the room with two in his hands, offering me a red one.

I shake my head.

"Blue," I say and he scowls, handing me the one that had clearly been meant for him.

I beam, ripping the top off with my teeth and checking my phone.

Lueky 🥖: Ashton

Lueky 🥖: Ashhhhhhhhtonnnnnn

Lueky 🥖: We're going dancing tonight, do you want to come?

Lueky🥖: ASHTON

Lueky 🥖: FLETCHER

Lueky 🥖: IRWIN

Lueky🥖: Answer meeeeee.

Lueky 🥖: :( Fine, I guess you're busy with your new best buddy who you're always hanging out with.

Lueky 🥖:What's that stupid pricks name? Aslin or something

Lueky 🥖: ughhhh, Daddyyyyyyyy~

Ashton: your acting like you dont know him... and im not replacing you as my best bud, you know that well be friends till the very end, lukey

Lueky 🥖: HE'S ALIVE! HE RESPONDED

Ashton: shut up dickwad or ill go away again

Lueky 🥖: NooOoOoooOoo I miss you

Ashton: I miss you too

Lueky 🥖: Come dancing tonight

Ashton: I'll talk to Awsten and see what he thinks

Lueky 🥖: :D :D

I shake my head, looking up at Awsten, who's already finished his ice pop and was looking at the journal on his computer. We finished scanning all the pages in last week so we could both work at the same time, as well as keep a copy if those fuckhead cops come back here to take it away.

"Awsten, Luke wants us to go dancing tonight, I told him I'd ask you, but I know we've got stuff to do, so I'll let him know-"

"I think that would be fun."

I stop short, halfway through typing a reply to Luke.

"What?"

Awsten rolls his eyes.

"Come on, Ash, you know we aren't getting anywhere with this. Maybe taking a break to clear our heads would be good for us."

"Don't call me that," I growl and he smiles an apology. "I can't believe you're giving up on her, too. You're supposed to be the one who's got my back on this."

Awsten scoffs.

"Come on, mate. Don't you dare get all wounded puppy on me over this." I start to get up but he grabs my wrist and shoves me back into the seat. "You can't push me around like Luke with all those sappy feelings. You know I believe in what we're doing 100%. Besides you, I'm the next person in line who wants her back the most." Awsten meets my eyes. "But we've got nothing to go off of, and Vi wouldn't want you to waste your entire summer cooped up in my house. From what you've told me, she wanted to be a hero so you could continue your life."

I puff out my cheeks. I know he's right, I just don't have to like it.

"Fine."

I erase the refusal text and type a new message.

Ashton: you win. were in.

Lueky 🥖: Really?

Lueky 🥖: Like, for real? no joke.

Lueky 🥖:You're going to emerge from the cave and visit civilization again?

Ashton: dnt make me regret it

Lueky 🥖: Okay, okay, sorry i'm just excited. I'll pick you both up at your apartment at 7.

Ashton: ok

I told Awsten the plan, and seeing as it was 5:15 we decided to shower and get ready. We were at Awsten's house, but it wasn't too far away from my apartment.

"I made tacos if you're hungry, boys!" Mrs Knight called from the kitchen. She was always trying to make me eat since she knew a bit about the situation and knew I tended not to care about things like that.

"We'll grab some before we leave, thanks mum." Awsten says and she goes back into the kitchen to make plates for us. What a kind lady.

***

At 7, Luke texts me letting me know that he's arrived outside. Awsten and I are dressed up a bit; I'm wearing a white and black striped shirt unbuttoned a bit and black jeans. I threw a long silver chain over my neck and put a bit of gel in my hair and pushed most of it back. When we left the apartment I felt that one stubborn piece fall forward over my forehead, but I left it. Vi always thought it looked good like that.

Luke drove to the park that was hosting the event. It was outdoors under this little pavilion. On Thursday nights in the summer, they brought a live band and dancers showed up. Some people would come to just listen to the music and watch everyone dance.

"I can't believe you're here!" Luke grinned, putting his arm around my shoulder. I noticed him glancing at Awsten and pulling me closer to him. I rolled my eyes at Jealous Luke. Cute.

I had brought one of Vi's picnic blankets so we could sit in the grass; there wasn't much seating at this place, so people would spread out all over the grass that surrounded the concrete pavilion.

The band was already playing when we arrived, and Luke immediately went to the dance floor. I set up the blanket and put my water bottle down, sitting on the ground. Awsten frowned at me.

"You're not going to dance?" He asks.

I shrug.

"Maybe soon. Right now I just want to watch."

"Suit yourself. I'm going to go up there." He points to the dance floor and I wave him away.

I look around, spotting a bunch of people like me, sitting in the grass on blankets, talking with their friends. I spot a group of old people sitting in lawn chairs they must have brought with them. I wonder if Flora would maybe enjoy coming one week. I'll have to talk to her this weekend when I mow her lawn. She loves watching videos of me dance, I've shown her some performances I've been in.

After about four songs, I decide to get up and dance. Being outside and surrounded by people and good music has put me in a good mood. I'm glad Luke brought me here.

I see him standing on the edge of the dance floor, talking to two guys and I go over to them.

"This is him, the guy I was talking about."

I raise my eyebrows.

"He's a dirty liar. I don't know what he said, but it's probably not true." they all laugh and I put my hand out for them to shake. "I'm Ashton."

"I'm Ben," The lanky blonde with the beard said.

"Will," The shorter dark haired guy with glasses shook my hand, smiling at me.

"I know Ben and Will from that semester I was in the musical," Luke says. The boys smile.

The four of us talk for a while, and then Ben asks if I want to dance.

"Sure," I say, "But I only know how to lead."

"I'm ambi-dancerous," Ben winks, "I can do both. I'll follow if you want."

Ben and I dance for two songs, because we had such a great time talking. He had such a contagious smile I couldn't help but be happy around him.

He even helped me with some footwork variations I'd been struggling with. He was a good guy, I liked him a lot.

"We'll dance again later," Ben said as Will came over and dragged him on to the dance floor, shooting me a wink.

I returned to the spot Luke was at.

"Thank you." I said, leaning against the other side of the support pillar Luke was resting on.

"For what?"

I look out at the dance floor, watching all the smiley, happy people. It's a complete 180 from what I'd been feeling, and I won't lie, it feels good to be back out in society and acting normal.

"For not giving up on me, for forcing me out here, for genuinely being a great guy, for caring about me even when I make it difficult, for-"

"Are you thanking me or proposing to me?" Luke smirks and I cuff his shoulder.

"Shut up. You know Lashton lives on forever."

He smiles, throwing his head back and laughing.

"Of course, daddy," he winks.

"But seriously, Luke, I don't think most people would do what you've been doing for me. I appreciate your constant support, even if we disagree on what that entails," he winces at the reference to the cops, "You really are the best friend a dude could ask for."

"I love you too, Ashton."

We smile at each other before someone walks over to ask Luke for a dance and he's whisked away. I head back to the blanket to get some water, when someone catches my eye.

"Chelsea?"

She whirls around, looking at me and scowling.

"Stop following me!" She hisses, grabbing my arm and dragging me away. She leads me behind the small brick building that houses the bathrooms.

"Ow, sharp nails!" I whine, pulling away to rub at the scratches she caused.

"What are you doing?" She demands, stopping in front of me and glaring up at me.

"What do you mean, I'm a dancer, I'm here to dance. Why are you here?"

She sighs.

"My family comes here every week, my grandparents love this music, since it's what they grew up with, and it makes them happy. We spend the whole evening together and it's lovely." Her eyes spark as she looks at me. "Until some asshole comes around ruining it."

"I'm just here to dance," I say, throwing my hands up in surrender. "You're the one who attacked me," I mumble, but she doesn't respond. She's chewing on her lip, deep in thought. "Are you okay?" I ask. She really doesn't look good, her eyes are sunken and there's dark bags underneath them. Her usually pristine hair has flyaways, and she looks worn out.

She doesn't answer, instead grabbing a pen from her pocket. She take my arm again and I try to get out of her grip but I have to be careful of the nails.

"What are you-"

"Shut up." She quickly writes down an address on my arm and I look at her, confused . "This is the original address I was given for the person who contacted me about Flora, the address that got changed." She blurts out quickly and quietly, casting an anxious look around. "Maybe this will help, but I haven't been able to text you, so here you go. I really hope you find her. Now please leave me alone, I'm sorry." She rushes away as quickly as she appeared and I'm left with more questions than I had to begin with.

"Wait-" But she's already gone and I can't find her through all the people. There's a couple hundred of them here.

I take a photo of the address on my arm before washing it off. I don't need anyone looking at it and asking questions.

I pour some water over it and start scrubbing it away. Thankfully it wasn't sharpie, so it isn't permanent.

Now I want to leave, I don't want to be here. I want to look up this address and see what Chelsea is talking about.

She said the address that got changed, and I'm trying to remember what she's talking about.

Of course, Samuel had changed the information, Chelsea must have looked it up in her written records. Wow, that's great! I have to leave right now and go to that house. Vi has to be there.

"Awsten, we need to leave." I find him standing in a crowd of people watching a couple dance.

"But the band's still playing," He doesn't look away from them, cheering when they perform a really cool move. I can't pay attention.

"Chelsea gave me the real address, the one Samuel changed." I say in his ear and he stops clapping to look at me.

"You're kidding."

"No, she's here with her grandparents, we have to leave now."

I turn to walk away but he grabs my shoulder. We get off the dance floor, away from the loud people and walk back to the blanket.

"Ash, we can't go now, it's nearly 9pm. It's going to be dark soon. We need to think about this strategically. We can't go busting in with no plan," he says.

I take a deep breath. He's right, we need to figure out where we're going and come up with a plan.

"Okay, fine. But tomorrow morning, we're storming the castle."

***

Omg I just now realized that when I wrote that part when Ashton meets Ben I totally made it seem like Ben was flirting with him, but he's really not. :/ I didn't mean for him to come off as bi and flirty ahaha but i liked what i wrote so i didn't change it. (also it' s supposed to be ben platt whom i love and will roland whom i also love because...i love them. if you don't know who they are...you should.)

Sorry this took so long, my little cousin had a migraine and stayed home from dance this evening so I had to sit on the couch with her until she felt better. 

Anywwayyyyyy they're close they're close they're close they're close and I'm so ready. :D 

Have a great night <3

~ashtonfortherwin