Chapter 2 - Trouble
Trouble
The computer lab's wobbly chair bounced under Ashton as he dropped heavily into its seat. Whatever springs or hydraulics operated its adjustable mechanism, it was obviously no match for the hundreds of butts that must come through here each week to work on their assignments.
Not him; Ashton's laptop back in his room did everything he needed it to for his classes, all from the comfort of the frat house.
And he knew for a fact that both Oz and Logan each had similar setups in the room they shared on the third floor, too.
So why they'd decided to come to the university computer lab at — he checked his phone — nine thirty on a damned Saturday morning to use this ancient equipment, Ashton couldn't fathom.
But Noah wasn't replying to any of Ashton’s texts, nor had he been in his room when Ashton finally got back to the frat house.
The entire house had been fairly dead — it was Saturday morning, after all.
So here he was, slumming it with the Freshies in the hope that they'd be done soon.
Then they could finally all go grab breakfast at the coffee shop in the student union, like Logan had promised.
He sighed loudly, but neither Logan nor even Oz paid the forlorn sound or its maker any mind. Both were too busy arguing about… whatever it was on the computer screen, while Ashton stared glumly out the nearest, faux frosting-lined window.
He didn't get it. Not Oz following Logan around like a lost puppy — Ashton could understand that.
When he'd set the nerd up as a roommate to Minotaur House's very own football celebrity in the making, Ashton had assumed it'd provide some entertainment at the very least. Even better if Oz decided to do the decent thing and quit the fraternity.
But hey — turns out that just because the guy was a nerd, didn't mean he wasn't also pretty stupid.
Just meant Ashton needed to work harder then, didn't it? Get Oz to leave Minotaur House, and leave Logan alone while he was at it. Then Logan would wise up and realize who was actually worth having as a friend, and —
"Ash," Logan drawled in a low voice, capturing Ashton's attention instantly. "What the fuck are you doing, man? Cut that shit out."
Ashton flushed, flinging down the pen he'd been tapping on the desk and sending it scattering, bouncing against the padded half-cubicle wall of his computer station.
"I'm booooored," Ashton huffed, not bothering to keep his voice down as he spun around in his chair. "C'mon, let's go get some food. You two can come back to your little study date after."
Logan just stared at Ashton like a wet hen. Even Oz was glaring at him, as if Ashton was the third wheel intruding on their time, and not the one whose presence was being suffered because…huh.
"Why is Wally here again?" Ashton asked Logan, tipping his chin at Oz and enjoying the way the old nickname made the little nerd's gaze go flat and dull. He giggled, taking a celebratory swivel in the computer chair.
"The better question is, why are you? Wait — are…are you drunk?" Logan asked suspiciously, leaning back as his eyes flicked quickly over Ashton's form.
Ashton grinned, pinching his fingers just enough to look through them at the hilariously unimpressed expression Logan was wearing.
"Oh, don't be that way, Mom," Ashton laughed. "Had a big night. S'fine. I'm not hurting anyone. Now c'mon, let's ditch Wally and go find something to eat."
Logan sighed. "Oz is helping me with my English essay so I don't flunk the class. I told you before: we're gonna be at it for a while. Don't feel like you have to stick around on our account."
Ashton rolled his eyes, ignoring the annoyed glances shot his way. But c’mon — if they got kicked out because he was being too loud, that just meant an earlier breakfast, which was okay by him.
"Whatever, it's fine," he said, looking around the lab again for what had to have been the eighty-seventh time. "Hey, did I tell you about the absolute babe I hooked up with last night? Full on smoke show. She had this little mole just above her — "
"Ashton!" Oz hissed, attention flicking nervously in the direction of the computer lab's help desk, and the losers working behind it. "You gotta — "
"Shut up, Pledge. The adults are talking," Ashton snapped at him, smirking at the frustrated pinch it put between his brows, before turning all his attention back to Logan.
"Anyway, I'm just saying: I told ya you should've come out to the bar with me, instead of…
" He paused, trying to remember the text Logan had sent him.
"Wait, what were you doing last night, actually? "
It hadn't been a game; it'd been a bye week, which was why Ashton had been hoping this would be the night he’d finally get the reclusive football player to be his wingman.
Between Ashton's charm and Logan's…well, everything — the guy was stacked and a half — they were sure to have their pick of the place.
Not that Ashton couldn't manage on his own, he just… It'd be more fun, alright?
Yeah. That's all.
He glanced over at Logan, who was taking a curiously long time to answer. He and Oz were looking back and forth at each other, like —
"Oh my god," Ashton gasped, then laughed at how big Logan's eyes got. "His nerdery is catching, isn't it? Did Oz make you play one of those games of his or something?"
Logan had flushed fully red-faced by now, but he stammered out a low "No," all the same. "We were just…just s-studying."
Ashton doubled over, howling with laughter. "I'll bet," he gasped out. "And what level is your elf, then?"
"C'mon, Ashton," Logan whined — Oh god, the little dweeb really is rubbing off on him, isn't he? — his eyes darting to just past Ashton's shoulder. "You're gonna get us all in — "
"Trouble?" a new voice cut in.
Ashton frowned. "Fuck off, cocksucker," he said, turning around to face the interloper who'd interrupted Logan.
…only to find himself on the receiving end of a toothy grin from a guy with the most ridiculous pink mohawk Ashton had ever seen in his life. Well, barring every Thursday morning from 9:00-12:00 am in Room 314 of the Navarro Building.
"You." Ashton scowled up at the jerk from his MassComm class; Derrick, or David, or Diego or something. "Did you lose your fucking phone? I must've texted you a dozen times. Our damned project's due in two weeks, and I'm not gonna let you shaft me by taking credit while I do all the work!"
But the asshole’s grin only got bigger.
“Yeeeeeaaaahhh,” he said slowly with a smugness that left Ashton bristling. “I'm going to have to ask you to keep it down or leave the lab.”
Ashton frowned. “Why the fuck would I do that? I'm a student, I've a right to be here. My tuition paid for all this shit,” he said, knocking the nearby computer mouse aside with the back of his hand.
“Abuse of lab property,” the jerk said, nodding at the computer mouse. “Abuse of staff, failure to abide by lab rules – “ and here he pointed to the sign on the wall just over the computer station that said, ‘Please respect your fellow lab users and keep noise to a minimum.’
Ashton scoffed. “Oh, get over yourself. I was only – “
“But mostly, cabrón,” the guy interrupted again smoothly, as if nothing Ashton said actually mattered. “You’re so drunk I can smell it from here, and you're causing a problem in my lab.”
“So what, cabrón?” Ashton volleyed back loud as he pleased, crossing his arms over his chest. Heat had flushed through his cheeks at hearing that word again, though more at the memory of having to ask his Tio Miguel what that word had meant and being laughed at, than at having it used on him now. “It's called free speech. Look it up.”
“It's called the University Code of Conduct, which you signed to go here,” the asshole said, rolling his eyes. “Which means this is your second and final warning: either you take your ass outside, or I call campus security to escort you there.”
“Oh, does it, amigo?” Ashton smirked, satisfaction surging through him as he got to his feet and found himself towering over the guy by at least a few inches.
And with his fraternity brothers by his side as backup – well, with Logan, that was – Ashton was confident this little twerp would realize just how outclassed he was.
“You wanna go? Let's take this outside, then.”
The jerk glared up at him, but then set his shoulders and flicked his thumb to the exit at the front of the lab.
Ashton nodded, a grin splitting his face as he led the charge. "C'mon Logan. How about you and I teach this guy some manners?"
The sunlight was blinding as he burst through the computer lab's heavy security doors and into the paved courtyard beyond, but Ashton wasn't about to let that stop him.
"Alright, so how do you want to do this?" Ashton shouted back over his shoulder as he spun around on his heel, his arms out wide as much for effect as for balance and —
And he turned to find himself alone, the lab door whispering solidly shut behind him.
What. The. Fuck.
Ashton waited a moment, adrenaline and reality clashing in a bright flare right between his eyes. But no one followed him out; the light glaring off the tall glass panels set into the doors turning all of them into mirrors. Four Ashtons gaped back at him in disbelief, frowning to find —
"That asshole!"
— himself abandoned outside. Fishing his student ID from his back pocket, he stalked toward the closest one. Blowing the door open with a shove from one hand while he tapped the ID sensor on the wall with the other, Ashton set his hands on the bar of the next and —
And nothing, sending him smacking face-first into the solid security door and howling with the pain.
Hand covering his aching brow, Ashton tried the door handle again, shoving down on the bar only to find it didn't budge even a centimeter.
He tapped his ID to the sensor, but the little red light didn't change to green, nor on the second or third try.