Scott Pilgrim vs. My GPA
As Ashton walked up the stairs to the apartment his phone started ringing. Still high, he answers.
-Hello?
- Ash.
- Dad!
- How are you?
- I'm fine, I'm great.
-Okay, you do sound happy.
"Shit, act sober" Ashton thinks.
-How's jail?- he changes the subject.
- It's... well jail.
-Right. Are you still working with the gang? That's how you got this phone right?
- Yeah... I don't really have an option Ash. I help with smuggling, so I got the cell phone and have protection.
- I just want you to be able to do other things when you go out, you know something legal.
- I know... How are you doing?
- Are you ignoring what I just said?
- Yeah. How is your new family?
If Ash hadn't smoked he would argue.
- Well, I like being here. And I already know their mother's name, Tilda. Does it sound familiar to you?
-Tilda, of course. Yeah, Matilda Hemmick. We were married for 2 years.
-What? You never told me you were married.
- Well, do you know why I never married your mother? Tilda, after marrying her I decided that marriage was not worth it.
- Wow, really that bad?
- We met at high school. I was her dealer, at that time she did not have an addiction problem, she only used marijuana occasionally. But once we got married and lived together, I had to get more into the business and she started doing stronger things. I told her she needed help and she got aggressive. I ended up asking for a divorce and leaving in one night. She never told me anything about a pregnancy. She stopped taking drugs when she had them, right?
- They haven't mentioned that, but they grew up apart.
- What do you mean?
- Andrew grew up in the foster system and Aaron with Tilda. They didn't meet until they were teenagers.
His father was silent for a few moments.
-Fucking Tilda, I knew she was crazy but I never would have imagined... Those poor kids, Jesus. If I could kill Tilda I would. How could she do that to her own children. And if she didn't want them, why didn't she call me?! - Anthony sounded very angry.
- Dad. It's not your fault, you didn't know.
- Yeah, but still. What do they think of me?
- A while ago they asked me if you ever hurt me, but other than that we haven't mentioned you.
-Ok, I was just thinking that you could ask them to come visit sometime. If you want of course. I haven't seen you in a long time and I would like to see you. And talk to them of course, if they want...
-Yeah. I will ask them. I would like to see you. - Ash looked down at the ground, trying not to cry.
-I should hang up now. I miss you son. I love you.
- I missed you too. I love you Dad. Bye, call when you can.
His father hangs up. Ash stays on the stairs for a while until he calms down enough to enter the apartment.
---
At the same time Andrew, Neil and Kevin returned from shopping. Having spent the trip back arguing about Andrew's health, the three of them head upstairs in silence. Andrew hears Ashton's voice and makes the other stop in their tracks.
"I missed you too. I love you Dad. Bye, call when you can." They hear Ashton say.
"What the Fuck?" Andrew thinks.
Neil and Kevin are not moving waiting for Andrew to make a move, a sign or something. But Andrew stays in his place.
He hears Ash go up to the apartment and close the door.
"Andrew?" Neil asks softly.
"I'll ask him in therapy" Andrew thinks and without saying anything they continue on their way. They go inside.
-Hey guys, Ashton just arrived, he's in the shower. He had fallen in the mud or something. - Nicky tells them while playing a videogame. -Aaron said that he will spend the night with Kate.
---
Andrew waits in Ashton's room while he showers. He had not yet seen the drawings on the walls. Above Ashton's bed there were faces drawn, Andrew recognized his face and Aaron's, from their expressions you could tell who was who. On another side of the room were drawings of hands in different positions, also drawings that he had covered with paint over and over again.
-Hey.- Ashton enters.
-Hey. You're a good artist.- Andrew tells him.
-Thanks.
- I've been thinking that you could come with me and Aaron to our therapy session next week.
- Oh. I don't know, I'm not a big fan of psychologists and all that.
"Great another one" Andrew thinks.
- Aaron and I would feel more comfortable telling you certain things in that environment.
Ash thinks. He doesn't like a person he doesn't know anything about hearing his thoughts, but if it makes the twins become closer to him he will have to sacrifice himself.
-Fine. I'll try.
- Great.- Andrew ruffles his hair.- And, do you have a problem with Neil?
- I don't know, sorry. It's just that sometimes he gives me bad vibes.- Ash says embarrassed, he thought he had hidden it better.
- Why don't you try to talk to him?
- I will, Kevin told me the same thing.
-Kevin.- Andrew says, without expression. And he leaves without saying anything else.