Morningstar's Pushover

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Mari had a big problem. And it was one only Ashton could solve.

That was probably why she was clinging on to him right now. "Please! Please! Please, Ashton!" She begged him, grabbing onto his arm. The issue on the table wasn't a big one. Hell, Mari felt a bit silly to even worry about it in the first place. But.... "I've been working overtime for so long! I haven't got a bit of sleep! I just need you to cover my shift!"

Ashton lets out a sigh. "Mari, I told you already. I have shift later and as much as I want to help you, I-" She looks up at him with an expression so sad it made him feel as though he kicked a lost puppy. "Mari..." He starts, trying to be as authoritative as he could be.

"Please, Ashton! I'll even cover one of your shifts!" She shakes him some more. "You know how much I hate alcohol! Pretty please?"

"Mari, why in Divine's name would you want to follow Caleb around?" He tries to pry her away from him, unfortunately she was stronger than she looks. "You can't actually think he's hiding something, are you?" He most certainly was. Ashton knew it. Caleb was the most secretive person he's ever met. He only knows one secret of his. One he knows for sure that Mari would never like nor condone even if in his eyes it made perfect sense. She was always strict to her faith in the Divine, never strayed from the path of what she calls to be evil despite however nuanced it actually is.

Ashton respected that about her. She was truly naive when it came to the nature of Las Vides.

"I know he's hiding something!" Her firm statement snapped him out of his inner thoughts. "You saw how he was with his cousin, arguing with him and actually showing some form of... emotion! And now? He's acting weirder than usual!"

"And your plan is to spy on him?!"

".... It won't be spying! Just trust me on this! I'll be back in time for your late shift. I promise you!"

He grumbles. It was his weakness, both Zack and Dina pointed it out, he could never say no to people. And Mari had the best intentions, even if he thinks her methods are less than ideal. "Fine. But no spying on him or following him around. I'm not getting in trouble with Caleb for enabling you. Or our boss once she finds out about this. You know how Ms. Monroe gets."

"I promise I'll take all the blame!" She clutches his shoulders, digging her fingernails in his flesh. He winces but gives her a weak smile at her delighted expression.

"Well, you don't have to go too far-"

"Bye, Ashton!" She rushes off immediately. He turns around to see her saying something to Caleb before dragging him out of the hotel by his arm.

Divine above... she really is intense sometimes...

---

Ashton remembers a time he was first starting out. He saw a disgruntled Caleb, a far cry from his usually uncaring and calm persona. Back then, he was more bitter towards the world and his now boss, Scarlett Monroe, approached him and asked what position he wished to fill. Whether it would be a hotel receptionist or a bartender.

He chose being a bartender and when he did, he didn't know why at the time. He never had any experience with alcohol nor did he ever want to touch those drinks. He was sheltered a lot as a kid. He doesn't blame his parents in the slightest. He also had to learn everything from scratch which wasn't fun... In fact, even Ms. Monroe said that it would have been easier on him if he was a hotel receptionist.

But now? He suddenly remembers why he didn't like the idea. A lady was yelling at him over the phone and he was honestly getting sick of it. He may be a pushover but he has a bit of a spine left. "Ma'am... please, someone's going to bring you more towels... this is the second time you asked..."

He fidgets with the phone. "Ma'am... yes, I know I'm not the usual girl at that front desk. No, please don't come down-" Someone grabs his wrist and ends the call by slamming the phone on the table. He looks up and- "Dina...?

"We need to talk." She states simply and drags him away to a secluded corner. He looks away under her gaze.

"Look, I have to be in the front desk at all times. That lady was-"

"There's like two other people at the front desk. You'll be fine."

A pause lingers between them. "Am I in trouble?"

"What do you think?" She crosses her arms. "Are you seriously that gullible? That naive? Divine... Zack said to let it go but.." Her glare turns icy, Ashton felt as if he was a kid being scolded by his parent. "Did you seriously allow some woman we never met into our apartment to stay there?"

"She said it was temporary." Ashton tries to argue. It was pathetic. He knew. He trusted too fast. He should have told them sooner. But Robin looked at him with the same look in her eyes that Mari did. He was always a pushover when others asked. It was a habit he never gotten out of.

"She is a stranger!" She said sternly. "You're lucky that Zack's watching after her to make sure that freaky lady doesn't steal anything! Do you even know what happens in Las Vides?! You've been here longer than I have!"

"Is that why he isn't here? Zack?" He receives a nod in response. He can't help but feel bad. He never got along with Dina but she looked so stressed as if he was actually worried. He stays silent for a bit. "Is that why he didn't talk to me this morning?"

That made Dina pause. She looked at him dumbfounded before shaking her head. Ashton didn't know if that was a response to his question or not. He also didn't know if that was a sign of disappointment.

"You trust too easily. You shouldn't let your guard down. That's something you both have in common."

That was all she said before she left. He goes back to his post at the front desk, he takes out his phone, almost like he wanted to type out an apology. To Dina, to Zack, to Robin for dragging her into this mess. He made a stupid, impulsive decision to make someone happy, cause he couldn't say no, and managed to upset everyone else in the process.

He was a coward and today proved that. It also proved that he wasn't going to change. Not yet anyway.

His thumb brushes over Mari's contact number. He needed to tell her this is the first and last time he'll cover for her.

He doesn't. That would be too mean. Mari didn't do anything wrong. It wasn't her fault he was a pushover.

In the end, he had no one to blame but his own self, refusing to fix it in order to make others happy.

How pathetic, Campbell.