Rejects. ➵ 5SOS// hiatus.

five.

//Ashton's P.O.V\\

As I predicted, getting Harry to believe that I got my bruises by running into a wall was a piece of cake. He believed me without a question, and he crawled into my lap, and pressed his lips onto the bruise on my face, while giggling 'Kisses make everything better, Ashy.' And well, it was the cutest thing I'd ever fucking seen, and it even did make me feel a little better. My face still hurt, but at least my brother's innocent antics made me feel better emotionally. Convincing Lauren wasn't so easy. I told her we'd talk in private, while Ashton has his shower before I help him with his homework.

I pushed open Lauren's door, and she stood from where she was doing her own homework on her bed, and she walked over to me as I shut the door. "Ashton." She sighed. "Just tell me the truth. It's obvious you didn't just run into a door." She said, looking at the bruise on my face with sad eyes.

I sighed myself, and got out my phone, typing quickly.

It's nothing Lauren. I just got into the receiving end of someone's slap. But don't worry about it, okay?

"How can I not worry about it Ashton? You're so caught up in taking care of Harry and I that you aren't realizing how bad this all is. I've seen your bruises, and there is a freaking hand print across your face. Don't tell me you're okay when you're not. Just because I'm younger than you doesn't mean I'm an idiot."

Her words should of alarmed me, but they didn't. I had made sure my cuts are always hidden. I cut my wrists, but closer to my elbow than my hand, and only go halfway down my forearm so incase my sleeve slipped up, it'd be clear. My thighs were a battle field as well, but no way would Lauren see my thighs anyways. I put a lot of thought into it, because my siblings finding out about it was my biggest nightmare.

I'm fine baby sister; just stressed because mum has been drinking a lot more. I'll adjust. Just forget about this, yeah? I don't need you to stress. I can handle it.

And she just nodded, and as I went to leave, she stepped up and gave me a tight hug around my neck, resting her head against my shoulder. "I love you Ashton." She whispered.

I wrapped an arm around her, and I hugged her tightly in place of replying, pressing a kiss to her hair to say  'I love you too'.

Actions do speak louder than words, after all.

...

//Luke's P.O.V\\

"Luke! Over here!" I look up to see Calum waving me over to where him and Michael stood, and I plastered a smile onto my face as I walked over. Michael was staring at his phone, seeming to find that so much more interesting than his surroundings. That made a ball of nervous energy form in my stomach. Did he not like me? What did I do?

As I walked, I thought about what I could of done to make Michael hate me. We hadn't ever talked, the most we of done was simply looked at each other when Calum introduced us. I didn't know what I did- but I had to of done something. Or maybe he just thought I looked like shit? Maybe he agreed with my brothers, I was just fat ass Hemmings, wasn't I?

"Hey Luke!" Calum said, in a voice that was much too excited to be casual. It sparked suspicion in me. Just giving him a once over, I could tell he was tense. He and Michael had obviously not been having a too pleasant of conversation before I came over.

"One of my friends wants to see me before class; m' gonna go. But this isn't over, Cal." Michael mumbled in a warning voice, but he stepped over, and pulled the boy in for a tight hug around his waist and he pressed his lips to Calum's dark hair. I could hear muffled words, unable to make out what was being said, but knowing he was whispering. Whatever he said, Calum nodded to, but I could see how much it pained him to do so. That sparked more suspicion and curiosity. I was concerned for my friend. What was wrong?

A few moments later, Michael left, and it left me and Calum to just awkwardly stare at one another. Calum scratched the back of his neck. "Don't worry about that...I'm just, um...going through some things and Michael's worried about me."

"You okay?" I frowned. I looked him over once again. Nothing was different about his physical appearance; he looked the same as he did yesterday. If it was something wrong inside, emotionally, that was when I became useless. I wasn't good at helping people with emotional problems. The most I could do is listen as a person vented, and hug them if they cried. I couldn't give advice to save my life.

"I'm fine. He's over reacting. Forget I said anything." Calum mumbled, smiling. I could tell the smile was forced. "Let's just go to home room, yeah?"

...

"Fucking hell." I grumbled as I threw my bag onto the sofa, storming up the stairs. The day had started out okay, but then everything just went to shit. My coach yelled at me at practice because I kept slowing down when we were running the mile. Which I thought was ridiculous, if he tried running a fucking mile with nothing but bottles of water in his system, he'd be struggling. I failed my math test as well, which was supposed to be my best subject because my mum is a math teacher. The teacher said she wanted my parents to sign the test, but no way in hell was I doing that. I wasn't going to just give my family another reason to ridicule me.

I was so tired of being the dumb ass in my family. My brothers did great in school, my parents were both smart and successful. I couldn't do anything right! I was the black sheep of the family. And that fucking hurt.

I was tired of being the one who was looked at for being different. I was trying my best to blend into my brothers, but that was so hard when they accomplished so much, and I had so little. But it was so hard to accomplish anything when I was dealing with depression and anxiety, which were two things that might as well be from a foreign language to them. If they knew what I had to endure, they'd think twice about giving me shit.

I wanted to just scream. I wanted them to know what they put me through. I thought it through plenty of times, I'd kill myself eventually. And then maybe they'd realize what they put me through. Too bad by then, they won't be able to take back all the cruel words.

I'd already be dead.

___

QOTC: What is your favourite chapter so far?

So,  Happy Tuesday! Its almost Thanksgiving, and I'm honestly so excited to eat my weight in stuffing.