Forbidden ~ Luke Hemmings FanFiction

Chapter (XII)

I get through gym and math is just a blur. I keep replaying this afternoon; I feel kind of bad being rude to Luke but he hasn’t been extremely welcoming to me either.

I reach my locker to see the back of Ashton’s curly hair. A part of me really wants to tell Ashton about Luke and maybe get some answers from him; but the proper part of me knows it’s a bad idea.

“Hey, how were your afternoon classes?” He asks cheerily when he notices I’m behind him.

“They were great.” I lie; not mentioning the incident with Luke.

I close my locker and we start to walk out of school.

“You doing anything tonight?” He asks while running his fingers through his curly hair.

I think for a minute; I could study but I don’t want to be left alone with my thoughts about Luke.

“Nope, why did you want to do something?” I ask; his body tenses up with nerves.

I touch his shoulder and raise my eye brows.

“Uh- yeah I mean, only if you want to.” He stutters trying to push the words out.

“What’s the matter with you?” I ask playfully. “You’re my best friend here; of course I want to hang with you!”

He rolls his eyes and moves his lips up into a half smile.

“I’m your only friend here.” I stop dramatically; he wrinkles his eye brows questioning my actions.

“Calum is my friend too, don’t flatter yourself Ash.” I joke.

Ashton is such a good guy, I don’t know what I did to deserve him, but I’m happy he’s in my life.

“Well there is a beach about 5 minutes away from Peterborough.” He continues; changing the subject.

My stomach swirls to think of being in only a bathing suit.

“What’s wrong you look a bit pale?” He asks; his voice full of concern.

I shake my head.

“I um- I don’t really swim.” I stutter; making him smile.

“I could always teach you.” He says as he takes his arm and wraps it around my shoulders.

“No, no it’s not that, I know how to swim.” He takes his eyes off of the sidewalk and looks in mine.

He studies my face and finally realizes what my problem is.

“You’re a beautiful girl Abbey; you have no reason to feel any less.” I feel my body freeze at his compliment.

 I would never think of Ashton as more than a friend, but he is a really attractive guy, so you can’t blame me for getting a bit flush from him calling me beautiful.

I put my hand on his; which is still resting on my shoulders.

“I could always lend you a shirt if you don’t feel comfortable.” He offers and I nod.

We walk for about 10 minutes before ending up in my neighborhood. I know that if I introduce him to my mom she will get the wrong impression.

“I don’t want to seem like an ass but can you wait here while I get my bathing suit.” He smiles.

“You’re not an ass Abbey, and of course don’t take too long.”

I run into my house and up the stairs to my room. To my surprise no one is home; I check my phone which is resting on my bed side table. I have 10 missed calls from Blake. I nearly shit myself. How could I forget to call him?! I can’t do that now so I just decide to text.

*Sorry Blakey, there’s a lot going on here, I promise I will call you in about 2 hours. I love you boy xo*

I hope he isn’t mad at me for not calling him.

I rush to my dresser and pick out a boring black bikini and slip it onto my curvy body. I stand there questioning the clothes in my dresser thinking about what Luke said to me today; but I brush it off and run down stairs to Ashton.

“Sorry it took so long.” I apologize before he even notices I’m there.

He looks up at me and smiles.

“No worries.” He says as his eyes scan my body; which has a long beach towel wrapped over it.

“I have a clean shirt in my bag, hold on.” He says while turning to his bag and ruffling through it.

He pulls out a long white t-shirt. He smirks a little.

“Sorry it’s white, I didn’t intentionality plan it that way.” I take the t-shirt from his hands.

“Of course you didn’t.” I tease. I notion him to turn around as I put the shirt over my body. I feel his eyes behind me.

“Ash! I told you not to look!”

He jumps a bit; startled.

“Sorry I can’t help myself.”  He mumbles while bringing his hand to the back of his neck.

I finally turn around.

“Well you better start.” I snap sounding meaner then I intended.

He frowns and stands up.

“Sorry, I just don’t feel comfortable with my body, so don’t look.”

His frown grows bigger, as his eyes meet the ground.

“I don’t know why or how.” He mumbles.

I try to change the subject.

“So, are we going to get going or what?” I smile; his eyes meet mine.

“Yeah let’s go.” He smiles as we begin to walk down the steep road.

We gabble on about school and mindless chatter before we reach the beach.

I gasp, and Ashton laughs at me.

“I’ve never seen something so perfect before.” I breathe staring at the long gorgeous beach.

I feel Ashton’s eyes on me.

“I have.” He mumbles in an almost silent whisper; I pretend that I don’t hear him.

He is asking awfully weird lately. I hope he knows we’re just friends; I can’t let him get the wrong impression; I really need him as a friend, and nothing more.