All The Stars We See // muke

chapter twenty-two

"Yeah?" He asked as he shut the door behind him, hands clammy as he watched the adult in front of him carefully. "How can I help you?"

"I'm hoping you've gotten more sensible since we last spoke." He stated and he saw three people sitting on the leather couch in his office.

"Hey there, Hemmings." His ex-boyfriend winked and Luke held his stomach as he felt like he could lose his lunch any second.

He was right. Ashton was so right about him, about everything.

He was pathetic, and he followed his dad around like some kind of lost puppy even if it hurt him. He was a doormat, unable to make his own decisions and stray from his father's command. Back then and even today he was still making excuses for his father, giving him the upper hand and putting him on a pedestal that he didn't deserve. He defended him even when he didn't deserve it, and stuck his neck out for him even when he shouldn't have.

It makes him sick.

"You look a little green, Luke." Mr. Hood taunted and Luke held on to the wall as he remembered crying himself asleep in his dorm, Ashton holding him until he fell asleep, and then waking up to nothing. Nothing but his father telling him 'it was inevitable'.

"He's just mad he got caught in his little scandal." Dr. Garrett tsk'ed at him like he was a child. He felt like one.

"So I'm going to ask you again, and don't lie because I already know," his father tapped his fingers on his desk. "- who is your new friend?"

Luke watched as his nails hit the wood and he felt his blood drain as he saw the moon shaped paperweight on his desk. His feet were moving before he could even notice, and he reached for quickly before cradling it to his chest. It was so small compared to him, but it felt so heavy his in hands as he remembered cuddling into it because it was his brother's, the only thing he had left of him.

He wonders where Ben's at. Is he okay? Is he safe? He hopes he has a better life, a happy one with a family, kids maybe, or a dog. Jack too.

He smiled and then someone was snapping their fingers in his face. "Earth to Luke." His father scolded him before waving his hand in his face. "Answer my question."

"Did you know," he spoke up. "- many people compare romance and the moon because the moon is ever changing, like people, but still finds itself by Earth's side regardless of the changes either face?"

"Gravity keeps it together." Mr. Hood coughed.

"My brother gave this to me when you ripped us apart," Luke said as he held the small weight in his hand. "- my real mother gave it to him. Did you know she loved space too?"

"Luke..."

He looked at the adult across from him. "You lied to me." He pointed at him. "You told me my mother took Jack because she wasn't happy with us, but it was you."

His father was going red, but Luke wasn't done yet. All his emotions were erupting one by one, and it's too bad more people than necessary had to witness it. His feelings popped off like caps from soda bottles full of pressure, but he was too tired of cleaning up messes he wasn't to blame for.

"You told me Ashton never wanted to see me again, that he got into a fight and you expelled him on his behavior not because you disliked us together and he stood up to you." He claimed and there was a sharp intake of breath. "You told me he ran away from me!"

"This isn't the subject in discussion -"

"- You never told me about my real parents, about how my mother died and my father hurt me and my brothers. You never told me about how you tore apart the only real family I ever had, and then drove your ex-wife away with my brother. You thought I'd forget? That I was too young to remember so it didn't matter? That you could manipulate my emotions so I make myself believe that I'm the bad guy?" He shouted and then squeezed the moon shaped weight in his hand before letting it go.

"But I believed you." He whispered as he rolled the knick-knack in his palm. "I believed that I was the root of all my problems. I believed that I really was just an insolent boy, that I wasn't good enough."

He angrily wiped his tears away.

"But-but it's you. You made me grow up too fast. You took away my family. You gave me depression and anxiety. You took away my friends! And for what? So I can run this fucked up school full of big mouthed teachers and childish adults? I'm more grown up than everyone in this fucking school!" He shouted and his vision was blurring with tears, but he didn't care.

"Hey, Luke?" He heard and he turned to face a familiar pair of hazel eyes. "Calm down, okay?"

"Don't tell me to calm down." He seethed and Ashton widened his eyes before backing away. "You were here to throw me under the bus. You all were going to sell me out. You don't get to tell me to calm down."

"So you're hiding something from me." His father grinned in victory. "What is it?"

Luke chuckled. "You took everything away from me, expecting a job and some money to make up for the blood, sweat, and tears I spilled just to be your perfect son. Well, Andrew, you're out of luck now. I'm not letting you take away the one person that makes me happy, not again."

"It's true." His father accused him. "He told me he saw bike prints in the sand, but I didn't believe him. I thought it was crazy that my own son would betray me like that, to take away the thing that would put my name everywhere. Luke, we could have made the biggest scientific breakthrough together."

"You're crazy." He scoffed as he looked out the window. "I have no idea what you're on about."

"You know full well what I mean." He accused. "Where is he?"

"Where is who?"

"Don't play coy with me, boy." His father warned as he pushed his chair over. "Our names could light up every single television, Luke. The biggest scientific breakthrough, alien life found on Earth, caught by Andrew and Luke Hemmings."

"Aliens?" Someone coughed and Luke grit his teeth. "He's insane!"

"You're absolutely mental if you believe aliens are here." Luke scoffed before turning around. "I believe we're done now."

"I will have teams tear apart your house. I know you're hiding it. Why?" His father asked and Luke looked him in his wide eyes.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

His father chuckled. "Are you that lonely? You have to find company in something not even human? Give it up, Luke."

"I'm not alone." He grit and he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"He's not." He heard Ashton's voice and he looked down. "I offered to take him to Europe. He's not going to be alone anymore, and you can't do anything about it, Mr. Hemmings."

"He doesn't care about you, boy. I'll find it, Luke, and you get front seats to watch as we finally find the answers we seek." His dad threatened and he stormed out of the room.

"I got a spare helmet." Ashton offered and Luke looked at him. "I'm sorry."

Where the fuck was Michael?

1284 words