Imprinted → lashton [book one]

4.2

Graduation day.

Luke wasn't here, of course. He was still upset I didn't tell him automatically. We had a week to make up, then I was gone. We weren't in a fight, exactly. We just weren't talking.

Michael was stood in front of me, adjusting my graduation gown, Calum was stood next to me, playing with the yarn thing connected to my cap. He was wearing a walking boot for his hurt foot, which was bulky and black. It was ugly, but no one dared to tell him that.

I smiled at Michael slyly as he adjusted the fabric on my shoulder. "Thank you guys for being here," I say, glancing at Calum before back at Michael.

"Any time, Ash. Now, c'mon, we gotta go get in the stands," he says, hugging me, messing up all of his hard work. Calum hugged me next before we walked out of the room together.

"Good luck, buddy. Don't break your leg unless you wanna be in one of these," Calum says, pointing to his foot before grinning. We all laugh, before Calum adds, "Seriously, though."

I grin before hugging them again and shooing them away to go to their seats. I walk over to where all the other people are. Our principal was giving a short, cheesy speech about how proud he was of us and blah, blah, blah.

Once I realised the short line of students started moving, I sighed. Luke actually wasn't coming to his boyfriend's graduation. I rolled my eyes at the thought.

I was next to walk across the stage. The girl in front of me was crying before she walked on, so she wiped her damp face, before shaking the principal's hand. I grin once he says my name.

I walk up the stairs to the stage. Michael's small shout made me laugh, as I accepted my diploma with a smile. I shook his hand, thanking him again for this opportunity. He patted my hand before we let go, and I walked down the stairs. I sat in one of the seats reserved for just the students

-

After the ceremony, we decided to have a little party to celebrate how I was now a 'man,' when really Michael, Calum and I were just going to end up drunk.

I stayed sober actually, watching as Calum and Michael stumbled around my house. I kept a close eye on Calum just incase he fell. That boot was going to be the death of him.

I checked my phone to see a missed call from Luke. I rolled my eyes, before hitting the call back button. I held it up to my ear. "Hi, Ashton," he says.

"Hey, why'd you call?" I ask, watching as Michael danced around with my dad by the fire place. They were laughing, and I wanted to hang up and join them.

"Well, I'm sorry I didn't go to your graduation."
"Whatever, it's not like I won't have another one. Oh, wait," I spat.
"Shut up, Ashton. I'm sorry."
I snort, "I'm your boyfriend. You should've been at my fucking graduation."
"Ash-"
"Bye, Luke." And I hung up, not allowing him to say anymore; not allowing him to pull me back in.

Calum was staring at me, but I just jumped up and got a beer. Michael was playing old All Time Low songs, which I was fine with. So, I playfully danced with him, trying to get Luke off my mind.

-

I woke up on the couch next to Calum. His lips were parted, his breaths even as he occasionally let out snores. His legs were thrown over my lap, his boot on the floor. Michael was on the recliner, looking like a little sleeping cat. I probably looked like a rat that just crawled out of the sewer, to be honest.

I waited for Calum to wake up, staring at the TV's black screen for what seemed like hours and hours before he finally began to stir. His eyes fluttered open, and he glanced around the room. "Shit, mate," he says, holding his head. "What time is it?"
"Noon."
"Damn, feels like 5 in the mornin'."

I laugh at that, before asking him to get his feet off me. He growls at me to be quiet before moving his feet to the floor carefully. He puts his boot back on before grabbing his head, groaning about how awful his head felt. He fell back asleep around 1.

Michael woke up at 2, looking around, completely forgetting where he was. I then realised I was stuck with two hungover friends in the same house. So, the afternoon consisted of getting screamed at to shut up or listening to Calum snore until they wore off.

[a/n: last chapter is the last one before the epilogue]