Imprinted → lashton [book one]

epilogue

[a/n: 3rd p.o.v.]

Luke regretted it already. He was sat in his room, crying. He didn't know the next time he'd see Ashton in person, and he was already missing him. His roughly-soft --he still didn't understand how they could be like that-- hands. His hazel eyes. His huge smile. He missed it. He missed him.

Were they broken up? He didn't know, but there he sat, alone, staring at his wall covered in photos of him and Ashton. Most of them were blurry, either of them laughing, some of Luke kissing Ashton's cheek. Some just of their hands. Some of just Ashton that he took, or Ashton took of Luke.

Luke couldn't take them down, he wouldn't. They were the last things he had to remind him of Ashton, except the necklace around his neck that he gave him for his birthday.

Calum came over, he was obviously angry with Luke. He was fuming, to be honest. Luke couldn't find himself to care. His eyes never left the photos.

"Great job, Luke! Ashton's gone! You're one shitty boyfriend," he snorts, crossing his arm, favouring his good foot.

"I'm sorry" is all Luke said. "I'm a shitty person," he adds, laying on the bed. Calum groans, sitting beside him, "You are at times, Luke. I love you, but damn, kid. Not saying goodbye to your own boyfriend?"

Luke didn't reply after that. Just cried. Hard. His head was on Calum's lap as the olive-skinned boy ran his fingers through his blond hair. "Call him. If he breaks up with you, it's your fault, but at least you can settle things," Calum says.

"I'll leave. Do something," Calum says softly. Luke sat up, nodding slowly. "I suppose your right," the blond whispers.

So, after Calum left, he called Ashton, which went straight to voicemail. Great. His phone was already off. So, Luke fell asleep. He wanted to run away, wake up and forget this all happened.

He didn't. He remembered it all too well.

-

Ashton stood in the security line for a good 30 minutes, so he had a conversation with the guy in front of him. He was flying to London for a job interview at Google, which was pretty exciting for him, to be honest.

He congratulated Ashton on his acceptance before they had to take off their shoes for the metal detector. Ashton put his carry-on bag with his phone, watch and shoes into the CT scanner before walking through the metal detector. After he was clear, he got his things before slipping hid shoes back on.

Ashton checked his gate on his ticket before looking at the signs, following it to my section. He put the paper in his pocket before walking down the long, long room.

He still had 20 gates to walk by, so he glanced around at the other gates. There were loads of other people, varieties of different races, hair colours, heights, genders. Then there was Ashton, one of the most stereotypical looking person you could ever think of.

"Wait!" A voice screamed from behind him. Ashton froze, his tracks stopping as he slowly turned around. His heart drops when he sees it's a man, probably in his early 30's running towards him. "You dropped your ticket." He was out of breath, shoulders slumping with every breath. He had brown hair that fell across his forehead, while his buttoned-up flannel was wrinkled.

"Thank you," Ashton tells him, taking his ticket from him gingerly, smiling gratefully at him. The brunette smiled, showing crevasses that were dimples. "Have a lovely flight," he says, before turning to leave.

"You also!" Ashton calls after him as he's walking away. Why did he actually think it was going to be Luke? This wasn't a fairy tale. It was real life. He was actually leaving for at least 4 years, and there was nothing Luke could do to change that.

When he made to his gate, he stopped, looking at the words on the largemonitor with a smile on his face.

Manchester, England.
Flight 0164
Departure Time: 1:23

They were just starting to board. Ashton took in a deep breath, before exhaling with all of his might. This was it. Good bye, Sydney. Good bye, Michael. Good bye, Calum. Good bye, Carter. Good bye, Ryder. Good bye, Blue Streaks. Good bye, Roland. Good bye, everyone.

It was time for things to change.

Ashton didn't know if it was for the better, the worse, but he didn't care. He was going to change himself into a better person.

But, change can happen to everyone.