Disconnected ; Lashton

7. Hitchin' a Ride

I'm woken up in the morning by a text, from Ashton obviously. When I see his contact name pop up, I wish I had a photo of him for it. Maybe I can ask him for one today? If I can even manage to gather the courage.

'good morning! bring the song we wrote with you today. I'll pick you up in like ten.'

Ten minutes?! I check the time and see that I accidentally slept in. If my mum didn't wake me up, she must've slept in too. I can't be mad at her about that, she needs as much sleep as she can get. I should've set my alarm! But then that probably would've woken both of us.

I jump out of bed, not getting tangled in my sheets this time, and rush to the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash up. There's not going to be time for me to do my hair so I put a beanie over it and throw some jeans and a hoodie on. I feel a little stupid without my hair done, but I'll live. I look out my bedroom window just as Ashton pulls up outside so I hurry to fish my notebook out of my backpack. When I find the page with our song on it I fold it up and put it in my back pocket then hurry outside. I didn't get a bite to eat, but it's already near noon so too late for breakfast anyways. Brunch, maybe? Nah, I'm going to Michael's house and he definitely doesn't look like a brunch person. More like monster energy and pizza at any time of the day person.

Ashton opens my door for me from inside of the car and I climb in.

"You look good in a beanie." I make a mental note to wear a beanie more often as Ashton turns his music down a little. I mess with my Nirvana wristband and look at his matching one, still on his arm with the rest of his bracelets. Ashton drives through a neighborhood that I think I've passed before on the way to school.

"We don't need to pick up Calum since he lives right next door to Michael, convenient right? Maybe not for Calum so much, though. I love Michael but living next door to him would be hell! Imagine finding him raiding your fridge every day- eh, guess Calum doesn't mind too much since it's Michael." I know I wouldn't mind having a constantly empty fridge if it meant I got to live next door to Ashton, but it's different for me than for Calum since I have a crush on Ashton.

When we get to Michael's house, Ashton enters without knocking and I follow him in with apprehension. Michael comes running out from what I would assume is the kitchen with a slice of pizza in his mouth. Calum follows shortly after. Michael says something that sounds like 'ashin' with the pizza muffling his speech as he pulls Ashton into a hug. Then, to my surprise, he does the same to me. I'm stiff in the hug but I don't mind it at all- I've found that I quite like being hugged by a friend, although Ashton is the only one who's hugged me thus far, and I don't know if pulling me into his side like he did in music class counts as a hug? I'll think of it as one regardless. Michael lets go of me and swallows his food down.

"We bought pizza!" He announces.

"Really? I couldn't tell." Ashton says sarcastically. Just as Michael is about to say something back, a woman who somewhat resembles Michael enters the room.

"Ashton! Good to have you- and you!" She spots me and I start stepping on my foot from the sudden attention.

"You must be Luke, right?" She asks. I didn't think she'd know my name so it's a little weird to hear her say it, but Michael must've told her. I nod my head and offer my hand out for her to shake it- that's the right thing to do in this situation, right? Apparently not, though, since she ignores my hand completely to go straight in for a hug. I look at Ashton for help over her shoulder and he just shrugs as he holds in a laugh.

"Mum, stop suffocating my friend!" Michael jokes. Hearing Michael call me his friend comes as a happy surprise- I don't think I'll ever get used to being called that, by anyone.