Bathroom Stalls :: Cake

2.2

luke sat on the couch across from ashton, a hot mug of coffee burning in between his hands and a thin blanket wrapped around him. it had been a while since he had been here, but it felt like a second home to him. all the nights he used to spend here when ashton and him were kids, the imaginary adventures they had went on in the backyard, the spent most of his days here until his family decided to move hours away from ashton's, the two rarely being able to see each other after that.

ashton had asked luke to explain everything to him, starting from when calum and him started to go out, to where he was now.

"i don't get it." ashton said, scratching his light stubble, his eyebrows furrowing.

"what don't you get?" luke asked, taking a sip of the scorching coffee.

"if he loves you, why isn't he trying to get better. why is he just pushing you away like that? it's not fair to you. you've been giving him everything."

"i don't know. i love him, but i just don't know what's going on." he replied, his voice cracking towards the end.

Ashton sighed, "i don't think I'd ever treat my girlfriend like that after an incident so serious. and after what happened to you- i'd be more concerned with you than myself."

luke sighed, setting his coffee gently down on the table, "i mean, i don't blame him. he thought he killed someone when he really didn't, he got scared. he pushed everything away."

"but do you realize that you had to endure worse things then he had to?" ashton asked, putting a hand on Luke's knee for reassurance, "all he had to do was get a few good, you had to go through the pain that the tate guy or whatever put you through. he what- beat you, manipulated you, and then fucking touched you in the wrong way? that's way worse, and i'm sorry that you had to go through so much. calum should be the one supporting you after all of this, not the other way around."

"maybe i should have just talked to him before i just fucking up and left without a warning" luke groaned, sinking into the couch further, "he has no idea where i am right now."

ashton sat up slowly, crouching down by the fireplace and lighting it, kneeling in front of it with his hands outstretched while it grew, "i mean, i guess it would be better to just let him fix up himself a little- but some things don't always work out unless you talk through them."

"so what exactly are you suggesting i do?"

ashton turn to face luke, his lips pursed into a straight line, "you know what im suggesting."

luke knew as well, but it was something he knew he didn't want to do. what if calum totally hated him and didn't want to be with him anymore?

no. calum didn't hate him. not after everything.

"ash-"

"look luke, I've always been there for you, and i still am. please- just do this."

luke didn't respond, his eyes peering down into his lap as he pulled his guitar playing callouses from the tips of his fingers.

"remember that time when you just turned seven and i was nine?" ashton continued, "the time we climbed that tree?"

luke nodded absentmindedly, "yeah, i remember."

"and do you remember what happened?"

...

frail hands gripping the thick and flaky bark of the tree, knees scraped and raw, small arms and fingers trying their hardest to pull him up, he found his way onto the first branch. as he looked down, the ground seemed to sway before him and his stomach dropping to the sight of the ground many feet below him. bright blue eyes frantic, messy blonde hair falling into his eyes, "ashton, i don't think i can go any higher.."