"It's Not Worth It If It's Easy" //5sos

^19^

  It was the next day, and Calum had to go to the doctor's, so Annie requested he drop her off at the boys' house so she'd have someone to be around. Michael was out, and Ashton was cleaning, so Annie went ahead and sat on Luke's bed, pestering him.

  "Come on. Let's do something. It's almost noon, why are you still in bed?"

  Luke groaned, rolling over.

  "You're being boring," Annie critisized, flopping over his legs dramatically. "We could play videogames. I'm getting pretty good at them. I beat Michael at that one stupid racing game back in Aussieland." Annie tapped her chin, considering before calling "Auzzie Auzzie Auzzie!"

  "Oi Oi Oi!" Ashton called back from the kitchen excitedly.

  Luke didn't reply, just burrowing deeper into his comforters.

  Annie listened to the happy footsteps coming down the hallway before Ashton poked his head in Luke's room, smiling widely. "I saw this one post once that whenever someone says 'Auzzie Auzzie Auzzie' I wake up and say 'Oi Oi Oi! It's weird, but it would explain why I talk in my sleep." He grinned at Annie, before glancing at Luke. His smile faded. "Luke, come on. It's time to get up."

  Luke mumbled something into his pillow, not moving.

  "You need to get your meds."

  Annie sat up slightly, watching Luke worried. Slowly he turned his head, just enough so he could say more clearly, "I'll take them here."

  "No." Ashton stepped further into the room, crossing his arms. "Come on, get up. You can't stay in bed all day."

  He didn't make any attempt to get out of bed, instead holding perfectly still, Luke's chest still as he held his breath, waiting for Ashton to do something. Annie could almost read his mind, just waiting for Ashton to yell at him, or leave, or both. Instead Ashton waited, waited, before walking over to the bed and flipping the covers off, exposing Luke's half bare body to the cold air and grabbing his ankles.

  "Hey!" Luke declared, trying to pull away, but it was too late. Annie jumped off as Ashton dragged Luke to the edge of the bed, carefully pulling him to the ground and dragging. "Oww," Luke groaned, trying to kick him weekly. "Ashton, ow. Rug burn. OW."

  Frustrated, Ashton let go, pushing Luke's legs away. "Get up. Come on, you can't keep doing this, just get up! Every day Luke, every day?"

  Luke lay on the floor, eyes squeezed shut.

  "Come on Luke! What are you doing, get up, come on!"

  "Ash..." Annie started saying, from where she stood in the doorway.

  He shook his head. "I can't- I can't do this." Turning on his heel, Ashton stormed to the garage, grabbing his keys off the rack.

  Annie was frozen for a second before realizing what he was doing. He was going to his car.

  She hadn't told anyone how much Luke's... attempt had affected her. She'd imagined how the whole thing must have played out, and it only made her nightmares worse. Annie didn't sleep every night anymore- she couldn't handle those nightmares every 24 hours.

  In her mind, she imagined Luke's face growing dark, then blank, the way it does when he's hiding his emotions. Then he stormed out the door to his car where he drove to the bridge and sat on the edge and got ready to jump.

  In her mind, she'd imagined him rushing over to the door, angry and irrational. Just like Ashton was doing now.

  "Ashton!"

  He ignored her, grabbing his coat and slinging it over an arm without looking back.

  "Ashton!" Annie snatched his other arm away, forcing him to look at her.

  Ashton was surprised, but he looked at her for a brief moment before shaking her off. "Go away. I just want to be alone."

  "I bet Luke just wanted to be alone when he drove to that bridge," she hissed through gritted teeth, hoping that Luke couldn't hear her. "You don't drive when you're angry, you just don't."

  He was frozen in some sort of shock. "Annie," Ashton muttered, his voice low and threatening, "stop it. Don't you dare bring that up, don't you dare-"

  "I don't care," she growled. "Go to your room. Or one of the other rooms, or the living room, I don't care, just don't leave. Please, you can't- don't-"

  Her voice was stuck in the back of her throat, but finally Ashton nodded. "Fine. I'm... I'm done."

  He shook her off, striding to his room and closing the door loudly. Annie's eyes watched sadly before falling to where Luke still lay on the floor.

  "Why don't you do anything?" she whispered, her emotions coming up her throat. "Why won't you... just... why can't you..."

  He didn't respond, just squeezed his eyes tighter and exhales sharply, so sharply she wondered if it hurt his throat.

***********************************

  "Do you two do anything but watch movies?" Calum chuckled.

  He'd walked in to them watching titanic. They were only halfway through, and both of them looked like their eyes were open against their will.

  Annie had gotten Luke to eat- he wasn't hungry apparently, and just wanted a few bland vegetables- and then gotten Ashton to unlock the medicine cabinet so she could get him his anti-depressants. It didn't do much to the casual viewer, but Annie chose to believe that it helped him feel better, even if her didn't show it.

  Now they sat wrapped in a blanket on his bed, watching the movie on Luke's laptop as they cuddled under the blankets.

  Was Luke ever going to be normal again?