Medicine || Lashton 5 seconds of summer

Chapter 2

"Maybe I should cry for help

Maybe I should kill myself."

Sail -Awolnation

-

Calum watched as Luke walked right passed him. It's Friday, the first week of school, and Luke has already missed three days.

Calum knows Luke is pissed, but it won't end bad. It shouldn't. So Calum grabs Luke's arm as he walks by, "Hey. Why weren't you at school yester- dude what happened to your jaw?"

Luke kind of looked defeated but he built his wall back up, "Nothing."

Calum drags Luke away from there morning group, "Dude, it's fucking bruising."

Luke sighed, "It was Dustin. I just- he came home Monday night, high off pills and after he and my mom fucked he just got pissed and took it out on me."

Luke saw the sympathy in Calum's eyes and looked at the ground. He didn't want sympathy because he was fine. He can handle it.

"Seriously Luke? This is the the fourth time that he's done this. Call someone."

By someone Calum means child protection services. But Luke was not going to call them. He's not gonna be locked up in some orphanage and getting adopted. He's already been to a foster home and he honestly doesn't feel like going back.

"I'm not gonna call anyone, Calum. It was just one hit." Lie.

Calum was quiet.

"I gotta go, I have some stuff to work on."

Calum nodded and watched Luke run away, slightly disappointed in himself and his best friend.

-

Seventh period is here and Ashton couldn't be any less happy. He's just so ready to go home and sleep. No more dealing with these (in all honesty asshole) kids.

So sixth period left and Ashton did what he always did which was stand outside of his classroom, and wait for all of 7th period.

When they got in he said, "Good afternoon guys. Get started on your bell ringers and I'll go over it shortly."

Which translates to, 'Good afternoon guys. Start talking then copy down my answers.'

Everyone started chatting, but Luke was the loudest. He was excited about something, Ashton could tell. But he didn't know what.

So Ashton went over there, "Hey, it's Luke right?"

"Right." Luke said reluctantly.

"Mhm, we'll I noticed that you've been gone for the past three days."

Ashton saw something in Luke's eyes change. It went from cocky and confident to scared. Ashton almost felt bad.

"I just think you could use this time to catch up."

Luke's eyes changed again, "Well I'm going to Calum's to catch up this weekend."

"You are?" Calum chuckled.

Luke laughed at Calum before turning his gaze back to Mr. Irwin.

"Yeah."

Ashton thought for a moment, "Well do you think you could stay after class? just for an hour?"

"We'll I suppose," Luke drug out. "If you really want me to."

Ashton chuckled, and returned back to the front of the room.

-

Ashton watched as Luke practiced his math. Well it wasn't really practice. Luke, Ashton noticed, was already good at math if not perfect. He didn't even need this hour of tutoring.

"Why do you have a bruise on your jaw?"

Maybe it was none of his business, and it was childish, but he had to know. He literally craved the answer.

Luke stopped writing but stared at his paper.

"Uh, nothing."

"That's so weird! My jaw bruises on it's own too." Ashton said sarcastically.

Luke chuckled and leaned back, "Hah yeah."

Ashton was a little disappointed, so he kept going. He nudged Luke, "C'mon man, what really happened?"

Is he trying to hard to be casual?

"I got into a fight," he said lowly.

"With who?"

Luke hesitated on tell the truth. But how does he even know if he can trust a teacher? "No one important really. It was this kid that lived on my street. He was just being a jerk."

"Oh," was all that Ashton said.

Eventually Luke's hour was up, and it was time for him to leave. But in all honesty he didn't want to leave. Yeah, he was going to Calum's. But eventually he'll have to go back home. And he doesn't want to go back.

"See you Monday Mr. Irwin. Have a good weekend," Luke weakly smiled.

"You too Luke. Don't forget about the makeup work. If you need any help just email me." Ashton smiled and watched as Luke walked out of the room. He then collected all of his papers, checked the last of his emails, and took one last look at his room.

After shutting the lights down and locking the door, Ashton left the building. It was getting dark and he couldn't help but notice the small orange glow in the distance. It rose up then back down after being flicked. Ashton quickly realized that it was Luke, and he would have went and said something if his ride didn't pull up. But the longer he waits to say something, the more he knows he wouldn't.