flipped :: lh [UNDER REVISION]

11.ashhole

There’s the certainty of uncertainty that fills Luke’s bones with every fraction of light that peers off the edge of the glass case over Aries’ shoulder. Her arms are folded over her chest, her cut band tee hanging by the sharp intake of her shoulder blade. Luke can practically see where her collarbone swoops inwards towards her chest and back out towards her arm. He tries not to stare, partially because one: Calum is already hyperaware of Luke’s attentions, and two: Ashton is standing on her right, his chin resting delicately between her shoulder and neck – really he’s noting Luke’s every move. Luke doesn’t want to mess up. Definitely doesn’t want to mess up. 

Saturday flew in on opalescent sunrises, and grey-scale night falls. Luke spent most of the spare hours alone in his room, though he didn’t pick up his guitar once throughout the afternoon he sat on his bed. His mum had inevitably caught on that, not only had Luke completely unacknowledged her when making a decision regarding where he would sleep Thursday night (something he figures all teenagers do) but, he’d also taken it upon himself to deliberately skip class on his own terms.

Needless to say, he was grounded for a week. He was to attend classes on the weekdays, and on weekends he was to help his mum sort out groceries and clean around the house. She’d even given him a lecture on what happens when teens like Luke skip class, which apparently leads to jail. Luke wasn’t quite sure how that all fit together.

On Sunday she eased up on him, letting him out with Cheryl (she came with sincerest apologies) and promised Liz she’d have him home no later than nine that night.

The time was 7:02, and Luke is sitting in a diner with his back to the plush red seat. It’s a themed diner – 50s and full of glass cases containing mementos from the decade of whomever owns the small eatery. He’s sure the name is Sally’s or Beth’s Diner or any of such names pertaining to that. He can’t remember what the pulsating carmine neon sign said because Ashton is currently death staring him across the way.

Really the night is not at all how Luke pictured.

Ashton is wearing a red bandana that stands out against his light brown (or is it blonde?) hair. He’s wearing a similar band t-shirt to Aries’, and Luke briefly wonders if they wore them to match on purpose. He has this intensity on his face that equals that of an axe murderer, or at least that’s how he’s looking at Luke in the moment.

“So,” Ashton starts, his hair is bunched up in smaller curls the brightly coloured bandana keeps catching Luke’s attention. “How’d you two meet?”

Luke shrugs a bit, he doesn’t feel like rehashing the story for a fourth time. Calum and Cheryl had enough of a laugh out of it the day he’d met them all at the ice cream shop. But telling it again for someone even more intimidating doesn’t feel like something Luke would do on a regular basis.

Ashton is opening his mouth to speak again when the waitress returns to their table. Ashton lifts his head from Aries’ shoulder, he’s smiling up at the girl and Luke almost swears he sees her blush. He can’t be too sure, she looks quite a bit older than them. She tucks a stray piece of hair behind her ear, it’s dyed an alluring lavender that makes Luke reconsider Calum’s suggestion at dying his hair a lilac. Then again he still doesn’t think he could pull it off.

“Anything to eat?” She’s holding her pen idly against the small weatherworn notebook in her hands. Luke can see her gaze flicker to Ashton every now and again.

Aries turns to Ashton and they have a silent conversation with their eyes. Ashton brings his arm to loop against Aries’ shoulder as he politely explains that he and Aries are going to share some food Luke couldn’t hear the name of. The waitress nods with a smile as she brings her attention to the remaining three.