Streaker.

29

"Yeah, of course." Ashley nodded.

"Do you really mean that?" Luke questioned.

"Yeah." Ashley said, nodding again. "Why would I lie to you?"

"I don't know, to make me feel better?" Luke questioned. He thought that Ashley was lying to him, and that she was just telling him that he'd done a good job because she knew how insecure Luke was. He wanted her to be honest.

"You did a good job for your first time." Ashley shrugged, laying back down on the bed and pulling Luke with her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and she turned around so her chest was pressed against his.

"I'll-I'll be better next time." Luke said nervously. Now he just felt bad, like he'd done something wrong. It wasn't his fault that he was inexperienced.

"Okay, Luke." Ashley laughed, lacing her fingers with Luke's again.

"I thought that I would feel a lot different about this." Luke whispered, kissing Ashley's neck again. "I mean, I kind of expected to feel like a completely different person."

"So did I." Ashley sighed.

"Really? You've done this before." Luke questioned, not understanding.

"Yeah, but not with someone like you." Ashley said softly. She paused for a minute, waiting a while before she spoke again. "I just made this super awkward, didn't I?"

"No, no, you didn't." Luke assured her. He did feel kind of awkward, though, and he didn't know what to do about it.

"You did a good job, really." Ashley said, leaning in and pressing a quick kiss to Luke's lips. "I'm actually kind of impressed."

"Yeah, porn taught me a lot." Luke shrugged. That was honestly his only explanation, and Luke knew that the only way he was ever going to get through sex was because of the knowledge he'd gathered over his years of watching lots of porn by himself in his bedroom.

"I'm glad." Ashley laughed, rolling her eyes.

They both laughed for a minute and then slowly faded into silence, neither of them knowing what they were supposed to say anymore. It was awkward, and Luke couldn't figure out why.

"Do you think this is okay?" Luke wondered out loud, breaking the silence.

"What do you mean?" Ashley asked. She looked up at Luke, using her index finger to trace around one of the hickeys she'd left on his neck. He was definitely going to have to find a way to cover that up before his mom saw.

"Is it normal for us to both feel a little awkward about this?" Luke asked, nervously awaiting Ashley's response.

"I mean, I think every relationship gets a little awkward sometimes." Ashley said slowly, seeming a little hesitant. "This isn't going to be some ridiculous thing you see in the movies where the couple is constantly saying how much they love each other."

"Okay, I guess you're right." Luke nodded, feeling a little better about the whole thing now. He wondered if Ashton had ever felt awkward after doing something like this with Charlie, or if Michael ever had second thoughts after fucking a girl, or if Calum and Amy ever talked about this same thing.

"Luke?" Ashley said softly, twisting her fingers in the hair at the nape of Luke's neck.

"Yeah?" He asked, his eyes closed. He was pretty peaceful at the moment, finally feeling relaxed for the first time since earlier that afternoon.

"Do you remember anything from the other night?" Ashley whispered.

"What might?" Luke questioned. There were a lot of nights that Luke couldn't remember anymore because he'd gotten so drunk, and even though he felt bad about it, he didn't care. He'd rather be drunk and sad than sober and sad.