The Bet (Lashton)

Chapter 14

[for redhearts19 , thanks for all your support ❤️]

***

Luke wasn't sure what to think.

            Ashton had just dropped a bomb on him, how was he supposed to respond to that?

            "Ashton?"

            "Yeah?" He breathed, still not turning to look at Luke.

            "I was just wondering...Can we still be friends?"

            Ashton slowly spun around to face the blonde boy.

            "I'm sorry, what?"

            Luke gulped.

            "C-can we still be friends? I uhm, still like you and would like to continue hanging out, and—"

            "Didn't you just hear me?" Ashton seethed. "I told you I was only being nice to you because I was forced to. I wasn't doing it because I thought what I was doing was wrong and I wanted to make up for it. I did it to crush you,"

            Luke shrugged.

            "But you did realize it was wrong, that's why you felt so bad." Luke took a step towards him. "I don't really care about that, people make mistakes. I just think we were getting on so well, maybe we could still talk and stuff. I can look past it." He looked at Ashton so earnestly it made his heart hurt. This boy was just the most precious human he'd ever met. Why had he been so mean to him all this time?

            "Luke, you've got to have higher standards than that. I've been bullying you for like ten years, and you automatically gave me your trust. You can't do shit like that!" he shook his head. "It wouldn't be right."

            "But—"

            "No, that's it." Ashton decided. "We're not friends anymore."

            "What about in the car? Did that mean nothing to you?" Ashton gulped, looking away. "And what if that's what I want—"

            Ashton sighed. This wasn't turning out how they thought it would.

            As much as he enjoyed spending time with Luke, he knew it wasn't right. What he'd done was unforgivable, Luke shouldn't be able to look past that. If he was, then...maybe Ashton had to do something that he couldn't get over.

            "Why would I be friends with a stupid fag like you, Luke? Did you really think any of it was real? Sure, I felt bad for like, a minute, but after that, I was back to laughing with Calum and Michael behind your back about the stupid shit you did. That keychain? That was the gayest thing I've ever seen. If you don't think I told the entire school about that, then you're dumber than I thought."

            Ashton forced his face to remain impassive as the tears rolled down Luke's face.

            I'm a horrible person, Ashton thought.

            "That scene in the car? That was me sealing the deal and winning the bet. Thanks for that, by the way." He smirked, pushing the bile rising up in his throat down. He needed to seem sincere. "So get out of here, and don't talk to me again. I got what I need from you now. If you try, I swear you'll get a beating so bad you'll be in the hospital."

            Ashton held open the door as Luke's sniffles turned into sobs and he ran out of the storage closet.

            Ashton too felt like crying, but he wouldn't let himself. He hadn't cried since he was a kid and his parents told him they were getting a divorce. He wasn't about to cry over some stupid boy.