Al POV
We were going to college soon. I couldn't believe it. All those days of lounging around complaining about high school, and now we were actually going to college. I felt like my chest was going to explode any given moment.
Calum and the other boys knew of course that we were seniors right now, but I didn't think it had clicked that we were going to be moving out, possibly, that is. If we could be accepted to a university that was close to us in LA, then we would be able to stay, but it seemed impossible. Any university here would be crazy expensive, and I seriously doubted I was going to get a full scholarship. I couldn't ask Ashley's parents to pay for my tuition, they already paid for so much for me.
Cuddling with Calum, I decided that it was finally time to make him realize that I was most probably leaving soon. Calum had been distracted for the past few weeks, and every time I asked him what was wrong, he just shrugged it off. It made me anxious. Calum had always been a player. What if he was cheating on me? Or if he wanted to break up with me and go with some other girl? It would make sense, wouldn't it?
But then, as I thought about it, the other boys had been distracted too. That relieved me. It wasn't just Calum's secret. It was a secret all of them had to keep. Sure, that was worrying too, but at least Calum wasn't cheating on me.
I contented myself to telling Calum about university. At least that way, he'd see that I could be trusted, even if he couldn't. That would guilt him some, and maybe he'd confess his secret. I could only hope.
"So, uh, Cal," I started off, catching his attention.
He turned his head from the TV to me, making me more nervous to his reaction. "Yeah, hun?"
I fiddled with my fingers. "You know that I'm going to university soon, right? I've already sent out all of my applications and everything." Man, I was a good actor. Now it was his turn to tell me what he was hiding.
He suddenly woke from his daze. He moved his arm from my shoulders and put both of them on the floor so that he could sit up properly. "That's right, you are! Oh that makes things so much easier!"
Hear it came, his big secret. (There was no, "I'm going to miss you so much, babe"? Did he want me to leave?) "Makes what easier?" I feigned.
"Babe," he took my hands in his. Get on with it, I thought. "The boys and I - in a few months - we're...we're going on tour."
I opened and closed my mouth, not knowing what to say. I didn't think I would have to miss him too. I thought he would miss me so much while I was in university that he would get up and come visit me at least once a week, but now I was forced to miss him too. I wasn't planning that. But I knew my role as girlfriend, and I knew I had to be happy for him.
I smiled. "That's great, Calum!" If it was so great, then why did I have an ache in my chest?
He jumped up and down like a child who was just given ice cream. It kind of reminded me of Eddie. There was a reason I loved that little kid.
"We're on our own tour, Al! Look how far we've come!" He lay down on the floor and looked up at the ceiling dreamily.
I was happy for him, but I wished at the same time that he could just be a normal boyfriend who would miss me when I went off to college, and support me with my applications and packing and everything. But no, he would be on tour when I moved, with hundreds of thousands of girls vying for his attention, which he would probably eagerly give to them.
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Kate POV
"So you guys are officially a thing now?" Ashley asked.
I smiled fondly. "Yeah, I guess we are." I looked up at Luke and he looked down to my height. We both smiled at each other.
Ashley, being the moment-ruiner she is, squealed and hugged us both. "I take full credit for this!"
"You?" I laughed incredulously. "You didn't do this!"
She pouted childishly. "Um, I called it! But fine, I take 50% credit."
I giggled again. "If anything, I'll have to thank Rob for this. After I punch him, that is."
Luke chuckled at my violent tendencies and kissed the top of my head.
We were sitting in Ashley and Al's apartment on her couch, with her and Ashton sitting on the loveseat. Calum and Al were upstairs in her bedroom. Ashton was quiet during the entire time and I wondered why. "Hey, Ash, what's wrong?"
He looked up. "What - oh nothing. Nothing's wrong." He gave a hidden meaningful glance to Luke. Ashley didn't notice. She was too trusting. But I noticed. I saw Luke give a little nudge with his head, motioning to Ashley, but Ashton shook his head marginally.
"Hey guys," Ashley said before there was a chance for an awkward silence to ensue, "why don't I go and get Calum and Al to come downstairs, yeah?"
I agreed. "Yeah, why don't I come with you?" Ashley nodded and smiled. We walked up the stairs and were about to go to Calum and Al's room when I said, "Hey, sorry but I actually only came up here to use the restroom. It's that time of the month and I thought it would seem obvious if I kept going to the restroom downstairs."
Ashley nodded understandingly. "Got you, it's right there," she pointed to a door, "go for it. Should I wait for you after I get Calum and Al?"
I shook my head. "Don't worry, I won't take long, go ahead and get them and I'll come down afterwards."
She commenced to go to their room, while I sneakily went to the restroom, turned the light on and closed the door, then tip-toed to a place by the staircase where no one would see me if I crouched. From there, I heard everything Ashton and Luke were saying to each other.
Tour. That was the big secret. I didn't understand the head motions and eye glances. Why were they even necessary? These boys were all cowards. They didn't even have the courage to tell us they were going on tour. I shook my head as I realized something. No no no, this couldn't happen. I didn't know anyone else in Los Angeles. I cursed myself. I should have gone out and made more friends. Instead I had depended on these people younger than me and these celebrities. The girls were going to university soon. And now with the boys leaving for tour, I would practically be alone. Luke and I had just gotten together and now we were going to be apart for months. I couldn't believe he would hide this from me.
I quickly ran back to the bathroom and flushed the toilet and washed my hands for effect. When I came out, everyone was already downstairs and Ashley was wailing about how she would never see anything the same way again because she had walked in on Calum and Al making out. She was so dramatic sometimes.
As I sat down next to Luke again, I started a new conversation with everyone. "So guys, how come there haven't been any tours or songwritings or anything lately? You're on top of your game." I was so manipulative, I loved it.
Ashton looked at me with wide eyes. Luke opened his mouth and he was probably about to confess, but Ashton immediately said, "No. No tours anytime soon."
I was shocked. It seemed everyone except Ashley knew that Asthon was blatantly lying.
"That's a shame," she said. "You guys are so popular. It would be wonderful if you could go on your own tour. Can you just imagine?" Her voice raised in pitch as she got more excited and her smile widened. It looked like even Al knew that the boys were going on tour.
Luke looked at me nervously, wondering if I was mad at him for not telling me. I rolled my eyes, signaling that we would talk about it later. I wasn't really mad - that is, I was more worried. We were in a fresh relationship. He could easily say he didn't want long distance.
Caught up in the moment, I sneaked in a little peck on the lips, smirking slyly.
"Woah, guys!" Al yelled, covering Calum's eyes. "PDA!"
"You're one to talk!" Ashley barked playfully.
"You walked in on us, Ashley! That wasn't public until you decided to be rude and not knock!" Al retorted.
And somehow we were back to this conversation. In the midst of everyone mock-arguing with each other, Luke leaned over to me and gave my ear a little hidden nibble, making me giggle. "I can be spontaneous too, you know." Maybe the spontaneity would get us through the stupid tour.
**********
"Wait, wait, wait," I said, "you walked in on Jodie kissing Michael? Are you sure it wasn't the other way around? Jodie isn't exactly the first move person." I was utterly surprised and somehow weirdly proud of Jodie.
"Yes, I promise!" Ashley said, excited that her story was getting attention. It was the day after the little Ashton-lie. I was on the phone with Ashley as Luke was being annoyingly playful. He was trying to tickle me and shower me with kisses - while I was on the phone. I put my hand on the receiver and whispered, "Stop it, Luke! It's Ashley!"
Somehow Ashley had heard and whistled - or rather, tried to. She was pretty bad at whisling. "Get some later, Kate!"
I was shocked. "Ashley! I'd never expect that from you!" I giggled. I must have been a pretty bad influence on her.
"Why, what did she say?" Luke asked, curiosity getting the better of him. I told him and he actually whistled. "Tell her we don't have any time to get some later, she's always talking to you."
Ashley gasped. "How dare you! I only talk to her, like...three times a day. That is not a lot." She played along.
I, on the other hand, wanted to get back to the previous conversation. "Wait, so were they just kissing, or was it like kissing kissing?" Luke looked at me weirdly, but Ashley understood. "Kissing kissing."
"Hot damn," I said. "I'm so proud of her. It's about time they got together."
"Right?" Ashley agreed. "Okay, I have to go. Ash is being annoying. You and Luke have fun now, but not too much fun," she sing-songed cheekily.
I smiled. "Yeah, okay."
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okay so pic of rob to the side and another in color in the external link bc you need to see both to understand his eyesssss damn hunny. ((guYS JOSHUA ANTHONY BRAND NEEDS TO PLAY WILL HERONDALE IN THE INFERNAL DEVICES SERIES AM I RIGHT))
ashley x