Luke's POV
I haven't spoken to Ashton all week, not even in class. He just puts in his headphones or completely ignores me. He's been skipping out on tutoring too. I feel like I should say something but then again maybe he just needs his space. Today he's not at school at all, or at least I haven't seen him. A part of me wonders what happened to make him act this way but the other half is telling me not to care.
When I walked into biology, Ashton was sitting at our table and my heart started to pick up speed. Why would he come to the last class of the day? I walked slowly to the back of the classroom and slumped down into my seat. When I looked over at Ashton, my chest went tight with concern. He looked so tired. His eyes were sunken and there were dark circles under them. His face was drained of any emotion like he hadn't slept in days. He was in a gray hoodie with the hood covering his messy brown curls.
I was about to speak but the bell cut me off and our teacher talked the majority of the time. I was getting antsy for answers so I ripped out a piece of notebook and scribbled a note on it. I slid it over to Ashton and he read it with his eyebrows pulled together and his lips in a pout. He didn't even look at me and he shoved the note into his pocket. Okay, so he didn't want to talk to me. What did I do to him?
The bell rang and Ashton shot out of his chair like it was a cannon. I did my best to keep up with him through the crowded hallway but to no avail. I sighed and went to Calum's locker where he was leaving his textbooks for the weekend.
"Hey Lukey, wanna hang out tonight?" Calum chirped.
"Sure Cal, my house or yours?" I asked feeling like I needed my mind off Ashton.
"Yours, you have the better TV." He chuckled and I forced myself to follow along.
"You'll be over after practice right?" I asked.
"Yeah, well I gotta go. I'll see you in a bit Lukey." Cal squeezed my shoulder and headed off.
"Bye Cal." I whispered to no one but myself.
I sighed and turned to walk down the hallway but I ran into something hard.
"Shit Luke I'm sorry." Michael said, grabbing my arm to keep me from falling over.
"It's okay Michael." I tried to smile. I stepped around him to continue along my path but his arm caught mine.
"Are you okay Luke?" He asked. His face looked concerned.
"Yeah." I said and Michael raised an eyebrow. "Okay, no I'm not." I admitted.
"Is it Ashton? Look Luke, he's not the easiest person to get to know but if you really care, you have to push your way into his life. Otherwise he will just push you away." Michael explained.
"What should I do?" I asked suddenly feeling nervous.
"Call him, text him or better yet come over and see him tonight." Michael said touching my shoulder again.
"But Calum and I- why don't you guys come over and watch movies with Calum and I tonight?" I offered and Michael smiled.
"Will there be food?" Michael smirked and I laughed.
"Of course there will be food." I said and Michael laughed too.
"Deal. Hey do you need a ride home? I'm sure the bus has already left." Michael pointed out that we were still in the hallway way past the time school got out.
"Uh yes. I mean if it's not too much trouble." I said and Michael rolled his eyes.
"Luke you live right next door, come on." Michael ushered me to follow him out of the school and to his car.
He wasn't the best driver. He liked to speed down the road and slam on his breaks a lot but anyone is a better driver than Jack. The radio wasn't super loud but I was too nervous to talk to Michael. I'm so bad at making conversation.
"So I don't want to sound super creepy but I watched your cover on YouTube the other day." He said and I turned to look at him in surprise.
"You what?" I asked in disbelief.
"I looked up All Time Low covers and yours popped up so I watched it. It was really good Luke don't be embarrassed." He must've noticed my red cheeks from across the car.
"Thank you." I said, barely audible.
"Have you ever thought of starting a band? I play guitar and sing too, we could find some other guys too." Michael said and my mind went straight to my dreams. Of course I have thought about starting a band, Calum and I have talked about it for years now.
"Calum plays the guitar too, he could bass." I said and Michael's face lit up like a Christmas tree.
"Seriously? Dude how about I bring my guitar over tonight and we just have a jam session. Or you two come over to my house, my basement is huge!" Michael offered and I suddenly felt super excited.
"Sounds awesome!" I said and Michael smiled.
"Be there at like 6 and we can play FIFA and shit too." Michael said. We we pulled into his driveway and we both climbed out of the car.
"Oh god Cal is gonna love you, he's the king of FIFA." I said with a small laugh and Michael laughed along. Michael walked towards his door and I walked towards my house.
"Sound sick, see you soon Luke." He said as we parted ways. I gave him a small wave and made my way home.
My house was empty but I still made my way up to my room. I pushed open the door and let out a scream (that was probably really girly) when I saw Ashton sitting on my bed. I was angry because he had been ignoring me but also a little freaked out that he was in my room.
"Ashton what the hell are you doing here?" I snapped and he flinched.
"Luke just hear me out, I don't have long to explain because I have to be at work soon." He explained and the anger inside me beat out all the other emotions.
"You ignore me all week and then you want me to listen to you?" I spat.
"Luke damn it just listen to me!" He yelled. I crossed my arms over my chest and waited impatiently for him to explain.
"I'm sorry that I've been ignoring you this week. I guess I just got to thinking about how you are too good for me and how I would hold you back. I mean you are top of your class and I'm barely scraping by." He explained and his face looked defeated. How would he have known that? He was fine at dinner the other night until my moms questions and...my mom. This is her doing, now it all makes sense.
"Ashton, did my mom say something to you?" I asked and his eyes went wide.
"S-she just told me to stay away from you because I got you in trouble more than once and I'm a bad influence on you." He said and his face screwed into a pained look.
"That's not true!" I shouted at no one in particular.
"But it is true! It's so fucking true." Ashton whispered the last part.
"No it isn't! I'm the one who made those decisions, not you." I explained. Ashton still looked like a whipped puppy.
"I'm sorry I ran away instead of talking to you, it's kinda what I do." He admitted with a small shrug.
"Have you slept at all this week Ashton?" I asked suddenly and Ashton's gaze snapped up to look at me with his tired hazel eyes.
"No, I couldn't. I just felt so guilty. And I was trying to think of the ways I could change for you." He said and I felt even angrier at my mother.
"Do not change for me or for anybody for that matter. I like that you are adventurous and do crazy things. I've always wanted to just be free and let loose and I can with you." I admitted, closing the gap between us.
"I'm not a good person Luke and there's so much shit I wish I didn't do." He said.
"Well none of that matters now." I said and wrapped the shorter guy in a hug. He buried his head into my shoulder and let out a sigh of relief.
"I've missed you. How fucking cheesy it's only been a week and I missed you." He said and I laughed softly.
"I've missed you too Ash." I breathed. He pulled away and smirked at me. "What are you looking at Irwin?" I challenged.
"No one ever calls me Ash, except Michael." He said.
"Is that a bad thing?" I asked, feeling like a school kid in trouble.
"No I like to hear it from you." He whispered placed a kiss on my cheek.
"Get to work." I whispered back and Ashton giggled.
"I'll see you later?" It was more of a question.
"Yeah, Michael invited me and Cal over." I said and Ashton smiled.
"Well I'll see you when I get off work then." He winked and climbed out my window.
I fell back into my bed with a deep sigh. How could my mother say those awful things to Ashton? He's a really nice guy and a great friend to me. I'm not trying to friendzone him I'm just still new to this whole being interested in a guy thing. My mom doesn't even know I like Ashton like that, or does she? This is all so annoying, my mom needs to give Ashton a chance. He's the first friend that I've had besides Calum in years! Maybe I'll say something to her later.
I exhaled all my anger and decided to make another quick cover. Calum wouldn't be here for at least another thirty minutes so I've got the time. I decided on You Found Me by the Fray and started strumming the chords. I sung my heart out on this cover because I felt the song was very relevant to me and Ashton.
I had even more views and comments this time and I stared at the screen in disbelief. People actually liked my singing. I was reading comments when I heard my bedroom door open. I slammed my lap top shut and turned around in my chair to see Calum in the door way.
"Were you watching porn?" He asked with a smirk and my face heated in embarrassment.
"No! I was not watched porn!" I shouted in disbelief and Calum raised his hands in defense.
"Okay whatever you say. So I got your text to bring my guitar, what's going on?" He said sitting his case down.
"We are gonna go have a jam session with Michael." I said packing my guitar into its own case.
"The guy with all the colors in his hair?" Calum asked with his face scrunched up.
"Yes Cal, he has FIFA." I said and Calum's face lit up.
"Well hell Lukey what are we still standing here for?" He said enthusiastically, grabbing his guitar and running out of my room.
I laughed and rolled my eyes at my best friend. My hand gripped my case and I shut my bedroom door behind me. I just hoped our jam session went well.
>>>>
Idk how I feel about this one..
Maybe I'll add another chapter tonight to show what happens at their jam session...
I need some major conflicts in this plot to make it work so I'm brainstorming hard core...
Ashton may get a little bad here soon...
Until I update again :)