Finals day. The first of many. And by many, it's just 5. So not that many. Luke felt prepared and ready which was good. It gave him some confidence. He hadn't seen Ashton all morning though, which worried him a bit, but shook it off because he needed to focus on his finals.
Since it's finals week, the rest of the week they got out early, so they don't have finals all day. So they can relax.
In the meantime, Ashton, Michael, and Ricky, were outside the school waiting for Mason to come to school since he doesn't have a first class. When they saw a car pull up, they knew it was time. So swiftly, but cautiously, they all grabbed him from behind, putting something over his head so he couldn't see. Then they dragged him to the back of the van they arrived in. Ashton's dad picked up his car keys he dropped in the commotion and dropped it back at his house, where he got the information from his police friends.
Making sure no one saw, they left and back to Ashton's parents house, tying him to a chair in his basement. "Okay we got him here, you get something useful. We have finals, if I must remind you, we need to do this to graduate dad."
Reluctantly, his dad let him, Michael and Ricky go while he handled Mason. Rushing to school so Luke wouldn't get worried at where they are, they made it to their second class on time. Which is one they had together.
"Hey Ash." Luke smiled and casually kissed his lips as part of the greeting. "Hey baby."
The only reason why Ashton even came to his class was because Luke made him. He also let him use his notecards to study, which he did. He glanced at them, but as if Luke was watching him, he texted him 'you better be studying' so Ashton did. He actually did, because of that, he felt pretty confident going into class.
"Once you are done with your final, you are free to leave, but make sure you hand me your paper before doing so." Their teacher spoke as he handed out the papers. "You may begin."
Luke flew through the question pretty quickly, which was expected, so it was no surprise when he was the first one done within a reasonable amount of time. But no one expected Ashton to be the second one done shortly after Luke. People thought he must've guessed, not caring about his grade whatsoever.
Since they were the first two done, the teacher started to look at them and noticed something suspicious. "Ashton and Luke, can I talk to you guys outside?" The two both gave each other a confused look while following them out.
"Is there anything you want to tell me Mr.Irwin?" He asked crossing his arms. Ashton couldn't give him an answer, because he didn't know what to say. "Explain to me why you have almost the same answers as Luke. Did you cheat?" He asked.
"No I didn't. I swear." Ashton told him, but he wasn't buying it. "Sir, he didn't cheat, I let him use my notecards so he can study. I-I wouldn't let him cheat either, please believe us." Luke pleaded. "Ashton go back inside."
"Okay Luke, you can be honest with me now."
"Sir with all due respect, I-I promise you, Ashton didn't cheat. I've been helping him study." Still, the teacher didn't buy it. "Look, of course you're going to side with him, you guys are dating am I right?"
"Well yes, but that has nothing to do with it. You know me. I'm a good student, you know I wouldn't let anyone cheat, even my boyfriend. You also know that I like to help people, which means I helped Aston study. The answers are almost the same because he used my notecards which I wrote. He studied off those."
"Okay. But if I find out he did cheat, you guys will be in big trouble. There will be serious consequences. You guys are free to go."
Luke texted Ashton saying that they could leave and it wasn't long before he came out the door with Luke's bag. Of course, he was annoyed, more so than Ashton because he judged him on his academic ability, he didn't know him like Luke did, he knew Ashton was super smart, he just didn't show it at school.
"You okay?" He asked cautiously. "I guess." Luke responded with a snappy tone. "No you're not. Tell me what happened."
"I just got annoyed because he didn't believe you. He didn't think you were actually capable of doing your own test. He thinks you're stupid, how can that not bother you?" Ashton sighed while taking his hands into his large ones. "It did bug me. A lot actually at first, but...dealing with it my four years here teachers do that a lot and in the beginning, yes, it did get to me like how it's getting to you right now, but then over time, when I realized things will never change, I just accepted it. Which is part of the reason why I don't try, they won't believe me anyways, so I just thought what's the point?" He explained.
Luke frowned at his explanation. "He thought I let you cheat cause you're my boyfriend. He doesn't know you like I do, I know you're super smart Ash, you just don't show it though."
"There's a reason for that baby, don't worry about it though, besides, the day you let someone cheat off you is the day pigs fly." He joked. "Don't worry about it, we're graduating soon anyways." Luke smiled with a nod. "Thank God."
-
They went to Luke's house because they couldn't risk him finding Mason. But his dad called, said they needed him, he lied to Luke about where he was going. Lied. Sort of. Ashton told him it was something to do with what was happening, so Luke didn't even want to go, but everything was for his own good. Everything.
Ashton raced over there, literally, going 5 miles over the speed limit, getting there in under 5 minutes. "Well it's about time." Michael spoke as he walked in the basement.
He looked at Mason tied to the chair, he was bleeding all over the place. From his mouth, ears, arms, stomach, legs, even his head. His lip was swollen, along with one of his eye, he had a busted cheekbone, you could see bone Ashton was sure, maybe one of his wrists were broken, or is was just that out of place normally. But he doubts it.
"You guys didn't save me any of the fun." He joked with a pout. "Trust me you're gonna want all the fun when you hear what he told us."
"Who is the other mole in the school?" Michael asked harshly gripping his face, so he could look at them. With a wince in pain he spoke. "S-Shawn." Ashton's face dropped as he grabbed a knife and held it on Masons skin, he dragged it up his arm slowly to make sure he felt the pain.
Vertical.
He knew when he had gone too far, when he knew he was dying. It wasn't close, he wanted to torture him.
At Luke's house, it was quiet. Too quiet. Andrew was at work, he had the graveyard shift, Ashton told Luke he'd be back, but that was a little over an hour ago. Almost 2, which worried him, but he didn't want to to text or call just so he wouldn't disrupt him.
Then a knock formed at the door, thinking it was Ashton, he skipped happily to answer it, but his face froze in fear when he saw who it actually was. "W-what're you doing here Shawn?" He asked. Instead of an answer, all he got was a creepy smile.
Shawn inched closer to Luke who kept backing up which made him inside his house and he locked the door. As he was going to run, Shawn grabbed his wrist tightly pulling him back. "Oh, if you thought I was done with you, you were sadly mistaken. The fun has just begun." He threw Luke against the wall, gripping his throat tightly, he hovered closely over his lips. "You have know idea how long I've been waiting to tear you away from Ashton. You have belonged with me ever since we got together. Don't you forget that."
Luke whimpered in fear and in pain at his throat, he needed to do something anything, so he kneed him in the groin. Shawn fell and Luke booked it, not very far though, since hands wrapped around his ankles making him fall down, just like at the park. The deja vu hit him hard, this time, no matter how much he kicked, he wouldn't let go. Shawn stood up and kicked him in the stomach making him stop fighting. "You can try to run, but you won't get very far. I'll promise you that."
Shawn flipped Luke over so he was on his stomach, laying on the cold floor of his own house, then he ripped his shirt open. "It would be such a shame if these scars...reopened."
"But I want to have more fun first." Shawn grabbed one of the chairs from the kitchen making him sit on it, using his shirt to tie his wrists and ankles. "Please, d-don't do this Shawn."
"You know I can't do that. But I love you begging for me, so please, keep going." He fake pouted as he threw a harsh punch to Luke's face. He tried his best to be strong, like Ashton. Like he always would be in situations like these. But Shawn kept repeating it over and over, only a few tears fell, but he saw right past those, he saw Luke holding in his pain.
"Oh wait, I need to get a video for this."
He held up Luke's phone and began talking. "You sure do have a strong boy of yours Ashton, look at him trying so hard to keep the pain in." He paused to zoom in on his bloody face, you could hear him hold in his tears too by the way each breath he took was shaky and the way he was whimpering. "Too bad that won't last very long." He paused again holding up a gun in frame which made Luke sob uncontrollably. Then he sent it to Ashton.
"We're not even close to being done."
Ashton was too busy beating up Mason to get more information from him to even feel his phone vibrate in his pocket. It wasn't until Mason couldn't even breathe properly when his dad told him to stop. So he let his dad talk to him and do the rest.
He opened his phone to see a video sent from Luke, curious to what it was since Luke never sent him videos, he opened it. "Oh my God." Ashton spoke grabbing everyone's attention as they huddled around his phone.
As soon as Shawn's voice boomed throughout the basement, Mason let out a low laugh, as if mocking them. Michael went ahead and punched him again making him shut up.
"Ashton go and take Michael and Ricky, the rest of us will stay here." His dad instructed. The 3 of them ran to his car, driving to Luke's house.
Ashton didn't even care that they ran through red lights, just another ticket he could pay easily. Making it to Luke's house, they burst through the door holding out their guns.
They saw Luke tied to the chair but the other way around so that his back was in clear view. Shawn was pressing a knife to Luke's old scars, but when he saw the three, he ran. "Michael, Ricky, go get that son of a bitch." He seethed.
Ashton put his gun away as he began to untie him. "A-Ashton?"
"It's just me princess, just me. I'm here now, I'm so sorry I left you for this long." He trembled. As soon as Ashton untied Luke, he immediately crumbled into his arms, sobbing. "It's okay, it's okay." He picked him up and went to the bathroom.
Lots of blood, a few cuts and bruises around his nose. Nothing broken, Ashton knows what a broken nose looks like, it wasn't it, thankfully. "Here." Ashton took off his jacket, so Luke could wear it. "You're okay now. You're okay." He whispered gently as Luke buried his face into Ashton's chest letting him cry as much as he needed, Ashton gently ran his fingers through his hair knowing it calms him down.
Michael and Ricky caught Shawn, but not without giving him a piece of their minds first, they had to take him and Luke back to Ashton's house, so they stuffed Shawn in the trunk, letting Michael drive, Ashton stayed in the back with Luke who couldn't stop shaking.
Ashton took Luke back into his room, not leaving his sight once they got there. Luke cuddled up closely to Ashton's chest while he put an arm around him. Sitting in silence, he waited for Luke to speak whenever he was ready. "I'm scared."
"I know, it's okay to be." Ashton spoke honestly as he sat criss cross across from Luke who did the same. "I don't know how you do it, y-you're so brave Ash. I-I tried to do what I thought you would do in my situation. I-it helped, but I couldn't hold it."
"That's good Luke, real good. I'm glad you learned something from me." He joked which made Luke laugh a bit. "There's that smile I love so much." He cooed which made Luke blush. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you Luke. I should've never have left you." Ashton frowned. "It's okay Ash, you can't always defend me, I needed to do something for myself."
"I love you so god damn much Luke. More than words can describe."