Stuck {a.i. & l.h. fanfic}

Chapter 3

I can hear Luke running after me but I just keep rushing towards my car. I just broke up with Luke and all I want is to be in my bed eating an entire gallon of Ben and Jerrys ice cream.

"Shay! Please!" I can hear him call after me, on thrr verge of becoming breathless. He finally reaches me, which wasn't very hard. I wasn't even running. "What do you mean 'we're done'?" He asks and I can practically see the hurt and disbelief in his eyes. I turn away from him, it was too much for me.

"I don't know, Luke. I just think its better if we aren't together." I look down towards the ground as if it will alleviate the pain of the words coming out of my mouth. I didn't want to do this but it was the only way to get Ashton to stop and just leave me alone.

Maybe Luke and I just weren't worth all of the issues that come along with it.

"I don't believe that for one second. Did Ashton say something to you?" I shake my head, dumbstruck as to how Luke continues to remain blind to everything. How is it possible that he doesn't know what Ashton thinks of me by now? We have been dating for a year. He's been the witness to countless verbal attacks from Ashton. I don't understand.

"Yes Luke! Ashton has said many things to me! Lots and lots of things! And not only has he said things, but he's done things! I mean, have you seriously not seen the picture he took of me? The one he took tonight when he was spying on us?" I snap, sick of Luke not coming to my defense.

"What picture?" He asks in all seriousness. Does he honestly not know? I pull out my phone and bring up the message from Ashton and point it my phone in his direction.

"This picture." As soon as he sees it and the message registers in his mind, anger crosses his features. Finally. He knew. He knew that Ashton was a dick.

"He sent that to you?" I nod as my answer. Luke doesn't say anything for a few seconds. He was probably letting the fact that his best friend exploited his girlfriend sink in. I could see the conflicting emotions in his eyes. "I guess I'll talk to him about it tomorrow." Unbelievable. Tomorrow? Ashton was literally standing right behind us.

"Oh really? Then I stand by my statement from earlier. We are over." I turn to finish my walk back to the car. My emotions were a mess tonight.

"No please. Shay don't do this. I'll talk to him right now. I promise. I'll handle this." To prove his point, he marches right up the steps to where Ashton was standing, watching us battle out our relationship. But Luke doesn't say anything. I knew he wouldn't. He can't stand up to Ashton. He never will.

Just when I was losing my faith in Luke, he pulls his fist back and slams it right into Ashton's face, nailing him right in the nose. I gasp and automatically run forward, not sure who I was running for. Violence is never the answer. Well, I wouldn't say never. I would be lying if I said I've never thought about punching Ashton right in the dick.

"Don't you ever disrespect my girlfriend again, Ashton." Luke threatens. I wanted to feel bad for Ashton, but after the way he's treated me, I'm surprisingly ok with the fact that Luke just punched him. He deserved it. Ashton lifts his face up holding his nose, I could see the blood all the way from where I was standing. Luke really did some damage. You wouldn't expect that from a breadstick of a man.

Without saying anything else, Luke walks back to where I was, visibly conflicted about his actions. "Hey, lets go to your house ok?" He asks me. I nod still not sure of what to say after what had just happened. We walk back to my car and get in. I leave his driveway and head back to my house.

"What just happened?" I finally ask, breaking the silence. But to be honest, I'm not sure Luke entirely understood why he resorted to that.

"You said you wanted me to stand up for you." Luke shrugs, evading the obvious issue.

"Yeah but I never asked you to physically hurt him."

"You are never happy, are you? He constantly puts you down and then he takes that stupid picture of you, threatening to post it. You beg over and over for me to talk to him about it. I finally did, Shay! I've finally taken care of the problem! And now you didn't want me too do anything? I'm so fucking lost with you." He raises his voice slighty. Luke was clearly getting irritated with me. And I suppose he had a right to be.

"Well I did but I didn't mean punch him." I cringe at my own words. I was digging myself into a hole. One I wouldn't be able to get out of if I didn't stop soon.

"There is no other way with Ashton. If I would have just talked to him, he wouldn't have stopped. He would've just laughed and continued being an asshole but maybe now he'll shut up and leave you alone."

"I guess that makes sense." I pause. "But why was he even at your house?" I wonder still confused as to why Ashton was the one to answer the door earlier. Plus I wanted to drop the conversation before we started actually fighting.

Luke bites his lip, thinking about whether to answer my question or not. "He, uh, he's actually staying with me for a while."

"Oh."

"Yeah, no one really knows about it so don't say anything ok? He doesn't have anywhere else to stay right now besides a hotel, and that gets pricey after a while." Luke explains vaguely.

"Oh." I didn't know much about Ashton, no one did. He doesn't talk about his personal life and no one has ever asked. He doesn't seem like the type to open up about personal issues. But I guess if anyone would know anything, it would be Luke.

We sit in silence the rest of the drive to my house. When we finally pull into my driveway I turn to Luke.

"So whats the plan?" I ask him. I've never had Luke spend the night before and I'm not sure how my parents would take it.

"I was hoping I could stay here tonight since Ashton's at my house."

"Uh sure. We just have to sneak you past my parents. Which shouldn't be too hard. Its almost 10:30 so they're probably in bed already." The hard part would be getting him out in the morning.

"Alright cool. Thanks." He gives me a quick kiss and opens the door.