Snapshot

CHAPTER 37

LEI'S POV

Later that night, after I've made sure Luke has left, I made my way back to Ashton's suite. I preferred looking messed-up and still shaken so the nurses would let me in even if it's a little bit after visitation time.

"ASHTON!!!" I whisper-shouted as I entered his room.

There he was, bundled up and reading a book, his back by the bed's headrest. As soon as he looked up, his smile was evident. Oh, I missed that smile. I walked over to his side and kissed his head.

"Do you know how happy I am now that you're safe?" I mumbled as I sat beside him on the bed.

"Do you know how happy I am to see you happy?" he said meaningfully.

"I know, actually. Enough for you..." I swallowed a bile in my throat, awkward that my light greeting had took its turn to a solemn and serious conversation,"...to let me go."

His eyes shone in understanding, about him basically giving me away to Luke. He made it all happen. He arranged everything for us to be okay again. Well, we haven't talked but it was his effort to clear up things.

Funny but the pain I usually see in his eyes had faded. It was just gone. He just looked really happy. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and squeezed it gently.

"You know I mean it when I say 'anything for you'," he chuckled, his turn now to kiss the side of my head.

"But, why?" I faced him, clear confusion in my eyes.

He looked at me like I was crazy.

"Are you serious? You're asking me this?" he chuckled.

"Uhhh, yeah? Because I don't know what came over you and you did this martyrdom."

"Have you looked at yourself in the mirror ever since that fucking party, Lei?"

His question caught me off guard. Was I really that miserable? Was I that too easy to read?

"I know you to the bone, Lei. You can't hide things from me, maybe you can from other people but not from me," he said, as if reading my mind.

"I would've gladly volunteered to be the one to bring back your smile but I tried and it's different. He's just the one who's able to get that breathtakingly beautiful smile that I loved to see out of you."

I was crying by the time he finished talking. Fuck this, I'm always crying. Burying my face in his chest, I feel all the worry slowly leave my system. He wrapped his arms around me and we fell asleep that way.

x

Leaving early the next day, I bid him goodbye and told him to rest up.

My phone's still dead because I haven't had time to charge it. Yesterday, after leaving the hospital to avoid Luke and Ashton, I ate Macca's at the mall nearby. My first meal in three fucking days. I ate a BFF bundle all for myself. I strolled around, while occasionally going back to the hospital to check if Luke's still with Ashton.

Now, I'm on my way to Luke's house. The time has come to face the inevitable. Well, my things are there and I honestly can't last another day with what I'm wearing. I literally stink down to my core.

Luke wasn't in, thank gods. I went to the kitchen to greet Liz and Andy, Ben and Jack also there. Seems like the penguin's the only one out.

I was passed from arm to arm as they all hugged me and said how they're all relieved to see me back here. We all ate lunch together and talked about stuff. I can feel Liz and Andy avoiding a certain subject aka Luke. I was thankful for it, shortly afterwards they let me go up, probably sensing I'm itching to take a bath.

Reaching my room, I went straight to the bathroom, heating up water for a bath. I smiled and hummed to myself as I took off my clothes. Long awaited bath, hm. I found myself humming to Halsey's Hurricane. The anticipation of what I'm about to do sends me to good spirits.

Everything's bound to be okay. Ash is okay. Michael and Mae are together. Calum is off with his family, probably off to buy him a puppy. Luke's nowhere to be seen but I want to surprise him. He didn't do anything bad after all. He didn't cheat on me after all. We're gonna be okay. We're gonna be together again.

I stepped into the bath and sighed loudly. As the dirt from days of not washing myself wash off, I feel the tension, the sadness, the stress all come off with it.

For about 30 minutes or even an hour, I stayed in the bath.

Afterwards, I dressed in a 5 Seconds of Summer shirt, one custom-made for me. I smiled, remembering the day Uncle John gave it to me. I almost forgot about this. A simple black shirt with the 5SOS tally sign by the left chest part, I just realized how cool this shirt is. Slipping on ripped denim jeans, I put on my vans as well. Applying light make up, putting my silver gray ash hair up in a loose bun.

Wow. What a bath can make. I look like a decent person.

I almost skipped down the stairs and there he was. Luke Hemmings.

Shock registered on his face as he saw me. I smiled widely, "Hey."

"L-lei," he stuttered, blinking rapidly. His hand quickly went up to the back of his head, scratching.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I'm sorry for ever doubting you."

I stood calm and collected there, ready to tell him everything and I found him funny. He was dumsbstruck. Speechless. He might as well pick up his jaw from the ground. I laughed.

"Speak, doofus."

He closed his mouth and stared at me and I saw a dozen of emotions on his face. Happiness stands out so much. His eyes literally shine and it becomes bluer and just more beautiful. And he loves me.

Slowly, he approached me. "I want to tell you a lot of things, but right now, I think what's going to mean the most is that: I love you so fucking much."

The next thing I felt were his lips on mine. I smiled against his kiss, quickly answering back. My head flew to the Hemmings household for a moment, thinking that making out here is scandalous but I realized I don't care. This is what I want most in the world, Ashton was right. His lips on mine is just the best feeling in the world, feeling my world spin as he snakes his arms around my waist, I knew I could never live without this. He's a taste of my heaven in this world.

We broke away and he touched his forehead against mine, I looked up to him and see him closed to tears, "I missed you."

My hands quickly went up to cup his face, slowly wiping the tears that threaten to fall, "Luke..."

"Do you know how it hurt to think I lost you? That you don't love me anymore? It was hell, Leijin," he growled, pain evident on his face.

"I-i'm sorry," I can feel my eyes water, "I don't wanna cry. All I do is cry these days. Man up and don't whine."

He laughed and kissed me one more time before letting go. He then tugged at my arm, leading me outside.

"Where to?" I asked.

"Somewhere nice," he smiled his original Luke Hemmings I'm-the-most-handsome-man-boy-you'll-see smile, dimples all out and his lip ring just attractively hanging there.

I can literally drown in happiness right now. The world's finally set right.