Secrets [m. clifford]

- 19 -

I've basically been in my room the past few days, ignoring Michael when we're living in the same house is hard.

"Hey, Grace, can you please talk to me?" Ashton calls from

"I don't want to talk." I mutter.

"You've been up here for days, I don't think you've even come out for food." He replies, entering my room.

"I made Luke bring me some yesterday." I mumble.

"What happened? Was it one of the guys? I can help."

"It's okay, Ashton."

"It's obviously not okay. You can talk to me. Come on..."

"I'm just sad. I didn't think these things would happen."

"What happened?" He asks, sitting on the edge of my bed.

"I'd rather not talk about it."

He sighs, "Come on, I'm your big brother, we always talk to each other like this."

"Ash, I really can't talk about it with you." I mumble.

"Did I do something?"

"Fuck, Ashton, you didn't do anything!"

He sighs, "I just want to know what's going on."

"I promise, I'll be okay."

There's a knock at the door, and Luke smiles, joining us.

"Ashton, may I talk to Grace?"

He nods, "Yea, sure.

Ashton quickly gets up and leaves, and Luke takes the spot Ashton was just in.

I groan, "What do you want, Luke?"

"For you and Michael to stop fighting. Get back together."

"No."

"Why?"

"He's hiding something, I know he is. I don't want to be in a relationship where he's terrified of my brother. I want us to be normal."

"You guys are normal? Everybody is scared of Ashton?"

I sigh, "I don't know, Luke..."

"Come on!"

"No."

"You two need to get back together." He mumbles.

"No we don't."

"Luke, I'll think about it if you can tell me one thing, okay?"

He quickly nods, "What is it?"

"Is he hiding something? Is there something I don't know?"

"Uh, no. I don't think so."

I sigh, "Luke..."

"You really mean a lot to him, Grace. He's not acting like himself. I know this is tearing him apart but he can't do anything because Ashton never knew about you guys."

"I- I'm sorry. Just tell him we need to move past this as fast as possible so Ashton won't know."

"Grace..."

I force a smile, "I just need to figure out how to move on, it's okay."

He frowns, "I'm sad."

"Why?"

"I want you and Michael to be happy."

"Luke, we'll be fine... I'll be fine."

-

"So, I asked Luke why you seem so upset." Ashton says, looking up from the plate in front of him.

He wanted me to leave the house so I agreed to come out with him. He's been eating, I barely can.

"Uh, what did he say?" I nervously question.

"He said you're just homesick."

"Oh, okay. Yea." I mumble.

"You know, if you want to go home, you can. You don't have to stay if you don't want to."

"No, I kinda want to stay." I mumble.

"Oh, have you talked to Bec lately?" He asks.

"Just quickly, not much." I tell him.

"Also, have you talked to Michael lately?"

"No."

I make sure I don't react at the mention of him just so he won't suspect anything.

"Well he's been acting really weird lately. I swear I heard him crying. He probably wasn't though, he doesn't really cry."

"Oh."

"Do you have any idea of what he could be upset about?"

I shake my head, "No. And I'd rather not talk about Michael, I came here to talk with you, to just spend time with my brother."

"I've spent no time with you since we've been here."

"Do you think I could ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Just, uh... Leah was asking a question and I just want to know what you think." I tell him.

I want to ask him about me and Michael, but I can't, so I'll ask saying it was Leah.

"What is it?"

"So she's now dating Dylan, but he doesn't want to let anybody besides a few friends know. She's not sure what the reason he's hiding this could be."

"Well, it all depends on the situation. I think he's afraid of what people might think of their relationship, like maybe he thinks he's too good for her, and doesn't want to be judged. He could be hiding something, but I don't know about that. Maybe he's seeing somebody else too, and he doesn't want to get caught. So, it all depends on how they've been."

I just nod.

"Does she have any idea why he won't say anything?"

"He, uh, he knows her parents are pretty overprotective, and they have said they didn't want her to date him, so that's a main reason."

"I understand where he's coming from, but if she leaves him because of this it's his fault. He should be proud to have her. And you should understand this too, Grace. If any guy is ever afraid to tell people you're dating don't stay with him."

"But what if I was really... in love."

I've never really thought of myself being in love with Michael. But I think I might be. I've never been in love before, so I don't know.

"Then you would talk to him, if he isn't willing to change his mind, you leave. I don't ever want you to stay in a relationship like that."

"You're great, Ashton. I'm glad you're my brother, even though you're annoying as fuck quite often." I chuckle.

"You and Bec are both great sisters. I'm only the way I am with you two is because I just want the best for you." He quietly says.

"I know that, but we aren't little kids anymore. Ashton, you have to stop acting how you do."

"I've tried, I can't."

"Can we just, go back now?" I ask.

He nods and we both head out and I just try to think about what Ashton said.

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ok I know I took forever stop being mad