Truth - Lashton

Chapter 36

Luke's POV

Last week was a small break the school let us have, it's now Monday and I'm petrified to see Mr. Irwin after our encounter in the store.

As scared as I was, how badly I wish time would stop just to let me take a second to calm down, I found myself rushing to get out of the house to see if he was at least okay.

"Mum! Quick! I don't wanna be late!"

I yelled as I made a mad dash to the car. My mum walking out, laughing.

"In a rush today, aren't we?"

"Yeah yeah, just come on.."

I was already buckled up and bouncing my leg. I felt the sinking pit in my stomach, swallowing my heart in fear of what I was gonna see.

Time was moving so slowly in my eyes but we managed to arrive at the school without me jumping out of the car and running there myself.

"Love you, mum! Bye!"

I quickly said, grabbed my bag and ran into the school.

"Dude! Wait up!"

I turned around before opening the door and saw Michael. My partner in crime against this really.

"I need to see if Ashton is okay, dammit! Hurry up!"

When he was close enough, I bolted into the school and walked in a fast pace to my locker.

There was thankfully no sounds coming from the bathroom which did give me a small second of relief that I could get my books and stuff out of my bag with ease.

"I'm.. sure he's fine.."

"No, Michael. Remember when we saw him in the store? That wasn't Ashton. It was like.. He.. I dunno! He's relapsing, I know he is.. I'm not dumb!"

I grabbed my last book and shut my locker. Michael got his books and shut his locker as well.

This was a bridge I wasn't ready to cross.

We both walked into the classroom and I swear I felt like I saw a ghost.

Mr. Irwin was there and he was pale, eye bags almost black, his face caving in and I wanted to cry.

Is that what I used to look like?

He gave us a small smile again.

"Welcome back, you two! How was break?"

"It was fine.."

"Is everything okay?"

"Is everything okay with you?!"

I snapped and Michael elbowed my arm. Mr. Irwin glanced at me and sighed.

"Luke, Michael. I'm perfectly okay, please don't worry about it."

"You look dead."

He gave me a blank death stare at that.

"Whatever you say.. Please head to your desks.."

I walked over to mine and sat down, hiding my face and tears.

"Luke.."

Michael whispered as he sat beside me.

I shook my head and wiped my eyes.

"I'm fine.. Just scared.."

Our conversation ended there when more students started arriving. I hated how everything seemed normal to them. Mr. Irwin was practically rotting from the inside out and no one really cared.

Mr. Irwin stood up and headed to the front of the class, his now painfully normal morning greeting.

It was halfway through when it all came crashing down, just like Ashton's body.

He just collapsed and time really stopped for me this time.

Michael told a few of the other students to either get a nurse or call 911 and I just was in shock.

Michael took most authority and kept students in small groups with each other.

"Luke?!"

I looked at Michael and he was kneeling beside Ashton, hand checking his pulse.

"Is he alive..?"

"Yeah.. It's just slow.."

I looked at Ashton's torso, his blazer covering up how his shirt underneath was sat on his ribcage that was so obviously showing.

The nurse arrived with a few paramedics and took Ashton's body away, he didn't wake up the entire 10 minutes.

We were told to just sit in the cafeteria for a bit, that our parents would be called to pick us up.

Me and Michael sat silently at our table.

"He didn't wake up, Mikey.."

"He had a pulse, Luke. They're probably stabilizing him before they take him to the hospital."

"You're right.. He might not recover and.."

"Don't say that.. Please."

I looked at Michael and he was staring off somewhere, tears in his eyes.

"Can I stay over with you? Isn't your parents out of town?"

"Yeah.. My mum is gone for a month and my dad's on a business trip for like, a year or so.."

"I can call my mum.."

So I did, I went to the front office and told them I was gonna walk home with Michael and stay with him and if they'd tell my mom. They luckily did and the walk to Michael's house started.

It was so quiet and I hated it.

My mind was racing with the image of Ashton's practically lifeless body there on the ground.

"Luke? Earth to Hems?"

I snapped out of it and chuckled at the name.

"Hems? Really? Should I call you Cliffy?"

"Okay, Okay! No more Hems!"

I just didn't know how to feel, this normal moment was so painful for no good reason.

"We could talk about Lunch and Dinner. My mum was nice enough to give me money for takeout if I needed but we can try to cook?"

"Yeah.. Sure.."

I just really wanted to cry and sleep all day after today and know what the future of Ashton's life could hold or possibly lack thereof.