somebody else. ❀ lrh

promise me.

AVERY.

This upcoming trial is fucking with everyone's heads.

Luke and I have been falling into a routine over the last few weeks. I'd swing by the office during his lunch breaks, whether he's nose-deep in legal paperwork or not, or I'd spend the night on Fridays before his long, drawn out meetings with Ashton and Chels the following morning.

Even during our time alone he'd drift off, eyes unfocused and mind completely elsewhere. I didn't know how to help. He wouldn't talk to me about it- and I stopped asking after a while.

I wasn't even involved in the case and I was mentally drained.

Calum, however, didn't get so lucky. Because he began his employment before Michael's threat to take the company, he'd gotten roped into the whole ordeal. But he never said a word about it to me.

Ashton, his boyfriend-esque partner of sorts, had been coming over to the apartment while I was away to help Calum prepare. He wouldn't speak to me about anything having to do with the trial, aside from vague mumbles that it was slowly chipping away at his sanity.

My guess was he had to sign an NDA or confidentiality agreement of some sort. This was a huge deal- and I didn't even know the reasoning behind Michael's claims, nor what they all are for that matter, so it's a bit difficult to wrap my head around.

Today was the first Saturday in almost five weeks that I hadn't woken up in Luke's penthouse. The frequency of meetings between Luke and Chels increased, gradually crumbling the chances of Luke and I to have some alone time.

Instead, I awoke in my own lonely bed, missing the feeling of Luke's fingertips grazing my naked shoulders to slowly wake me up. The soft kisses on my neck, or the hours spent in his shower-

Distressed, muffled voices broke me from my thoughts.

I slowly tip toe out of bed, swiping wild strands of blonde hair from my eyes as I peek out into the hall, the voices much more clear to me.

Ashton had already come over for Calum's prep, the two assumingly setting up shop in the living room. The sound of rustling papers and sighs from both boys filled the apartment. I stay silent, head poking out from the doorway, eavesdropping on a conversation I definitely shouldn't be.

"Are you serious?" Calum asks. Without context, I'm a bit lost.

"Yeah," Ashton sighs, the shuffling of papers following his words, "I mean, it's all sorts of fucked. I don't know if he's going to make it through this."

"Do you think he will?"

"Honestly, I hope he doesn't."

The two go silent for what feels like minutes before I suck in a quick breath, emerging from the hall. "Morning." I greet with a smile, two pairs of widened eyes staring at me from the floor of the living room.

Ashton rustles a few folders around nervously, as Calum keeps his eyes on mine. "Hi, Ave," he says slowly, "Didn't know you were here."

My eyebrows furrow in confusion, "You don't remember taking shots with me last night?"

This time, Calum's features contort dumbfoundedly, "I- actually, no, I don't."

I roll my eyes as a small laugh bubbles from my mouth, "Of course you don't. I carried you to bed at like, two in the morning."

My roommate's cheeks flush as he looks away, presumably embarrassed that I'd divulged that information in front of Ashton. But, alas, the curly haired boy didn't seem to care or even acknowledge my words in the slightest.