The Clifford Project

Chapter 9

He swallowed hard before staring straight into my eyes.
"What did he mean Luke?" I said again sternly.
"It was our friend Ashton." I covered my mouth trying to stop the sigh that eventually slipped out. I recognized the name. It was Luke and Michaels friend that went missing after the huge gang fight. I had seen a few pictures of him on Luke's phone. He had curly blonde hair that sat on top of his head like a rabbit. He had bright happy eyes covered by wide framed black glasses. His smile compared to no other, with laugh lines by his lips and dimples on either side of his mouth. Luke had always said he had the most contagious laugh. He seemed so happy but looked almost lost in our imperfect society.
"Does this mean you-"
"Yes I was there the night of the fight."
"But why?"
"You think I could just leave Michael?" I shook my head no.
"Then why was Ashton there?"
"When Mike jumped ship on me Ashton was my best friend. He insisted on coming with me." He shook his head lightly clearing his throat. "I shouldn't have let him come with me. It's all my fault." He cried.
"No Luke-"
"Yes paisley. I could have saved him. But I didn't! And it's one of the worst mistakes I've ever made." He lie down next to me sighing, his lip quivered. I pulled his head onto my lap, twisting strands of his perfect blonde hair around my finger.
"You know what I think Lu?" He looked up at me with curious eyes.
"I think Ash is still out there. Somewhere, someday you will see him again."
"What if he died Paisley?"
"I don't think he did Luke. People don't just fall off the face of the earth. You can't just be here one day and gone the next with no one noticing."
"That's what you think."
"Well then, don't even think of him being missing. Tell me about him as if he's coming over for a round of Fifa as we speak."
"Oh Pais you would love him. He was always there when it mattered. He was always giggling, and had the greatest laugh in all history. He's the type of person who thought everyone had a reason for doing what they did. He never for a second gave up on Michael. The only person he ever doubted was Calum. He didn't understand how one human being could ever be so cruel. He thought it was so obscure so bizarre that someone could do that to another person. I just miss him so much." He turned over in my lap, putting his hands on his face.
"I'm here Luke. Let it all out."
"How could anyone let this happen!?"
"If it happened there's a reason baby."
"What reason? What reason would there ever be to take him from me?"
"Luke your taking this really hard. What's going on with you?"
"Paisley I think I might be in love with you." I was taken aback by his sudden confession.
"What does this have to do with any of this!?"
"I also think I might be in love with Ashton."
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A/n
Scidbobdiddledobop.
I'm sorry that was uncalled for.
But ily and yay love and love triangle and no spoiler but maybe love squares? Yay geometry!?
-Sophie/ the Cashton baby