He Was P(L)uke

8

Who was I to judge on everyone's decisions? No one. That I was. The next day, Ben had taken the decision to leave the country, take some free time alone, and study Economy in England. And the hardest part's to say goodbye. And well, I didn't knew him all that much, but still Stacy asked me to be there for her. And I did.

"Oh my son!" Mrs.Hemmings yelled to everyone in the airport. There was no fucking corner that didn't heard the weird screech of the woman. "Oh my son!" She kept yelling. Luke covered his ears and began mumbling profanities. Kiera sat besides Luke in the waiting chairs, just watching her ex say goodbye. Stacy sat besides her, chuckling at something Mason sent her. And me? I stood besides Jack staring at Liz with a judgmental face.

"You should say goodbye to him." Jack nudged my arm. I shook my head in disagreement.

"No, dude." I spoke. "I'm not that close to him."

"Me neither."

"Oh, you're his brother, Jack!" I giggled and he scoffed. "But I'll do it." He nodded and pushed me towards where Ben sat startled at his mother's screams. Without processing my own mother damn actions, I pushed the woman away and hugged him close to me. I didn't knew him well, but fuck the people!

"You know Luke's jealous, right?" He said, speaking to my ear. I tipped forward as the comment caught me off guard. "Look, Charlie. I know we don't speak that much, and that you threw up on my wedding day."

"Do you really have to remember that?" I said tortured. Why does everyone has to remember when somebody pukes? Jesus Christ, give me strength or something. He backed away with a smile and just kept rambling.

"I know. It's the past. But I already have you in my list of contacts as 'Luke's puke friend'." He said with petulance. "Still, my point is that there's something big happening."

"Yeah, many big things have happened this fucking year, mate. And in total, I puked more than five times!" I said in amusement, watching his face grow a laugh. Luke turned to us with jealousy. My stomach gave a couple of astonishingly painful flips, and my mind revolved around the bare memory of Luke when we were 12.

Oh let's talk about this, please. Twelve-years old Luke was the most overjoyed teen on Earth who had no mother damn chill. He was the most popular kid at school, who was known for being a fuckboy. Luke and I were in the same classes, which was a weird coincidence for us. Few years later, my father told me Liz had arranged and talked with the principal for us to be together. Oh God saves that woman! So, Luke was known for being popular, but it was funny when he first spoke to me. He was shy, but not as shy as I was, so we could relate to one another. He always stared with jealously at the boys, except Calum, because they all wanted to steal his million girlfriends. Always. 

"Charlie." Ben said, making me look back at him. "My point here is that-"

"Last boarding call for flight number forty-five. Please report to room ten."

"Just take care of Luke." He said frustratedly. I nodded slowly, taking it all in. "He's frail. He's way to frail for this world. He's a bitch in life, just guide him. I trust you, although everyone says you're not worth the wait." He turned to Kiera and yelled "Fuck you! You look super fat today!" She scoffed and began whispering profanities to the air.

Ben was taken away from his crying mom. I stood there confused, keeping it all quiet while my mind adjusted. I was a no one. Nobody knew me. Luke had forgotten about me since we left school. I couldn't help him. And yes, everyone said I wasn't worth it. I knew that already. Why the heck me?

"Let's go home, Charles." Spoke Stacy. I turned to her and watched as Luke laced his fingers with Kiera's and walked away. I tried to re-swallow my stomach, which just happened to try to leave my mouth. Fuck my stomach problems.

Fuck it all.

-/-

"Ashton?" I asked as he drove me back home. He had picked me up from the airport, we had eaten some snacks, and he was just taking me home before my dad called his and both arranged Ashton's funeral.

"Yeah?" He asked turning over to me.

"Why can't Luke like me back?"

"You know it's not the first time you ask me this, right?" He asked and I simply nodded. Indeed, it wasn't the first time. Two days before Prom, Ashton drove me home from picking up my dress and I asked him the same question. Same thing happened in 9th grade when Uncle Tom asked us to join him on tour, and we traveled to Miami. As well when he helped me scape from my house to join up Calum and Stacy on a road trip (which I happened to vomit on Stacy).

All those times, my question was repeated. 'Why can't Luke like me back?' And at first, Ashton's answers were always cold and almost empty. More like 'He doesn't love you because you're pathetic.' But then he realized how hard it was for me, and how much I strived to get his attention. And as my love for Luke grew, so did Ashton's complexity in his answers. He began answering with 'Let him be, you'll understand.' Or 'he's just a boy. Don't waste your time on him.'

But this one was different. Way more different than all of those.

"Maybe he really loves Kiera?"