Paint Stain <Lashton>

XII

Do not go gentle into that good night but rage, rage against the dying of the light. ~Dylan Thomas

Luke's POV

I was wandering around my apartment. My sock-covered feet sliding across the floor with every step. I took small sips of the hot tea in my cup as I settled at the counter.

It was Sunday, the only day of the week I had off and the rain was coming down in an unfortunate way.

I sat and kept my hands warm at the cup. Looking around I let out a sigh. I hated Sundays. I always had them off and I spent them locked in my apartment. I never went anywhere and I might as well be working.

Today was a little different though.

While sitting I heard a knock on my door. I stood up and walked over towards the door. I looked through the little hole in the top and when I saw Ashton standing there I opened the door.

"Ashton? What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Just thought I would drop by." Ashton smiled. He was clearly wet and to be honest I would rather not have him tracking that through my house.

"Let me get you something dry." I said. "Stay right there." I left before Ashton could protest and grabbed a few things from my room and brought them back to Ashton.

A few minutes Ashton came back in. I was sitting on my couch reading. I raised my eyes to Ashton and closed the book. "Now, what did you need?"

"I was just curious about something." Ashton shrugged.

"So you can here in the pouring rain?" I asked. "You're a bit of a fool."

"Well Kodi should have came over, but she sent me instead." Ashton shrugged. He handed me a piece of paper and I looked over it.

"What is this?" I asked. To me it seemed like a list of events the university was going for.

"Kodi says you have to participate in all of these." Ashton said. "Or she's going to blackmail you." I let out a sigh. "What's the blackmail?"

"Nothing I want the public seeing." I sighed.

"So, are you and Kodi like, a thing?" Ashton asked and I went wide eyed. "There was a whole article about it?"

"You can't tell me you believe all of that nonsense." I scoffed. "Of course not. Being with Kodi is one of the last things I want to do." I placed the book on the coffee table and walked back towards the kitchen. "Do you want any tea, Ashton?"

"No thanks." Ashton called back. "That's gross."

"It is not." I laughed as I walked back with my cup. I sat down on the couch.

"Why do you hate women so much, Luke?" Ashton asked, I choked slightly on my drink, after all I was not expecting this to come out of Ashton's mouth at all.

"I think it's just something I take personally." I shrugged. "I got screwed over, that's all."

"So you instantly hate women?" Ashton asked.

"I got screwed over more than once, I just refuse to engage myself personally with them." I said. "I will do business with a women, and anything of that caliber, but I refuse to engage myself in anything besides work."

"You never wanted to," Ashton gave a shrug. "Have something like that in your life?"

"Something like what?"

"A love?" Ashton asked. "A family?"

"I don't believe in love." I laughed lightly. "As stupid as it sounds. Someone would only want to be with me because I'm rich and powerful. My father owns a huge corporation and I will inherit all of it. No one will actually love me. That's why people get married, right? Beneficial reasons?"