Amnesia [cake 5SOS] ✔

9.

Chapter 9

Luke

"No. You're not serious. Are you serious? Seriously? You playing?"

"I am serious, Ashton. That's the real reason why."

I'd spent the past two minutes telling him why and the next ten minutes trying to explain myself... I'd failed, evidently, and Ashton still didn't believe me. "You can't possibly want to kill yourself because of love."

"You can. I just really, really wanted to be with him at that time. So much that it hurt to think about it. I had chest pains all day, my thoughts were warped by him, my cheeks would flood with heat every time we were in close contact, I'd savour every single hug, every high five, every pat on the shoulder... you don't understand Ashton, I was seriously in love with the guy."

He opened his eyes but continued to stare at the carpet. "Wow. Why didn't you tell us back then?" I looked at his saddened expression and almost didn't want to say. A lot had been going on back then and liking Calum just added to my weight of stressful things; yet at the same time he brought some weight off my shoulders, just by being there and smiling. He could do a lot.

"I... I guess I was too embarrassed. I saw how the accident left you all. I didn't want you guys to hate Calum either... but I guess we're older now, more mature." Suddenly I realised that no matter how mature someone was, they still had the ability to hate. "Please don't hate him Ashton. I promise he wasn't the only reason."

He sighed. "He's just being such a dick right now."

"He's ill, Ashton."

"Ill or healthy, no one has the right to just... do that. He's not the same person he used to be, Luke, and you know that, don't you?"

I hesitated and my eyes glanced up at the clock, which showed the time was coming up to three am. It was still for a few moments, with no movements upstairs or downstairs, just the almost inaudible breaths Ashton and I took in and expelled. "I think he's still in there. Amnesia isn't forever. He'll come out of the spell soon."

"And if he doesn't?"

"I'll make him."

Calum

I woke up the next morning feeling particularly groggy; vivid images of last night's dream were still stuck in my head and I had to splash cold water in my face to get rid of them. Michael was fast asleep when I got back from the bathroom, so I checked on the other two, who weren't actually in their room.

With suspense, I tiptoed down the stairs, wary of the creaking sound the steps made as I descended. Soon, they came into sight; they'd fallen asleep with their backs against the sofa, and Ashton's head was lying comfortably by Luke's neck. I felt an unexpected pang in my chest upon discovering this scene and hurried back upstairs. Now a headache was approaching. Why now, of all times?

~flashback~

"I'll share with Luke today," Michael announces, putting an arm around Luke's shaking frame with a big smile. We're in the underground car park of the hotel, somewhere in America, the location of which I'm unsure of. Ashton is standing by the tour bus, texting someone on his phone whilst chewing on a sweet from a bag a fan gave him earlier. "Luke, is that okay?" He nods tentatively without looking up. I walk up to them with a frown.

"Luke. What's wrong?" I ask softly. He doesn't look up either. I put a firm hand on his arm and look into his eyes. "Luke."

"I'm fine."