5sos Blurb Book #4

165. lashton

luke didn't think he'd ever have to see him again.
the boy who was about three times bigger than him that tripped him in the hallways and laughed at his tears when they fell down his cheeks.
he gave him bruises both mentally and physically — insults thrown like how the wadded paper always did.
and red marks as red as his cheeks in the bathroom stall sobbing — wondering and hoping that he would be able to drown himself in his own tears.
but that was high school and high school sucked anyway — but it got luke into his success of being a director of a billion famous movies, and luke felt happy with himself even though he was small and frail and his heart was slowly repairing.
so bumping into him?
ripping the bandages off his heart and letting it collapse.
along with his body to the ground with a groan.
'oh, i'm so sorry--' — he never said that when luke had fell in high school — '--are you okay?'
so luke blinked up with blue eyes and his head started whirring violently.
curly hair
hazel eyes
way taller than he ever was —
oh fuck.
'i'm..i'm fine.' he hesitantly took his hand and tried not to flinch about the fact that this hand had slapped and punched and pointed at him up until three years ago when they graduated.
he helped him stand.
'are you sure you're--'
ashton's own eyes widened because this was the boy he laid awake at night thinking about, guilt seeping into him because he was such an asshole, especially to him.
oh how he had grown up.
'hey,' he said softly, a sad smile melting onto his face, 'i know those eyes.'
luke swallowed and took his hand back like it was engulfed in flames.
'hey, hemmings.'
luke blinked the tears out of his eyes and looked up at him, seeing his small sad smile full to the brim with guilt and longing.
'h-hey,' he swallowed and looked down 'ashton.' he whispered the name he always feared with a crack in his small voice.
'h-how are you?' he took a small step closer and luke flinched and took a big one back.
ashton didn't blame him.
'i-i heard you're a director, and stuff and..' he trailed off, not knowing what to say.
but luke nodded and bit his lip. 'yeah.'
'and..you didn't even go to uni, did you?'
luke shook his head.
'figures.' he smiled 'always really smart back then.'
luke blinked up at him and shrugged shyly
'h-how are you?'
ashton didn't expect that — then again he was always a sweetheart back then.
'um..okay.' he shrugged 'still in uni.'
'what uh..what m-major?'
'graphic design.' he smiled and luke nodded, remembering how art was the only subject he was ever talented in.
'cool.'
it was more than tense.
you couldn't cut the tension with a chainsaw it was so fucking thick.
'i'm sorry.' ashton whispered as he took a step closer and luke looked up at him as he took one back. 'for everything.' ashton chewed his lip and looked away. 'i was, more than idiotic back then.'
'i-it's okay.'
ashton looked down on him — he was so small.
'it-it taught me things.'
'things?' his voice was deep in confusion.
'like..' he bit his lip 'that it's okay to be different, being different isn't bad.'
'no.' ashton shook his head 'no, it isn't bad.'
luke nodded and chewed his lip.
'i'll um..see y-you around.' luke said this in a quick mumble and walked by him quickly, ashton frowning and sighing as he watched him practically tremble.

it was two weeks later and it was disgustingly cold, and that's why luke had to make a stop at the coffee shop to warm himself.
and immediately cursed himself.
because he was sitting by the window and looking out of it longingly, the beanie on his head not holding all his curly wisps and luke bit his lip.
he looked sad.
luke didn't like that.
but luke ignored that and ordered his drink and paid, staring at the boy now across the room as he waited.
he looked lonely.
he probably was.
so luke got his drink with a sweet 'thank you' and walked over, sitting down across from him and ashton blinked at him and smiled a little.
'hey.' he smiled and luke blushed 'long time no see.'
'yeah.' he smiled shyly
ashton nodded 'how have you been?'
'busy..and tired.' he chuckled 'living the dream.' he mumbled and ashton chuckled softly. 'what about you?'
'um, pretty good, i have a big project coming up and i'm stumped on what to do.'
'what does it have to be of?'
'some type of cover or advertisement.' he sighed, fixing his beanie and luke bit his lip.
'they put me in charge of the cover for my movie.'
ashton looked up and tilted his head
'but,' luke chuckled 'i can't design shit for my life, i have to hire somebody anyway..' ashton's eyes widened 'd'you wanna do it?'
'design a cover for your movie?' his eyes were almost comically wide and luke bit his lip and nodded 'you honestly want me to do it?'
luke nodded and sat back in his chair 'i had seen your work back in school and it was amazing, probably even better now.'
ashton nodded vigorously with a chuckle and luke smiled, taking out his phone 'just put in your number so we can meet up and talk or i can send you information.'
ashton took his phone and nodded vigorously, typing in his number as excitement burst through his chest.
'hey ashton?'
'hm?'
luke bit his lip and looked up at him with stunning eyes 'can we..like, start over? if you wanna?' he mumbled the last bit, nervously chewing his lip.
'okay.'
'okay?'
'mhm, if you wanna.'
'i do.'
'okay.' ashton smiled and luke grinned back.

falling in love with the boy who used to hurt him?
luke never thought that would happen.
but it was ironic — his movie was called unpredictable.