Somewhere in Neverland (Lashton)

Ch. 17: They Tore Me Apart Like a Hurricane

"In a city of fools,

I was careful and cool,

But they tore me apart like a hurricane...

A handful of moments I wished I could change

But I was carried away.

Give me therapy."

All Time Low (Therapy)

Luke drove them to the forest. Ashton wouldn't talk nor look at Luke. He just stared out the window with a lost expression on his face. They didn't want to go home, not yet at least. He pulled onto the dirt road and parked the car. Numbly, Ashton got out of the car and followed Luke to the treehouse. The sun was low in the sky and darkness was on the horizon. They reached the treehouse and climbed up it. They just sat on the wood for a while looking out at the stars in total silence. Their thoughts were running rapid.

Ashton was still trying to comprehend all that just happened. They weren't a secret anymore. They were out, well they more fell out then came out voluntarily. They weren't ready, then again they probably would of never been ready. But that wasn't the way they were supposed to find out. Ashton had hoped that they would be able to sit their friends down when they were ready and tell them in a very calm and orderly fashion. But that wasn't how it happened. Ashton was scared of what was to come. What would his dad say when he finds out? What will the kids at school say? Will the four boys ever be able to hang out like they used to? Or will their friendship and popularity be a thing in the past.

Luke on the other hand was kind of relieved they didn't have to hide anymore. He knew something like this was going to happen sooner or later. But at the same time, he wished he had been more ready, that he could of told them in a better way. He was scared too. He knew everything was about to change and that scared the hell out of him, 'cause he didn't want things to change.

"Wh-what do you think is going to happen tomorrow?" Ashton finally broke the silence with the question neither were brave enough to ask. They would return to school tomorrow and for everyone it would just be another boring day of school but not for them. Luke and Ashton would have to come out or they would be pushed out.

"I don't know, Ash," Luke said in a small voice.

"Luke, I'm scared."

"Me too, Ash." Ashton rested his head on Luke's shoulder and for a few hours they let their minds go numb and forget all about what might happen the next day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You ready?" Luke asked Ashton as they sat in the school parking lot.

"I'll never be," Ashton said with a sigh. Luke wrapped an arm around him, pulling him close.

"It's going to be fine, Ash. I love you and that's all that matters." He kissed the boy's head and they got out of the car.

"It's going to be so wired to not be with Michael and Cal," Ashton said as they began their walk to the school.

"It will, but they'll come around. They've been our friends since primary."

"I hope so." They reached the school building as the two boys looked to one another and laced their hands together. They walked through the door with their hands connected like puzzle pieces. At first, no one really noticed, for them it was just another day of school and it was nothing of the unusual for Luke and Ashton to come in together. But then the students' eyes roamed to their hands which were conjoined and the suspicions ran wild. Ashton and Luke just looked straight forward and went to their lockers. They heard whispers around them that sounded of their names. They untangled their hands to open their lockers.