Confiding in You ϟ a.i.

Chapter 33

Rather than the pop music that was playing at Luke's house, random techno music that I've never heard before this blasts throughout Calum's house and causes my heart to pound even harder than it already is. The house may be bigger, but it is similarly packed with people. This is definitely not the best place to be with anxiety, with smoke-filled air and no room to breathe anyway. Ashton quickly moves his hand from my back to lace his fingers with mine, squeezing my hand in his.

He pulls me throughout the house toward what I assume will be the kitchen. Just like Luke's house, I hope the kitchen has a little less more people and will be like a safe haven for me. These parties are definitely not what I want to be in the middle of. And certainly not when I could bump into Luke any second.

Ashton keeps glancing back at me every few seconds that he's pulling me along behind him, which causes him to continuously bump into people. He mutters apologies but keeps pushing past everyone anyway. Being surrounded by so many bodies is making me feel even more faint and after a while of not seeing Luke anywhere, I close my eyes and let Ashton guide me.

A few more moments pass before I finally feel tile beneath my feet and the air around me become vacant. I haven't even opened my eyes yet, though, when we come to an abrupt stop and I bump right into Ashton's back.

"Seriously, what is going on between you two?" Cooper's question from earlier is repeated and when I do get the chance to open my eyes, I see that Ashton had run into him. Lily is, of course, by his side with her own hand in his.

Her gaze is set on our interlocked hands, though, just as Cooper's is. When her eyes flick back up, they're directed right to Ashton and a smirk forms on her face. I can't help but curiously remain watching her while she watches him. Even when I'm not looking at him, I can tell he keeps his eyes fixed on anything else but her.

It's clear she isn't going to stop her focus from lingering on him anytime soon, so I avert my own attention to what's past the both of them. As far as I can tell, Luke is still no where to be found. I'm happy for that, but that also just makes things more suspenseful. He could show up any moment, and I'd rather it not be a surprise.

"You guys actually think I believe you aren't fucking?" Cooper snaps when neither of us answer his previous question. What has become Ashton's distracted stare off into the distance is broken and instead of looking at my brother, he turns his head toward me. I look up at him and, as though he wants Cooper to believe it more firmly, he grins at me.

"I-I can't hear what he's saying," He says quickly with his smile never fading, moving his hand that's holding the paper bag up to his ear and waving it around for emphasis. He starts to tug on my arm again and elbows past Lily, "Want to go outside? I think it's better outside."

"Um, sure," I force myself to giggle. Now that I think about it, going outside is probably the best idea. All of my anxiety is still building more and more with each second that I don't see Luke and, for some reason, that encounter with Cooper and Lily made things worse. I'm already beginning to get a headache, so hopefully the fresh air will do me good.

Ashton opens the sliding door to the back patio and I don't think Ohio's crisp fall air ever felt better. It's certainly better than the warm, sweaty, smokey air that's inside the house. His hand grips mine a little tighter as he pulls me out with him and it never leaves mine, even when he moves to shut the door behind us.

"You know, your brother's a virgin," Ashton voices, hushed, once we begin walking. He's leading me toward where a bonfire is set up and a group of people are already standing. "You'd think after three years with Lily he'd put out, but nope."

"He told you that?" I ask absentmindedly. Before we get close, I'm already searching the small crowd to make sure Luke isn't there. There's not many more places that he could be and I want to be prepared if he is. Just my luck, though. I don't see his tall, blond self anywhere.