Looking For Now↣l.h

15. Fugutive

"Check mate." Ashton says as he slides his piece over, winning the game. I blink a few times to refocus my vision on the hazel eyed boy across from me. He furrows his brows when he looks back at me.

"Good game." I state with a fake smile. I hear the rec room door open, and once again my heart leaps as I look over my shoulder hoping it's him, but of course it's not.

"Cora, what's wrong? You've been acting weird all evening." Ashton sighs leaning back in his chair.

"Nothing." I shake my head trying to dismiss the thought.

"You can talk to me, you know that right?" He gives me a slight frown while he waits for his response and I sigh, nodding my head.

"It's Luke. We are supposed to leave for the outing tomorrow, but-"

"The outing? What outing?" Ashton interrupts scooting back to the edge of his chair.

"Well, erm, I thought Luke would have told you... Leigh Anne and Luke decided that an outing to the beach would be a good part of my therapy. I guess to like get me out of the institution or whatever." I speak softly and feel the heat rise to my cheeks, although I'm not quite sure why.

"So, you and Luke alone at the beach? Do you honestly think that's a good idea?" Ashton asks in an accusative voice and I automatically feel the need to defend the cause.

"Yeah, why wouldn't it be?" I challenge, defiantly crossing my arms.

"You, Luke, alone, the beach. Doesn't sound like the best idea to me." He spits back, and for the first time I see a side of Ashton that isn't so mellow and relaxed all the time. I knew it was there somewhere, but I didn't know me going on an outing with Luke would bring it out of him.

"Well, I didn't know I had to ask you to be the judge of your mother's decision making."

"Cora, don't do that to me. Pull the mom card. Really?" He sighs and moves his gaze from the floor to stare into my eyes and my stomach does an unwelcomed flip. "I just don't want you getting hurt, Cora. I care about you too much for that to happen."

His hazel eyes flicker back and forth between mine a few times before he pushes back in his chair and stands up, walking out of the rec room. I watch as he swings open the double door, and his curls disappear behind it.

I let out a long sigh, and I feel a sharp pang in my heart. I don't know what's gotten into Ashton, surely he doesn't have feelings for me as anything more than a friend, but that was really weird and out of character for him. I feel guilty that he stormed out like that because of me, but I know I didn't really do anything wrong. I just hope he can get over it so we can be friends again; this place would be a lot worse without Ashton as a friend.

I look around the room for about the hundredth time in the last hour, hoping that maybe, just maybe Luke had walked in while I wasn't paying attention.

He skipped our counseling session after dinner without even a warning, and he hasn't been at any meals besides breakfast. I haven't talked him since yesterday's counseling session.

I fold my hands in my lap and look down, playing with my thumbs. I hope he comes back in time for tomorrow; I was really looking forward to being able to leave for a little bit. And as much as I hate to admit it, I was looking forward to spending time with Luke.

***

Luke's POV

"So, we leave tomorrow after lunch?" I ask as soon as I walk into Leigh Anne's small office.

"Well good morning to you too, Luke. Yes, tomorrow right after lunch. You can borrow the institution van, and we'll give a spending budget for meals. Make sure you pack for two nights, and we already have your hotel arranged. It has two separate rooms and one kitchen and living space, not the nicest place in town, but it'll do for a couple of days."