Vapor [LASHTON AU]

7

Dedication: AmySpectreGalaxies my very lovely friend ❤

Hello. First of all, I'm sorry for a super late update. I was pretty busy lately. Second, well, uh...about the story if it may seem like confusing or not properly arranged, please remember that it is what is going on in Luke's mind. These are all his thoughts. The story is seen through his point of view and through his judgments (unless there will be a switch between whose P.O.V but I will note that if it will happen). Anyway, whether there'll be a switch or none between P.O.V.'s the story still goes through the characters' point of view and judgments.

Anyway, thank you really for giving time to read this story. I love you all. I hope you would enjoy this chapter and I hope you would never lose patience for me when it comes to updating. I really appreciate everything. <3

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"Mali is coming home this weekend!" Calum announced with a huge, excited grin as I walked out of the café after my shift.

As what I have asked him, he did come pick me up in which by the way didn't went well when I told Ashton that Calum would be coming to pick me up tonight. Our little coffee bonding which was actually nice since he did manage to surprise me with a really delicious coffee (though it was not really a surprise that he was able to surprise me with a coffee 'cause I knew it already that he would), but it kind of ended sadly. Ashton was not at all glad that I asked Calum to pick me up and not him since it was always him picking me up from work for a few weeks now. His mood changed drastically and left me in the café half an hour before my shift without saying anything. It was the first time he did that since he always waits for my shift to start before he leaves. I don't really understand why he acted like that and made a big deal about it. But I have to somehow stick to my plan until I will be able to figure out what to do about everything.

"Hey? Did you hear me?" Calum asked worriedy, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah, yeah, I did. Mali is coming home. That is some really great news." I said with as much enthusiasm as I can which clearly isn't enough with the frown on Calum's face.

Calum looked me for a moment, eyebrows furrowed together as if he was thinking something so deep.

"You ok?" I asked him.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?"

I sighed, "Cal, I'm fine."

"Are you sure, Luke? You've been a bit off lately. Always spacing out or being so deep into your thoughts." He told me, worry evident in his voice.

"I'm just tired with school and work. It's nothing serious." I said as I started walking to where he parked his car with him walking beside me.

"It doesn't look like that to me." He softly said. "The way you are acting now is exactly the way you were acting before. You're starting to close off into yourself again. I'm scared to think that you are having troubles - huge troubles - again. That you are dealing with stuff and you're not telling me and I'm just...I'm just worried that you'd shut people out again. That you'd shut me out again."

I stopped walking, making Calum to also stop from walking and look at me. I turned to him and gave a small smile and I said, "It would never happen again, ok? I would never do that to you or to anyone again. Well, especially you. You're my best friend. My brother even."

Calum smiled back then pulled me into a hug. "Just promise me that you'd tell me if anything keeps on bothering your mind, ok?"

I nodded against his shoulder and I couldn't stop myself from thinking back to what happened before. I was an awful friend to Calum. I was consumed with the idea that I am alone and no one cares about me that I started shutting people out including Calum who was always there for me. That even if I pushed him away and shut him out, he stayed there for me. I knew I hurt him and I couldn't do that to him again.