adulation | l.h.

Fifteen

Ashki's POV

I've never seen my brother so angry,

but I've never seen him actually want to hurt me, either.

"You okay?" Luke sat down next to me on the couch. "Yeah...I think so," I said in a small tone, so only he could hear.

Michael, Calum, and Ashton sat across from me.

"Hey, I know something that could calm you down." Ashton said, trying to chirp up.

Michael hasn't said anything to me since the theme park.

I should think that's a good thing for me, but I think he's scared of me now.

"Doesn't Ronnie know that weird song you were humming the other day?" Ashton turned to Calum. "Yeah, lets look it up." He said, grabbing the computer.

I worked up the nerve, finally.

"Are you alright, Michael?" I asked hesitantly. His head snapped up, and looked away quickly. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine." He said. I gave Luke an unconvinced look, but he was just looking into space.

"Luke?" I asked quietly. "Hm?" He turned to me. "Never...never mind." I said, looking back at Ashton and Calum.

"Okay, we'll sing it in English." Calum said, getting up. "Michael, come on." Luke said as they all got up.

"Where are you guys-oh god." I said, covering my mouth with giggles as Calum came out with an afro wig, Ashton wearing a pig costume, Michael wearing the pig head, and Luke wearing a princess crown and a tutu.

Calum messed with the computer, and a song came on. They sang the lyrics and danced around, Luke and Michael not as enthusiastic as Ashton or Calum, but still dancing.

"You guys are insane," I said, falling onto the floor giggling. And for once, I was smiling as big as I ever thought I could.

Because Michael wasn't laughing at me,

but with me.

Luke turned to Michael, and took off his pig head. His eyes were squinted with laughter, as we watched our friends dance in ridiculous costumes.

"This is so fucking stupid," Michael laughed with me. "Hey, don't swear!" Ashton said, messing with the tail on his pink costume.

"Did we cheer you up?" Luke sat down next to me. "Defiantly." I said. "You guys should have a reality show." I said. "Defiantly." Luke said, smiling at me.

It was only now I realized that Luke had his arm on the back of the couch that we sat on.

I glanced at it, and he pulled it away. "Hey, Luke pulled the move on Ashki." Calum said.

Now I see why Ronnie is friends with Calum.

Luke flushed, and I attempted at saving his embarrassment.

I yawned and put my arm around his shoulder, like a boy. "Hey babe." I said in a low voice.

Another thing Luke and I have in common is that neither of us like attention.

But I pulled the attention away from him, and I don't know why.

"Now Ashki pulled the move on him." Michael laughed. Luke rested his head on my shoulder, and I laughed.

"Aw, you guys should date." Calum said.

Luke and I immediately made distance between us.

"No...no," "That's weird...no..." We both mumbled at the same time.

The three boys gathered their head together. "Come on skinny love, what happened here?" They sang in high voices. "Ugh," Luke said and rolled his eyes as he gave a "nuggie" to Ashton. "What's skinny love?" I asked.

Ashton smirked, "When two people are friends, but they both know that thy like eachother." He said.

Luke and I glanced at one another, but didn't say anything.

Because we knew it was true.

"I gotta go." Ashton looked at his watch. "Piper," he pulled one corner of his mouth up as he stood from the couch. "Who's that?" I asked. "Ashton's girlfriend." Michael stuck his tongue out at him. "Ugh. Bye losers," he said.

"And Ashki." He laughed, as I waved.

"Im gonna go, too. Mom needs help with dinner." Calum said, grabbing his keys. "I guess I should too," Michael said, trying to act sad about his leaving. "Wait, Ashki?" He said after he had his hand on the doorknob. "Huh?" I asked, getting up from beside Luke. "Can I talk to you?" He asked. "Yeah..." I said, going outside.

"I wanted to say that Im really sorry. About everything. I shouldn't have been such a dick, and I dont want to be the guy in highschool that made you cu-" "You weren't the one who made me hurt myself." I interrupted.

"Really?" He asked. I nodded, and he sighed, running his hands through his hair. "I still feel really bad. I don't really know if you'd forgive me, but you could give it a try?" He said, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Maybe I will," I responded as he started to walk to his car.

"What are you doing?" I asked, as Luke was up side down on the couch, his head handing from the seats as he stared aimlessly. "Im bored." He shrugged. I sat down next to him, and flipped upside down, like him. "It seems a lot more fun when you do it." He said, looking at me. "Why?" I turned my head. "Your hair goes everywhere." He laughed, taking some of it inbetween his fingers.

"What did Michael do?"

"He apologized for everything." I said. "Luke?" I asked. He turned to me, studying my face. "What did you do to him at the theme park?" I asked. "And...why was Drew so mad? I understand we looked like we were gonna...do something, but you're not...bad...or anything, are you?" I asked, although I didn't really want him to answer.

"I didn't beat Michael up and tell him to apologize, he did that himself." He said, not looking at me. "And, your brother and I are friends, he's seen me do stupid things, you know?" He turned to me. "Like what?" I asked. He opened his mouth to speak, but the front door opened. "Ash-you never said you had a friend over." I heard Dan's voice say. "Yeah." I said, but none of us moved. "So...can you tell me his name?" He asked, I could tell he was moving into the kitchen. "Luke." I said quietly.

The atmosphere of the room changed so quickly, I couldn't describe it.

"The boy you're giving dance lessons to?" He asked. I glanced at Luke, who was sitting up. I sat up with him.

"Yeah." I said quietly. "You having fun with that?" Dan looked at Luke's lip ring, cut up t-shirt, and skinny jeans. "Oh my god," I scoffed. "What? Just wondering." He said. "Im not trying to pull anything on your daughter, sir. If that's what you're wondering." Luke said respectfully. "Im sure. Okay, Ashki say goodbye. We're having dinner." Dan said, ending the conversation.