Mute | Luke Hemmings &' Ashton Irwin (Lashton/5SOS)

Chapter 2

The sun was shining down over the football field like any other typical September day. The only difference was that the humidity was disgusting.

It's been days since my encounter with Luke and I still have yet to shake it off. You'd think after 2 weeks, I'd forget about the simple contact shared between us in that moment or the small smile that was formed onto Luke's lips, the first sign of emotion I've ever seen him show since I transferred to Manchester High.

I couldn't get the smile to leave my thoughts nonetheless. I couldn't get him to leave my thoughts. That one moment sparked a bunch of what if's in my head that still seem to hang in front of me mockingly, almost as if my own mind is torturing me on what will never happen no matter how much I'd like it to happen.

Now, as I'm running up and down the field quickly to finish up the last exercise of the day with sweat beading down my forehead, my thoughts are still brought to Luke and every possible wonder of the boy that I've yet to discover, yet to know. That's all I really wanted to do. All I'll ever want to do is know him, know every possible thing about Luke Hemmings.

Running back down the field one last time, I abruptly stop as the coach yells my new time of 5 minutes proudly.

"20 laps in five minutes. It's about time you boys start upping your game before Irwin decides to play on a one-man team," he says, causing me to shake my head looking down. I hate this attention. I can't stand it honestly. All people ever see me as is some no-good jock who's probably too dumb to function when in reality, I hold a 4.0 and I'm way more than some jock.

Sure, I eat, sleep, drink and breathe football, but other things matter to me. Other things make me, me, yet no one seems to realize that.

All I'll ever be known as is Ashton Irwin: Captain of the Football Team and I'd be lying if I were to say it didn't get irritating after a while.

Falling to the ground, I wait for the other boys to finish so we can go to the locker room together and end yet another exhausting practice and call it a day.

Minutes passed and then a few guys had finished, then Niall and Michael. Another round of boys finished, leaving Calum to finish last like always.

When I think about it, I don't really understand why Calum is even on the team other than the fact that his boyfriend's co-captain.

I teased him about it countless times, but he swore him joining was for his pure admiration for the sport and his need to play. I didn't buy it one bit and thought it was complete bullshit.

As Calum finished, Michael walked up to him, pressing a small kiss to his temple before commenting on his smell and pulling away, resulting in a swat from Calum and chuckle to escape Niall and I's mouths.

The pair was cute, adorably sickening from time to time, but tolerable.

I've known them 2 years now and I still couldn't help the envy I felt within whenever the two did anything involving affection, knowing I wouldn't get to feel that or experience that with anyone.

Sure, I was captain of the football team and with that came a lot of attention and a high-up on the social hierarchy around here, but I didn't care for it and I most certainly don't care for the female attention I receive from it.

Brushing off the sweat dripping from my forehead, I lay back on the grass as the coach calls out, ending practice and shooing us off to the locker room.

I don't make any attempt to move though, none at all. I stay exactly where I am, sprawled out at the far end of the field, staring up at the bright blue sky, rethinking how my senior year is going to play out in my head, thinking about if I can take another whole year of people thinking I'm this big shot when I'm really nothing special.