Luke POV
I'm just laying on my bed, not doing much, in fact I'm actually watching a movie which is weird, because Ashton's here and I'm paying attention to the movie and not him, when I hear my parents calling me. They sound kind of anxious, I guess I'd better go down and see what they want.
I thunder down the stairs really fast, and my mother tells me off for it as usual, but I'm greeted by an unusual sight. My parents are standing by the front door with overnight bags, and dad is talking on the phone. Bens there too, Ashton must be upstairs or in the den still.
"Listen, boys, your father and I have got to go to Nana's this weekend," my mother explains, chewing her lip slightly. " She's flooded her house, and she slipped in the water and she's hurt her leg, not badly," she adds quickly, probably seeing the worry on our faces, " but she can't clear out the house and sort out the damage on her own, so we're going to help. We won't be back until Tuesday, which is why you boys need to stay home. Ben's eighteen now, so he'll take care of everything." She pulls us in for a hug and kisses me on the forehead; this is the first time we've been left home alone for more than one night. Dads off the phone now, and they turn to leave out the door. Just before they go, my mum yells out, "oh, and Ashton will be staying too, he'll keep you in order!"
I go back to my room before this sinks in.
Just me, Ben and Ashton. Ashton, staying in my house for five days.
I can't work out if I feel sick with excitement or sick with nerves.
So, naturally, being home alone, I go into my room and watch two movies before I hear anything from the others. Weirdly, Ashton's the first one that says anything to me. I hear a knock on the door, and call out "come in!" And it's his face that sticks round the door. "Lukey, c'mon, you and me are going to the supermarket." I hope my face doesn't flare up too much, but how can I ignore that? Lukey. He called me lukey. Okay. I stand up and get in the car in the passenger side, trying to ignore the cans and food wrappers littering the floor. I wonder how many girls he's had in this seat? Or not in this seat... I don't want to think about it. To distract myself, I hum a tune, and Ashton looks over and smiles at me, and I abruptly stop. "Why did you stop?" He asks. "You're good, I already told you."
I ignore his comment, because I can't think of anything smart to reply with. "Why are we going to the supermarket?"
"To get food for the partayyyyy!" Ashton almost shouts. "Bens at home inviting people and making space, and we're gonna pick up snacks and drinks."
"What, like cheese and crackers?" I blurt out nervously.
To my amazement (and glee) Ashton doesn't give me a weird look, he burst out in his beautiful, sunny laugh and smiles at me widely. I think he thought I was joking, but yeah... Whatever. I'm no really experienced with parties. We pull up at the store and get out.
"Right, you take this and go get pretzels, crisps, cheese and crackers - whatever kind of food. Just make sure you get loads, ok?" Ashton hands me a 50.
"But where will you be going?"
"Drinks, young lukey," he winks at me.
And sure enough, half an hour later, I've returned with a trolley full of junk food, and he's returned with a several crates of beer and several bottles of spirits. I almost feel drunk just looking at it.
I gulp, and ask how many people are coming.
"Oh, I don't know... At least fifty, I think."
Fifty? And Ashton says it like that's a SMALL amount? I blink, trying to imagine my house with fifty people in it. Fifty very very drunk people, judging by the amount of alcohol Ashton's loading into the car.
