Live in the Moment - Lashton

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

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As Theo walked up to Luke, he instantly noticed the little chocolate moustache he had outlining his top lip. The blonde man closed his eyes and faked a smile. "Hey, little one!" He couldn't confront him here, he would look like a bad father. He already felt guilty for having to tell the young boy off later.

He knew it was not Theo's fault for eating chocolate, it was society's fault for perceiving it as a treat when really it was a death trap. Luke had watched enough documentaries to know that if he were to eat chocolate or any other food that was not natural, unhealthy or was from an animal it would add many extra inches to his waistline. The only way he knew to have a long and healthy life was to only eat when necessary, and ignore what the media tries to persuade you to consume.

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Theo was sat pushing his wooden cars along his car mat, and parking them up where he pleased. Small car noises escaping his pressed lips. Luke watched him peacefully from the doorway for a minute or two, content that his son was content. He took a deep breath before muttering his son's name, "Theo."

The six-year-old spun round, a car in his left hand, and looked up at his father questioningly. Luke took a seat on the sofa and patted his knees. The small boy stood up and climbed on his father's lap. "I've seen you've had chocolate today," he said, watching his son's face turn to a worried expression, his head dropping to look at his lap.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, leaning his head into his father's chest. Luke sighed, he hated having to tell his son off, he knew he was well behaved, he just could not control his indulgences. Unlike Luke. Luke ran his spindly fingers through Theo's thick brown hair.

"I know it's not your fault," he stated. "I'm sure someone convinced you to have it-"

Theo cut his father off. "My teacher said I deserved a treat, and that it wasn't that bad because it had a biscuit in." Luke closed his eyes and clenched his jaw. He knew that could have near or over 200 calories in and dozens of other unhealthy ingredients.

Luke moved his hands from his son's hair and gripped his own. He could feel the unhealthy product lingering in his own stomach and already clogging up his arteries and slowly killing him. He felt a tear roll down his cheek, and his body began to shake from sobs. "Dad, I'm sorry!" Theo quickly apologised, hugging the older man tightly. "I won't do it again, I promise."

Luke shook his head and wiped his eyes with the back of his hands. He let out a slow shaky breath. The action had been done, and it could not be erased. Luke knew if he could burn off the calories that his son had consumed, then he would feel more comfortable and his brain would calm down. He planted a small kiss on his sons head and mumbled. "I know you won't Theo, you wouldn't hurt me like that. Why don't you and I go outside and play some football." It wasn't a suggestion however, Luke was going to make his son go outside and do some exercise with him. Luke wasn't consciously or intentionally trying to make Theo burn the calories he had eaten. He was trying to burn the calories from himself and the only way he was capable of doing that was for his son to do it with him.

Luke didn't realise how small and fragile his son was, nor himself. Theo and himself had been so close for the six years he had been alive that Luke felt that they were part of each other, without Theo he was incomplete. Therefore when Luke began to develop these crazy ideas about eating two years ago, and it became more and more serious, Luke felt the only thing holding him back from having a perfectly healthy body was his son who he let eat whatever he pleased. He would cook for him whatever he would like and the tiny natural belly he had, Luke could feel on himself. Therefore, Theo had to eat whatever the blonde had, usually a little more as Luke understood that his son needed food, but Luke thought he didn't.

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Ashton sighed as closed Theo's school records. There was no reported case of malnourishment or parental abuse. All he discovered was that his father, Luke, was a single parent and the mother was nowhere to be seen. Luke had a well-paid job, thus poverty was not an issue.

Ashton didn't know whether everyone was oblivious to how frail the father and son was, or his brain was over exaggerating the situation.

Nevertheless, the teacher opened his emails up on the computer and began to type in the blonde mans URL that was in the document. Ashton composed an email asking the father to respond with a date and time that he was able to come in and talk about his son. The man gave no reason why as he did not want to scare the man out of coming, only that he thought it was a matter of concern that he thought ought to be addressed.

As this was his first teaching job, Ashton didn't know if he was doing the correct thing. But, he wanted so badly to know that Theo's home life was alright and that his wellbeing was not in danger.

Ashton stared at the screen for a minute, not expecting a reply, before shutting his computer off and tidying his things up. Ready to head home before he would hit a local pub with a couple of his close mates where he could hopefully forget about the blonde man he saw in the playground just hours before.

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Thank you so much for reading.