Laconic » a.i

1.6

//cooper//

I missed kissing Ashton. I just missed Ashton. And as much as I didn't want the kiss to end, I pulled my lips away from his because I knew what he was trying to do, but I knew I couldn't let it happen.

"I have to go." I said in a broken whisper as we let our foreheads touch.

"You d-," he cut himself off. His hands held my face as he thumbs rubbed my cheeks. He wouldn't make eye contact with me through his glasses, afraid he'd make me do something I didn't want to, but I was dying to know what he said. He lifted his forehead from mine, looking to Luke.

"He says you don't have to go." Luke told me, although my back was to him.

"I promise to find a way to get Mikey and I out." Ashton told me.

"I can't, Ashton," I sighed, shaking my head slightly. "I can't keep waiting around just to get let down some more."

"But...remember back at Luke's house? You promised you'd never leave."

Of course I remembered that, and what did I do? I left anyways. I called him a monster and a murderer and left him crying and broken, only to make him think I was leaving him for Michael afterwards. I was, in fact, a terrible person, but I knew this would be better for both of us in the long run. I wasn't saying goodbye to him because I still expected him to come back, but I just couldn't be with Ashton if things like this would keep getting in the way. Maybe once all of...this was over, we could try again.

"Ashton, I'm expecting you to come back," I told him with a chuckle, watching as his face softened slightly, "but whatever's going on here is too much. I have to go home and just...take a break."

"Cooper," Michael's voice spoke up. I stepped away from Ashton and moved around him to look at Mikey, "I know you're having a moment with Irwin, but I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry. Not just for disappearing, but for making things for you worse."

I furrowed my eyebrows at him, "How did you-"

"You might not think I did, but I know I did," he said, not moving from where he sat on his bed. "If I didn't let that happen that night then Irwin wouldn't have left. Maybe you two would still be happy together and we'd all be in Luke's house playing Mario Kart or something."

"We have to go," Luke cut in. I spun around to see him staring down at his phone. "Cal has everything ready for us to go."

"Back to Sydney," I gave him a tiny smile. "Try to live normally and...function like before you left."

"Yeah, that's gonna happen." Luke muttered sarcastically.

"So, if you ever get out," I sighed, turning to face the two boys who were held captive, "you know where to find me."

"Calum also wanted us to tell you not to leave his sister here," Luke put in. "He says he knows how to put you back where you belong and he's not afraid to do it -- or worse."

When Calum had first told us to say that, I wondered what was worse, but he told me that I didn't need to worry about it. I just left it at that.

"What if we ran away?" Michael suggested, his face lighting up as he looked between me, Luke, and Ashton.

"We can't run away without taking Mali-Koa, and that'll only tip off the ghost hunters." Ashton stated, crossing his arms as he looked at his best friend.

I stared at them with pure worry and fear. No one told me anything about ghost hunters.

Michael took notice in my expression and was quick to assure me everything was alright, "They haven't hurt us or anything."