Sex Metal Barbie // lashton

chapter three

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Ashton scrolled through his twitter indirects as his best friends conversed with their other friends and a couple of new faces. He wanted to join in but he was sucked into headline after headline, tweet after tweet, each and every single one about him and his ex-boyfriend. Some defended him and his actions. Some belittled him and called him pathetic. Some just chose not to listen to rumors ad to wait until he personally addressed the issues.

Photogenic evidence acted as a shield against anything be could possibly say, but even if no one else knew how those bruises came to life, he and his ex did. They knew he was lying when he cried abuse, but the sympathy and attention he got from it must have been rewarding if he continued his desperate pleas of 'it's okay' and 'I must have deserved it'.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

He scrolled past his ex's tweets and allegations before feeling his hand hold his phone tighter at the sound of someone's shoe against the hardwood floor. It was in the back of his head as more and more articles popped up, and he finally had enough after seeing someone call him an abuser.

"Can you stop?" Ashton asked as he looked up from his phone. "Whoever is tapping your bloody foot, can you stop?"

"Yeah, sorry. I'm just a little anxious. The show still has me a little hype." Michael apologized and Ashton shook his head as he looked at his phone again.

"You better not piss him off," one of the new faces spoke up. "- he'll hit you."

Ashton froze. His finger hovered over the screen of his phone and he could hear his best friend choking on his drink as he tried wiping off his shirt. His blood was cold, and he didn't know what to say or do as he tried to process what he said.

"That's... That's not cool." Another new voice said, but it sounded so far away despite being only a few feet away. "That's kind fucked up."

"What? It's true, isn't it? We all get a little rowdy when we're mad, a little physical. Hey, man, I'm surprised you even had the balls to do it." The man further insisted and Ashton kept his eyes glued to his phone.

Of course a picture of his ex's slightly bruised throat was on his screen. Just perfect timing.

He turned his phone off and then looked up. "I would appreciate it if you didn't bring that up." Ashton told him as the air around the group thickened with tension.

The clearly intoxicated man chuckled as he raised his beer. "Or what, hot shot?" He challenged.

"Get out." The drummer replied as he met his brown eyes. "Now."

The guy looked around at the group, and when Calum's sister gave him a little nod, he scoffed. "You're so sensitive. It was just a joke."

"I said, get out." Ashton punctuated slowly and he set his beer on the counter along the mirror of their dressing room.

"I'm leaving. Jesus, calm down." He snapped and Michael got up to call for security. He slammed the door behind him and Ashton sighed as he rubbed his eye.

"Anyone else?" He asked half heartedly as Calum stood up from beside him. "Anyone else want to take a jab? I'll personally open the door for you."

"I'm sorry." Mali apologized as he rubbed his forehead. "I don't know why he was acting out. He's normally level headed and fun."

Ashton dismissed it, telling her it was fine. "I get it a lot now, it's alright." He admitted.

"Why?"

He met a pair of blue eyes and he tilted his head as he stared at his pointed nose and rosy cheeks, pink from possibly the intoxication of his combined drinks. "Haven't you heard?" Ashton asked.

He swished around his beer before shrugging those unnecessarily broad shoulders of his. "Who believes in rumors these days?" He asked and Ashton ran his tongue over his lips.

He was undeniably attractive, he'll give the man that. Definitely eye catching.

"Most people." Ashton replied as the boy's eyes ran over his figure. They flickered up to his eyes only a moment after.

He could feel it in his bones. He knew the eyes the blond was giving him weren't out of something as innocent as friendly curiosity, but something with a little more intent and push. He wanted to prove himself of something, to show that he was different. He wanted to be different.

He smiled, revealing his cratered dimples on the sides of his mouth. "I don't." He answered and Ashton set his phone down on his lap.

"What's your name?" The drummer asked as he sat up straighter. "I don't believe we've met before."

He laughed. "That's because we haven't. I'm Luke, an old friend of Calum and Mali's." He introduced himself.

He approached Ashton and he shook his hand as he got a closer look at him. "Nice to meet you." Ashton said and Luke pointed to the open spot beside him.

"Is that seat taken?"

Ashton peered around Luke to see Calum standing by the wardrobe in a deep conversation with his sister. He wouldn't miss it.

He looked up at the blond and then shook his head as he raised his nails to his lips. "No-No, go ahead." He offered and Luke sat down almost carefully. Almost like he was nervous of something.

"Last show, how was it?" Luke asked and Ashton smiled as he crossed his arms along his chest.

"It was fun. I'll miss it." Ashton told him before crossing his legs as well. "Let's talk about you though. What you see is what you get for me. What about you?"

"I'm a college drop out." He told him and Ashton nodded.

"Why?"

"I realized it wasn't for me."

Ashton pushed his tongue behind his teeth and then looked at the door was it opened. "He won't be a problem. I'm sorry, Ash."

"Don't be. I'm no baby." He defended himself and the guitarist pinched his cheeks and laughed when he rushed behind him.

"The w-ittle baby, w-ook at him." He gasped and Ashton swatted his hands off. Both his ego and dominance taking a hit from his baby voice and advances.

Luke laughed and Ashton took a deep breath as his friend sprawled himself out on another couch. He occupied his attention with his phone and Ashton looked at Luke.

"The band as I were planning on getting a bite later," Ashton brought up. "- you and Mali should tag along."

"Me?"

Ashton nodded. "Of course, why not?" He grinned and Luke blinked a few times. "Are you busy?"

"No."

Ashton smirked and then bit his bottom lip. "Great, you'll make it then. I'll give you the address."

Luke furrowed his eyebrows. "You trust me with your phone number?" He asked.

"Another number change is the least of my worries." Ashton assured him and Luke nodded.

"You won't have to worry about that though. You can trust me." Luke assured him as he set a hand on the drummer's bicep. He flexed subconsciously.

He's heard that before. He's seen that look before. He's been in this situation before. But he can't help but bury himself deeper into Luke's dimpled cheeks and summer eyes even if he knew he was trouble.