adulation | l.h.

Fourty three

Ashki's POV

Luke's head resided comfortably in my lap, my fingers tangled in the blonde, spikes mass that is his hair. I'm sure he had fallen asleep by now, but soon I heard quiet sniffs come from him.

I payed no mind, since Luke could be getting sick or something, but soon he started shaking with sobs.

I sat him up quickly, hugging him to me and not letting go.

"What's wrong?" I hummed quietly, trying to keep him calm.

"My mom hates me," he cried into my shoulder.

"She hates me." Luke continued to repeat the same sentence over and over again, ignoring my hushes.

"Luke," I stopped him, holding his head in my hands. "Your mom loves you. She misses you, that doesn't mean she hates you. Okay? You've been gone for two years, if anything she'll feel relieved you're not dead when you see her. Not mad at you for running away. Don't worry, please." I assured him, running my hands through his hair soothingly.

I have him a quick peck on the lips, after doing so I saw a small smile form on his.

"I'm exited to go back home." He gushed, finally calming down. "I'm proud you made that choice, Luke. I really am." I told him, kissing his forehead.

I kept my hand on the nape of his neck, our foreheads pressed together. We both looked into eachother's eyes, Luke taking his lip ring between his teeth.

"So after tomorrow we're just going separate ways?" He broke the silence.

"Different parts of the world? Then it's over?" Luke suddenly became upset again.

"It has to b-" "No, no. It doesn't have to be like this. I don't want you to be taken away from me," he got up, pacing around.

I hate seeing Luke in distress. Constantly pulling at his hair, grumbling about the thing he was bothered by. His eyebrows knitted together in thought, little wrinkles forming on his forehead.

"I don't want you to get on that plane." He finished. "Or go to Princeton, or take those boxes, or leave me."

"Luke, I'm not leaving y-" "You said yourself, you don't want to leave." Luke pointed out.

He was right.

I don't want to leave, I want to do anything but. I don't want to go to collage, I don't want to go to Princeton, that's for sure. I want to figure it out by myself. My choices, not my mother's.

"Yes, that's true but, I..." I trailed off, unable to finish my sentence, because I don't have any good reasons.

"Then come with me." Luke turned to me.

"What?" I asked, looking at his hand that had intertwined with mine.

"Get away from Princeton, and live in Australia with me. We wouldn't have to worry about Drew, or your dad, or anything."

"Luke, you're crazy." I laughed a little bit. "If I come with you, I'll be another "missing person" case, like you." I pointed out.

"Look, Ashki. You know how I told you I can't live without you?" He asked, leaning down to look in my eyes.

"I'm scared it will end up the same with you." Luke spoke slowly.

I cocked my eyebrow, not quite understanding.

"I'm afraid that if we just forget about eachother you'll get worse. And you'll cut again. And I can't live with myself not knowing that you're okay. And I can't live without you because you're all I have." He rambled.

Luke was right again.

If I don't have Luke, I'll probably go back to cutting. I lost love from my father, that broke me. Why can't losing Luke do the same?

"You're literally all I have." Luke repeated.

"Ashki, please." He pleaded, our eyes meeting again. Luke's blue ones were puffy from crying before, and I felt as if I were about to because I already knew the answer to his question.

"Run away with me." Luke finished, breathing out heavily and looking in my eyes for a response.

I knew that Luke was all I had, as well. And I know for a fact that what I've grown up to know what the right thing to do wasn't right for me. But I do know what is, at least now.

I glanced back up to meet Luke's hopeful eyes, and sighed before saying,

"Okay."

okAya idk if anyone saw that comiiiing but yesh

maybe two more chapters? wooow this went by rlly fast ha

~emma