All The Stars We See // muke

chapter nineteen

"Luke," he heard and he looked up from his papers before pushing his glasses up his nose. "- can we have a moment?"

"Of course, sir." He said before putting his worksheets down and then focusing his attention on his father. "What's the matter?"

"I got a call from a friend of mine." He started and Luke nodded. "He told me a satellite picked up a rather strange call the other day. Do you know these coordinates?"

He was handed a note and Luke furrowed his eyebrows together, deciding it would be best to play dumb despite every inch of him that told him he had to tell the truth. "No, sir, not off the top of my head." He handed it back. "Where is it?"

"Your house." He answered and Luke furrowed his eyebrows together in confusion while biting on his cheek.

"Strange. I haven't called anyone recently." He defended himself honestly. "In fact, my phone's been off for the past dew days so I can focus on my work. I've actually gotten pretty far ahead, father."

"Look," the elder stated as he leaned over his desk. "- you're my son. I don't want to disrespect our relationship by saying your guilty and hiding something, but you've been out of it lately. Everyone's noticed."

"How so?"

"Dr. Garret says she saw you out shopping with someone and Mr. Hood stated he too seen you leaving a restaurant with a male. Don't get me started on the commotion you started in the faculty room and to Mr. Wood by the engineering science door." He pointed out. "You've been coming in late and leaving early. What's going on?"

He forced a laugh. "I have friends, father, a life outside of the school. Is that so wrong?"

"Who?" He asked and Luke wracked his brain to try and come up with a name. "Do I know them?"

"That's absurd. I'm an adult. I don't need you to give me the green light on who I can allow in my life." Luke decided and then stood up. "I have a class to teach in three minutes, are we done here, sir?" 

"Who is it, Luke?" He demanded and the blond could feel him pushing down on him. He knew his father was aware of how blindly he would follow him, and how pathetically he would always do as he said.

It wasn't fair. Why couldn't he have his own life? He's been doing what his father wants for so long, would there ever be a point where he could just do what he wants?

"None of your business." He spit after mustering all of his willpower to say it. "Now, please leave. I have a class."

"I'll find out, Luke." He pointed at him as Luke took a deep breath. "You'll regret not telling me."

Luke cracked.

"His name is Ashton." He rushed and his dad stopped before he could turn around. "Ashton Irwin."

"You mean, -"

"- Yes." He sighed. "He came back before he goes on tour. We went for dinner the other day and shopping for clothes a long time ago."

"I thought I told you he was trouble?" His dad snapped at him. "Are you still fifteen, Luke? Do I need to spell it out to you that people like him don't care about other people? All he wants is to take advantage of you?"

Luke looked down at the floor as his father continued to yell. "I broke you two up and sent him on his way for a reason. He's no good for you. Don't you understand?" He scolded and Luke looked at him.

"Wait, you expelled him because... because we were together?" He asked and his father was silent. "You told me he got into a fight. You told me he sent someone to the hospital."

"He got into an argument with me."

"You mean to tell me that the reason he didn't get to graduate was because he-he got into an argument with you over me?" Luke pieced it together. "Are you that unprofessional that you let personal affairs interfere with your job?"

Didn't Ashton mention that before? He can't remember. His head is starting to hurt.

His father rolled his eyes. "You were fifteen and he was eighteen. He should have seen it coming. I could have gotten the police involved, so you should both be grateful." He defended himself and Luke looked at him.

"What else are you lying to me about?" He asked as he stepped away from him. "Father, what else are you hiding from me?"

"Don't turn this around on me, young man." The adult snapped. "This is about you and the otherworldly satellite frequency we got that connected your house to God knows where in the universe. What are you hiding from me?"

He was not getting out of this conversation that easily. Luke was angry, and he's never gotten the chance to be angry at his father before so it felt good to let it all out.

"Besides my friendship with my ex-boyfriend whom you wrongfully expelled, nothing but dirty clothes and a messy bed." He shouted at him. "Do you need to regulate my cleaning habits too? What about when I eat? Sleep? Why don't you just slap a stamp with your name across my forehead?"

"You do not raise tour tone with me. Watch who you're talking to." He pointed at him. "I gave you this life you have, do not disrespect me. I am your father."

"You're the one who decided to have a son. I didn't ask for this life." Luke sneered as he turned his head. "I didn't ask to grow up so fast and be shoved into adulthood at sixteen. You made me."

"You both were nothing before me. You should be grateful I came into your life." He basically seethed, steam blowing from his ears as his face went red.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Luke asked and his father began heading towards the door. "You don't get to leave. Tell me what that means. Father? Father! Get back here and -"

The door slammed shut behind him and Luke stopped as he stared out the sliver of a window in the metal door. He saw a student peek in and he turned around angrily while taking a deep breath to try and separate his personal emotions from his job. They didn't deserve his anger, just like Ashton didn't deserve his father's all those years ago.

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