Too Cliché

Chapter 6: What about us?

Ring...

Ring...

Ring...

Ashton rolled over and mumbled curses while grabbing at his phone. "What?" he grumbled when he answered the phone.

"Good morning Ash," Luke's perky voice broke through the phone.

Ashton sat straight up in bed at the sound of his boyfriend's voice. "Lukey-Bear!" he chirped into the phone.

Luke smiled sadly at the phone as he realized how much he actually missed Ashton. "I miss you, baby."

Ashton felt a tear roll down his cheek, "I miss you too. Things here are awful! I know why I moved here! My mum is trying to change me! She doesn't want me to be gay! I met my father and he's such an ass! I hate him and he hates me and the only reason I haven't run away is because I know that my mum needs me."

Luke felt his heart drop, "Wait, you're mum is trying to make you straight?"

"Yes, but don't worry, I'm all about that dick." Ashton heard Luke chuckle, "besides, I love you too much to give you up."

Luke sighed in relief. "I love you too. When will you come visit?"

"Soon hopefully. I'm going to see if mum will let me come for Christmas," Ashton explained.

"That's so far away from now though," Luke pouted into the phone.

Ashton smiled at the thought of Luke's sad face. I he were there he would tickle him and make that smile grow on his face. "I can hear your pout, stop that." Ashton demanded.

"Make me," Luke teased through the phone.

"That's so not fair, Lukey-Bear." Ashton let the depression settle on him when he remembered they are thousands of miles away.

"Hey babe, I'm sorry, but I have to go." Luke said suddenly. Ashton thought he could hear a guy's voice in the background, but shook it off.

"Allright, I guess call me when you can," he didn't hide his sadness.

"Don't be sad, love. We'll talk soon. I love you, Ash."

"I love you too, Lukey."

Michael stood right outside the bedroom door, not meaning to eavsedrop, just intime to hear the ending of Ashton's long distance phone call with his long distance boyfriend.

On the otherside of the world, Luke hung up the phone just as Calum walked in the front door.

"Was that Ash?" Calum said settle onto the couch next to Luke.

"Yea."

Calum say Luke's face and felt sorry for him. "How is he?"

"Horrible," Luke sighed heavily laying his head down on Calum's shoulder. Calum wrapped his arm around Luke and let him stay there. "It's not even that he's sad that makes me sad, it's that I'm so lonely! I lock myself away now and I don't do anything. I've litteraly become a white girl eating chocolate and sobbing through stupid romantic movies!" Luke sobbed. His sobs shook his whole body and they slowly died down. "I'm tired of being alone," Luke whimpered.

"I'm sorry, hun. I wish there was more I could do to help," Calum spoke aft er a few minutes.

Luke looked up and focused on Calum's face. He took in his whole appearance. Finall after staring for what Calum felt like was forever uke spoke, "Maybe you can." With that Luke leaned in and kissed Calum. Calum pulled back quickly.

"Wha-what are you doing?" Calum stuttered. His heart rate increased and he let his eyes wonder all over Luke.

"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry..." Luke looked away.

Calum shook his head, almost too quickly, "No, no. Don't be. It's fine...I'm just...I...What about Ash?"

Luke looked at him, studying his facial expression for any hatred or jealousy. "He's in a different country on the other side of the world, it's not like I can thrust a webcam," Luke said.

Calum laughed, "yea, I guess I see your point..."

Luke started to stand, feeling as if an awkward tension had started, but Calum grabbed his arm and pulled Luke back down onto him. Calum mashed his lips onto Luke's and they gradually opened there mouths, letting their tongues intertwine and taste each other. Calum had had a crush on Luke for the longest time, but when Luke and Ashton got together, he stayed away. He wasn't going to be the one to break up a perfectly good relationship, but with Ashton gone now, Calum wasn't going to let Luke slip through his fingers again.

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Ashton tossed his phone across the room and it hit the mirror sending spider-like crack down the metallic glass.

"Fuck," Ashton whispered as he threw himself onto the bed.

He was getting so frustrated. He didn't want to be here. He just wanted to be with Luke, but he wasn't even thinking about Luke. He was just thinking about comforting hands. Just then, Michael knocked on his door.

"Ash?" Michael peers I'm the room through a crack.

Ashton grunted into the pillow signaling for Michael to come in. Michael stood in the door way for a moment and just watched Ashton breathing on the bed. Ashton looked up, "Well? Aren't you going to tell Paul?"

"Tell Paul what?" Michael asked confusingly.

Ashton sat up and faced Michael. A smirk plastered on his face. "That you're gay."

Michael's jaw dropped. "How do you know? I'm not-"

Ashton cut him off before he could make a full claim that he isn't gay. "You called me cute just the other day and you're too comforting to be straight. Straight men can't comfort other men without feeling awkward. You're gay." Ashton's smirk sat firmly on his face as his eyes traveled Michael's gestures.

Michael stood looking at ashton, mouth agape and eyes locked on Ashton's bright eyes. "Please don't tell Paul! He'll kick me out and I won't have anywhere to go or any money and I can't loose this job. This is all I have," Michael burst out and ran over to ashton and fell on his knees. His eyes began to water.

"Whoa, man. Chill out. I'm not telling anyone anything." Ashton was shocked by Michael's reaction. He reached out and touched Michael's cheek. "It's okaay," Ashton whispered willing away Michael's tears.

Michael looked up. "I-I'm so-sorry," he stuttered. "This is the only home I have," Michael continued. "I was thrown out and Paul took me in not knowing me at all..."

Ashton smiled at him and pat a spot on the bed next to him, gesturing for Michael to sit next to him. Michael stood, whipped a few escaped tears and sat next to ashton unsure of what to say next. "Just tell me from the beginning. I'm a good listener," Ashton beamed to Michael.

Ashton's smile built his confidence just enough for him to begin his complex life story.