Awkward (Cashton)

Chapter 41 A Miracle Amongst Finals

Ashton POV

It's been a month since Michael came over wasted and things haven't really changed if anything I think he really is moving and I can't do anything about it.  The weeks after his birthday he's hardly talked to Luke or I and I'm really worried about him. 

 This week is finals,  and I'm hoping that I'll get decent grade this year. I check my phone and see a text from my sister  I expect it to be bad news but let out a relieved sigh when I see it's just her checking in. 

I'm good how are you?

I'm pretty good, I might be going to school in Australia next year which is great, I sort of guilt-tripped our aunt into paying for school.

Haha go you, told you it would work

How's school?

Pretty good. I hesitate to tell her about the fight and just leave it out. 

I should get ready for school but if your around for the holidays your welcome to come over.

Thanks, Ash 

I check the time before hurriedly putting some clothes on and shove my notebooks in my backpack.  I have three finals today and I'm nervous I won't do well on my English final.  I  sigh and zip up my backpack and put it on grunting at how heavy it is. 

"You need a ride?" Luke offers as I make myself breakfast.  "Oh yeah if you don't mind." I look at the snow falling outside. "Let me just toast my bagel and we can go." I reply. 

"You need more than that." He says."I'm not a breakfast person, I guess it's a habit from when I was at home.. I tried to leave as fast as I could."  I shrug while Luke goes to get some cereal. 

 "You want some fruit then?" "You sound like a mom and sure I'll make a smoothie," I  say and go search through the freezer for some fruit.  

"The blender is in the cabinet under the stove," Luke says before going back to his seat at the table.  I  dump two random bags of frozen fruit in the blender and pour in a little liquid and as if right out a movie the smoothie mix covers the counter. "Ashton." Luke groans." I wipe the smoothie off my glasses. "I'll get something to clean this up with," Luke says reluctantly going n the laundry room. With the little bit of smoothie still in the blender, I pour it in a cup and put on a lid with the straw. Luke and I clean up the kitchen and don't leave until it's spotless. "Why did I make a smoothie when it's snowing?" I ask holding the cup as Luke and I get in the car.

"No idea." He murmurs backing out the driveway. I press the button and watch the door go down before we pull down the street.  "How many finals  you have today?" He asks. "Three." I  pull out my notebook and look over my notes for my English class. "I have two but I really don't want to do my one for calc."

"Why are you taking calculus?" I question.   Luke sighs in response. "My math teacher from last year suggested it and so did my counselor, I'm what they call "gifted," he says rolling his eyes. "I assume the class is hard?"

"My classmates sort of bully me for being actually interested in it and the fact that I'm perceived as smarter, it's whatever." He shrugs and cautiously turns into the parking lot. I notice I still have half my smoothie left and loudly slurp it until I get a brain freeze. I cough and press my hand on my forehead.

"Brain freeze?" Luke asks.

"Y- yes." I sputter and set the cup down. I slide my notebook back in my bag. 

"Ash, did you bring a coat?" Luke asks looking outside as it begins to snow harder. I look down at my leather jacket and then back at Luke. "N- no.." Luke sighs as he puts the car in park and turns to look in the backseat. "I thought I had a jacket in here but I don't."  

"I'll be fine this is warm," I say and open the door to the car. I pull my backpack on and lean against the door waiting for Luke to get out. "Got everything?" Yeah, thanks for the ride."

"Anytime, where is your class?"

"The second floor but I might go to the library to study since were early." I pull open the door and beckon for Luke to walk through. "Why thank you." I take in the warmth of the foyer, "Well I have to go this way." He nods down the hall as we reach the main staircase. "Good luck." "Thanks, I'll need it."  he half smiles before turning and walking down the hall. Once I've finished my last final my brain is pretty much fried. I drag myself to my counselor's office to see what classes I should pick for the spring semester. Unlike most offices in the school, I love my counselor's office, their's plushy seats outside her door and a computer lab, the opposite feeling of the principal's office which is a lot of tile and wood. Also, my counselor, Ms. Larson is one of my favorite people here. She's probably in her thirties and doesn't talk down to me and lets me just rant when I need to which is nice.

"Ashton! How are you, buddy?" She asks. "Pretty good. "Heard you got in a fight recently." She raises an eyebrow but is smiling a little. "You know, a school bully got a stand up for the little guys, it's whatever." I pop the collar of my jacket. "Were you trying to look cool? She laughs.

"Sort of." I feel myself blushing. "Well, I called you in because I have some good news to tell you before you go on Christmas break." I nod as she pulls out my folder.  "You know how you were a grade behind due to your absence? I nod drumming my fingers on the side of the desk but stop when I figure it's annoying.  "Well... She smiles and opens the folder. "I'm not a year behind?" My counselor looks through my paperwork and shakes her head. "Despite your year off, academically your doing great, if I'm honestly better than some of your classmates, I'm happy to announce you can walk with your class." I'm speechless for a moment as I put my hand over my mouth.  My counselor smile as I tear up. "Oh my god, I'm graduating?" I whisper. She nods happily. "You are, congratulations Ashton." I don't know whether to scream or cry so I sort of do both."C- can I give you a hug?" She laughs and nods giving me a big hug. "You did it, and I'm so proud of you." I nod and check my phone. "I have a newspaper meeting in fifteen minutes but we can talk about graduation and all that later right?" "Absolutely." I get my backpack off the floor and put it. "I'll see you soon." "Okay and have a good break." I  open the door to her office and with one last wave am out the door. 

-------------------

I get home from my newspaper meeting and am so excited about the fact that I'm graduating this year.  I hum along to my music as I unlock the door.  "What are you so excited about?" Luke asks looking up from his calculator. "Makeup work?" I ask sitting across from him. "No my calculus final was  pushed to tomorrow  so I'm using the extra time to study." He says 

"I'm assuming you've  finished all your make up work from your concussion right?"  He nods setting his pencil down."I had make up work for three weeks." He groans.  "That's a lot,  didn't realize it was that long." "It was a bad concussion." He shrugs. "Well glad your good now." He scribbles down some numbers on the side of the page "Me too, you wanted to tell me something?" "Oh right! I talked to my counselor and turns out... I'm graduating this year! I didn't think it was possible but..."

"What about Cal?"

"What about?"

"He'll be at school alone, without us."

"He has Michael right?" I ask and then remember when he was over for his birthday and frown.  "Have you talked to him today?" I ask. "I  saw him at lunch today but he didn't want to talk."   Luke says pulling out his phone. "So I texted him and said  when he got back from his date his mom was super upset, and as far as I know he's still going to be moving, you can scroll through the conversation." He slides the phone across the table.  I read over the conversation and frown. "I feel like he's not telling me everything like I want to help, but like someone, I know..." He looks over at me sternly. "He maybe won't accept my help." Luke goes back to his homework. I read the rest of the conversation and set the phone back down. "Well all we can do is say we're here to talk and invite him over right?" He sighs reluctantly. "Yeah, I guess."