Coming Up For Air

4.9

"I know that after tonight
You don't have to look up
At the stars no no no no
And I know by the end of tonight
You don't have to look up at the stars
And I know if the love is alright
You don't have to look up
At the stars."
-Justin Nozuka, 'After Tonight'

⚑ Luke ⚐

Luke shifted in his seat, bored and impatient to leave his last class of the day. Wednesday, after Ashton had gone back to his dorm room, he had texted Luke saying he was writing a legitimate bucket list of things he really wanted to do. Luke had told him they needed to get started on it ASAP so they could have time for them all. Then he was sad.

Luke felt his new phone vibrate in his pocket. Michael had just been upgraded to the whatever model of iPhone was the newest thing, and he had kindly donated his old 3 to Luke, who was seriously regretting his angry outburst that had resulted in the demise of his old phone. He glanced up at his teacher, who was lecturing with a PowerPoint, before discreetly pulling it out to check his messages.

Ashton: im outside your school right now. when do you get out? btw this place looks like a prison
2:45pm

Luke: Because it IS a prison. I get out in five minutes. See you soon ☺️
2:45pm

Ashton: 😘
2:45pm

Luke: Stop texting me in class UGH 😤
2:46pm

Ashton: 😰
2:46pm

Luke: Just kidding 😉
2:46pm

Ashton: 💔
2:47pm

Luke: Aw I'm sorry Ashhhhh 😁😁😁
2:47pm

Ashton: 🙅
2:48pm

Luke: Noooo not the redhead karate girl.
2:48pm

Ashton: 👓
2:48pm

Luke: oh hshit are yoi wearing your glasses
2:49pm

Ashton: 😏
2:49pm

Luke: 😳😳
2:50pm

"It's cute how you get all typo-y and flustered when you think of me in glasses." Ashton laughed as Luke jogged out of the building, one strap on his black backpack clinging to his shoulder for dear life. Ashton was dressed warmly, in a navy blue sweatshirt with the hood pulled up, and he had his black rimmed glasses perched on his nose and Luke just smiled and smiled a smiled.

"I love your glasses." He told him blushingly, cupping Ashton's face in his hands. "You're so adorable I can barely function."

Ashton, however, did not giggle and flush like Luke expected him too--instead, he looked rather terrified.

"Aren't you afraid--," he muttered, gently removing Luke's hands from his cheeks, "--that they'll see?"

"Them? Who's them? See what?" Luke spun around and looked behind him, toward the roiling mass of students exiting the front doors of the school.

"Your...you know, classmates. Aren't you afraid they'll see us?" Ashton said, all shy and scared and raw, and Luke hated everybody in the universe who had made him feel like they weren't okay.

"I'm not, no. Why would I be?" Luke asked, even though he knew the answer because he knew Ashton.

"Because--won't they, like...I don't know. Give you a hard time?" Ashton suggested, and Luke could see him visibly shrink back from the crowd around them.