Te Amo

2~End Up Here

How did we end up here?

Ashton walked into the music room and shook hands with their bassist and guitarist. He sat down at the drum kit before realising that their lead singer and guitarist, Jake was missing.

"Hey Tom, where's Jake?" Ashton asked their bassist.

"Didn't come to school." Tom replied.

"Some other guy's filling in just for tonight." Derrick, their guitarist commented.

"Who?" Ashton asked, fiddling with the high hat on his kit.

"Um," the other two looked at each other.

"Liam?"

"No, it's Duke."

"What? No. It's-"

"Luke!"

No.

"Yeah that dude."

No.

The door swung open revealing a tall blonde with his guitar already strapped around his neck.

No!

"Ah, hey Luke!" Tom grinned, man-hugging Luke.

"Hey mate."

"What's up?" Derrick grinned.

"Nothing much. We all ready?" Luke asked.

Luke plugged himself into an amp and adjusted his volume before turning slightly and locking eyes with Ashton.

Ashton couldn't move. He was too scared to play. What if Luke made fun of his playing? What if he tormented him after every song?

Luke smirked before turning around and adjusting the height of his microphone.

"Iiiis this on? Just testing. Testing, testing, testing... 1, 2, 3.” Luke spoke into the microphone in a deep voice. "Hey Tom, mind adjusting the feedback and adding more volume to the left speaker? No- your other left. Yeah. Yeah thanks."

Finally, the rest of the band were ready to play.

"Alright, let's go through Seven Nation Army?" Tom suggested.
Derrick nodded. "Ash, count us in, will ya?"

Ashton still sat still, not wanting to be tormented in front of his peers.

"Aaaash." Tom dragged.

Ashton bit his lip, knowing he had to. He didn't want to let his actual band members down.

Ashton hit one stick against the other, counting the band in before Tom began his bass solo, Ashton joining in again bars later.

Luke licked his lips before beginning to sing and play.

Goddammit. He can play well. And sing well.

"Aaash you're dragging," Derrick whispered into the microphone.

Ashton shook his head and picked up the pace slightly.

One and a half hours passed and Ashton quickly packed up his things and turned off all the electrical equipment.

"Ash, something in your head today?" Tom asked.

"Yeah- I mean no- Sorry- I'm just tired. Last day of school, you know?" Ashton mumbled.

"Yeah okay. Have a good holiday!" Tom called after Ashton.

“You too."

Ashton could feel Luke's intense stare in his back as he walked out.

Ashton didn't go home. He went straight to the river about an hour from his house. He always went there. Almost every day. He'd sit on one particular rock and put his feet in the water, his socks and shoes lying a few metres away. His bag was discarded near a tree, where it couldn't possibly get wet.

Ashton sighed and closed his eyes, loving the feeling of the pebbles in his toes and the wind in his air. It was a great feeling.

He got up slowly and walked further into the river. The water was already up to his hips. He walked towards a large rock and sat on it, looking out at the horizon.

He felt as if his mind had just floated off to nowhere. He had no idea what he was doing.

Before he realised it, he was standing on the edge of the rock. The very edge.

"Hey," a voice behind him spoke.

"Whoa-what?!" Ashton said, spinning around, the sudden force knocking him off his feet, sending him into the water.

Arms pulled him back up quickly.

Ashton's heart was beating a mile a minute and his arm stung lightly.

"Hey- Sorry- I didn't mean-"

Ashton opened his eyes to come face to face with Luke's best friend Michael. He stepped back, afraid of the red-haired boy.

"Hey- You alright? Your arm-" Michael stuttered.

Ashton just blinked without saying a word. The pain in his arm going stronger, the crashing of the waves growing louder and the world getting darker.

"Ashton- Ashton!"