Romeo and Juliet: Modified , Lashton

Act 12: A Cafeteria

"Why the hell is he here?" Michael hissed as Ashton approached their usual table with Calum by his side.

"He's nice, I swear," Ashton said, "He helped me."

Michael didn't say anything, but he looked at Calum indignantly as the brunette took a careful seat next to Ashton. They all sat in a slightly awkward silence for awhile, Michael angrily crunching away his nacho while Ashton took small nibbles off the chips. Calum had decided not to eat that day. Not that he could have under the intense gaze of Michael.

Calum sighed, finally having enough of Michael's harsh gaze.

"Look," he sighed, "I know you don't like me-yeah, I get it, I'm the asshole who put Ashton in his position. But, I swear to God I didn't mean for it to go this far. It was supposed to be a joke on Luke. It wasn't even targeting Ashton in the first place."

Michael scoffed, "That's bullshit, Hood, and you know it. Maybe you were just trying to play Luke but everyone else was up for making a fool of Ashton- the quiet one who never does anything. They wanted to watch him like this. You know, I know, he knows it, we all fucking know it. So don't feed me your shit."

Ashton was amazed, even scared, at the words that came from his friend's mouth. This was all very apparent to him, but it was something to hear it from someone else- especially Michael. He knew Michael was only saying it all to defend Ashton. He knew that Michael didn't ever want to hurt Ashton, too, and that none of those things were Michael's fault.

It still hurt, though. It stung to hear it all said, for it all to finally be put out into the world.

It hurt to hear the undeniable truth.

"I couldn't help what they did."

"You're Calum Hood! Why didn't you just threaten to beat the shit outta them or something?"

"I can't just threaten a whole fuckin' class, you idiot!" Calum seethed.

"Well, then change their minds instead of letting them torture Ashton!" Michael's voice was growing progressively louder.

"I tried. They didn't listen." Calum insisted, his face going red with anger.

"Well you didn't try hard enough."

"You know what, Clifford? Fuck you-"

"Stop!" Ashton yelled, getting up from his seat.

Tears brimmed his blood shot eyes as he watched the two boys quickly end their quarry. He stood over them with a pained expression etched across his features, his body shaking with rage and sadness.

"Stop arguing. Just-just fucking stop." Ashton said, his voice hoarse, before storming out of the cafeteria.

Leaving Calum and Michael behind to wallow in their guilt.

***

Ashton found himself outside, again, behind the gymnasium. He wasn't crying. Just simply sitting against the stone brick wall with his knees brought to his chest as he listened to the world around him. The wind whistled through the grass like a softly played instrument, the distant sound of cars adding to the music. Bugs chirped and chattered. Birds sung little songs to each other as they bounced around in the shady tears.

The sun was set high up in the sky, raining down beams of golden light upon the school. Clouds sprinkled across the blue sky. The earth was covered in green grass and a variety of colorful flowers. It all looked like a painting made by an extraordinary artist.

Such a beautiful day gone to waste by a horrible sequence of events.

Ashton sighed defeatedly, his legs sliding down onto the ground, his head falling against the brick wall as he closed his eyes. He just wanted to be part of the earth for once.

He wanted to know how it felt to be the grass and not have to worry about being knocked down by other people. Or how it felt to be a small squirrel, only caring about gathering nuts for the winter. Ashton wanted to experience was it felt like to be a freely running river or to never have to cry like sky. For once, he didn't want to live with nature- he wanted to be nature.

Ashton's dreams of being part of the earth were interrupted by the high pitched sound of a giggle. His eyes opened instantly as he sat up straight, listening intently for the noise. More giggles came from his right side. Then he heard whispering of a girl and a boy, he presumed.

He lifted himself from the ground quietly and tip toed over to the conversation, their words becoming clearer as he came more close.

"You're so feely," A girl laughed, "What happened? A few days ago you wouldn't touch me and now you're all over me."

"I realised what I wanted- what I needed." A boy said.

Ashton halted, his heart stopping along with his feet. That was familiar. Almost too familiar. And Ashton could swear he knew who it was, although he didn't want it to be. He should've stopped, should have turned around and walked away from whatever was happening, but his interest and need to know who it was fuelled him to walk on.

He regretted what he had done the moment he saw what was happening behind that wall.

The girl- who he recalled as a girl named Haylee- had her arms draped around his neck as he sucked love bites onto her neck. His right hand was squeezing her breast whilst his other hand was rubbing against the fine fabric of her jeans. Ashton covered his mouth with his hand to muffle his gasp as he watched the scene unfold before him. He kept it over his mouth, now to cover the sobs that were surely going to come.

Because, the boy he was watching was Luke.

Luke now pulled away, grinning down at the small brown haired girl cheekily. He kissed her chastely on the lips before going down to unbutton her jeans.

Ashton couldn't watch any longer. He turned around and quickly ran off to the parking lot, where he would call his mother and beg her to pick him up for school.

***
Hi, I'm sorry.

I have family over so I don't know how much i'll be able to update. :-( Please don't un-love me.

Anyhow, thank you so mucH FOR 2K READS. LIKE HOLY GUACAMOLE YOU GUYS ARE AMAzinG AND I LOVE YOU MORE THAN LIFE. WOWZA GUYS.

Also thank you for your reads and votes on Famous Last Words! Please go check that out if you have the time.

Have a good weekend. Stay Lovely. XXX- Hayley