christmas orphan // muke

7

Ashton's POV.

I drove to Michael's house, since school would already be out.

I saw him walking up the driveway.

I stopped my car parking on the side of the road.

I quickly walked over to him.

"Why did you have to do that?!" I yelled.

"Just forget about-"

"I'm not going to forget about it Michael! You were my best friend, but now you're just a pathetic, cheating, lying twat." I snapped.

"Why do you care anyway?!" He yelled.

"Because. Luke is like my little brother, and it's really humbling to see the happiest person you know, crying. You've made him feel so worthless, and so hated."

"How did I make him feel worthless?!"

"Because Michael. He thought you were his friend! That's all he wanted was someone like you to step in, and actually talk to him! Don't you see him every day, complimenting people, and trying to start conversations just so someone will talk to him?! He's always picked last, and he always works alone. That really hurts him. And he already knows his parents hated him, now having everyone at school hate him. Luke's not as happy as he portrays to be, and you're not helping." I said angrily.

Michael looked down and ran a hand through his red hair.

"Can I see him?" He asked.

"Yeah. Just don't say anything about the orphanage to make him feel bad." I said quietly, leading him to my car.

-

Michael's POV.

Ashton led me into the orphanage, and I politely smiled at all the nice women helping kids around.

He he led me up a bunch of stairs.

The was an oddly small orphanage. There must not be a lot of people here.

He opened a door once we got to the top.

I saw several beds. There were two rows. One on each wall. There wasn't anybody in there except for someone laying down.. They all must be downstairs.

I followed Ashton to the back of the room, and saw Luke asleep. There was a little girl with red hair and a black T-shirt on, cuddled into his chest. His arms were wrapped protectively around her as they slept.

I sat on the bed closest to them.

Ashton lightly shook him.

He opened his eyes slowly, and sat up, but let the sleeping girl stay asleep on his shoulder.

He wiped his eyes.

"What?" He asked.

I lightly smiled at him, but he kept a permanent frown on his face.

"Hi." I said.

He still didn't respond.

"Um. I came to apologize."

He stayed silent again.

"Uh. Luke. I'm sorry for stealing your song. But I'm sure since you missed all class you'll have a day to make it up." I said.

I saw a look of hurt flash in his eyes.

"You're not going to tell the teacher that you stole my work?" He asked.

"No. I mean. We can both have a good grade this way." I shrugged.

"But Michael- actually. Keep the song. Uh. I'll figure it out with the teacher." He said quietly

He stood up with the little girl still in his arms.

He walked over to, what I was assuming, is her bed.

He laid her down gently.

Her little eyes popped open.

"Lukey?" She asked, sitting up.

"It's okay. Go back to sleep, princess." He whispered.

"But I want you with me Lukey." She whined, clinging onto his arm.

He smiled down at her. "Why sweetie?" He asked, kneeling beside her bed.

"Because. What if I have another nightmare? Or what if you cry again. I don't want you to cry again." She said, shedding a tear herself.

He smiled and picked her up.

"I love you Lukey." She whispered.

"I love you too, princess."

And I swear, that was the most adorable thing I'd ever seen.

He walked out of the room, followed by me and Ashton.

He opened another door after we made it down the stairs, and I saw an empty room.

It had toys scattered all around, and easels and so many other things.

He sat the little girl down, and she ran off to the paintbrushes.

Luke turned back to me.

I guess he was waiting for me to say something.

"Luke. I am really sorry about the song."

"No you're not. If you were really sorry, you probably wouldn't have done it in the first place." Luke said, crossing his arms over his stomach.

"Luke-"

"No. Just save it. I mean- I should just stop trying to be nice to people. Everybody hates me anyway."

"That's not true." I said quietly.

"Did you not hear everyone say they hated me at the exact same time?! Have you not seen me working alone while everybody else is up talking?! Have you not seen groups of people laughing while I walk by?! It hurts to know I try my hardest, my very hardest, to put on a smile and be nice to everyone, when I get nothing in return. Actually. I don't expect anything in return. I just want to help people feel happy." He said.

The little girl ran back, and tapped on his leg.

He kneeled down, and she held a paper out to him.

She had painted a picture, of what I was assuming was Luke and her.

"Oh my goodness! This is beautiful. You did a really good job." He said, smiling and admiring the sloppy work.

She giggled and ran away. He smiled as he watched her run away.

Once he stood back up and saw me, his smile started to disappear.

"Luke. It's not even that big of a deal." I mumbled.

"Yeah. It's just my feelings. Nothing important really." He said, rubbing a hand over his face as he mumbled.

"You just seem so selfish about-"

"Don't you dare call me selfish." He warned.

"Why not?" I scoffed.

"Michael. We have nothing here. We have no parents, we have no Christmas presents, and we don't celebrate birthdays. Half the time they run out of food here, but I make sure every little kid here gets something before I do! I've gone to bed hungry so many times that I can't even count. I've given everything up for these kids here, even though I'm one of them. I don't want them to be like me. I actually want them to feel like they have someone they can count on. I don't think it's considered selfish to wish that I had someone I could count on. I thought you were gonna be that person, but you obviously aren't. I'm sorry, I just wanted a friend. I hope you can forgive me. You can call me anything you want, but don't you dare call me selfish."