Hold My Hand - Lashton

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

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Ashton didn't read Luke's message until the following evening, around seven. Luke had checked almost every hour to see if he had read it, to see if he was ignoring him. It was beginning to drive him insane.

Luke had decided to spend the evening planning his essay, an essay on the canon that he did not want to admit that he was excited to write. He knew it would be stress-inducing, but he had a lot to say and wanted to know more.

His phone buzzed beside him, the screen lighting up to show a notification. Luke paused and stared at the screen. The words were blurry and unreadable. He knew it was Ashton. No one messaged him. His mother always did so in the mornings and he had lost contact with his other friends.

Taking a deep breath he picked up the phone and read the message. Once and then twice. It was from Ashton. He had replied saying: Do you want to come with me to get food? If you say no I will knock down your door.

Luke felt his heart leap. He didn't know what to say. He had planned to do his essay, he wanted and had to do it tonight or otherwise, he'd have to change his schedule for the week.

But he had read the message now and Ashton would know. He would think of his silence as a no and would still precede to pressure him out.

Luke typed out a message, and then deleted it, and then typed the same message out again. Okay, I've already had food but I'll come with you.

Instantly Ashton replied informing his to meet him outside their rooms in ten minutes. Luke closed his phone and leaned back in his chair and took a deep breath. It was cold out, he wanted to just snuggle up in his bed and read a book. But something was compelling him to leave his room and spend the evening with the curly-haired boy.

Luke turned off his desk lamp and changed back into the jeans that he had thrown into his laundry basket. They weren't dirty, he just could not be bothered to hang them back up. He wondered if Ashton was doing the same thing, was the rushing around because of the last-minute decision. Or did he think about this for a while, as he now just sat waiting and giving him time to prepare?

When Luke left his room, Ashton did too and gave the blonde a forced smile. Luke opened his 

mouth to ask him if he okay, but decided against it. He hated the empty question.

"I was gonna get a pizza," Ashton said. "I know it's late and cold, but we could sit somewhere. I think I just need someone's company." His voice was hoarse, it was clear he had not talked in a little while.

Luke nodded, zipping up his coat. "Everyone was worried. You didn't tell them."

Ashton shook his head. "I didn't feel the need to. Sometimes people find it hard to accept, this more than the mania."

He held the door open for Luke and followed after him. Neither talked as they left the flat and Luke watched Ashton see what way they were going.

Luke didn't want to ask. But he wanted to know. "How are you feeling?"

Ashton laughed and looked over to the blonde. But all he said was. "I'm getting there."

The pair then continued to walk. Out of the campus, down streets that were dimly lit with rusted streetlamps and a partially covered moon, until they arrived at the high street.

Barely any words were exchanged. Ashton was too tired to talk, and Luke didn't like to talk. They were content in each other's company. Their bodies a little too close to each other, absorbing one another's body heat.

Sometimes one of them would steal a glance at the other, turn their head to see if they were still there. That they hadn't vanished into thin air. Or both of them would turn their head to stare at the cars passing, maybe comment on how fast they were going.

When they arrived outside a pizza shop, Luke told Ashton he'd wait outside. It was fairly busy and he didn't want to get in the way. So the blonde leaned against the wall and waited patiently for Ashton to return.

Opposite him was the small pub they often visited. Through the window, people were standing shoulder to shoulder, a pint in their hand as their eyes were glued to the television. Luke didn't know what was on, but he assumed it was football. He smiled to himself as he imagined his dad at their local pub, with his friends or maybe his sons, as they watched football and laughed together.

"What are you smiling at?" Ashton asked amused as he exited the shop, confused as to why the boy was so gleeful.

Luke shook his head as he snapped back to reality. "Just thinking," he muttered and stared down at the cardboard box Ashton held in his hand and a drink in the other.

Ashton rolled his eyes but smiled himself. "You think too much," he commented, before suggesting. "Do you want to go and sit in the park, or will it be too cold?"

Luke knew it would be too cold. He was cold now. He should have put another layer on. But he knew Ashton wanted to, so he found himself agreeing. "I could do with some nature," Luke confirmed.

They both walked a couple more minutes, Luke consistently offering to carry something, Ashton shutting him down. They then sat on a bench and Ashton set the pizza down in between them.

"I didn't want to be the only one eating so I made a sacrifice," Ashton said after a couple of seconds of staring at the box. He opened it up and announced. "I got a vegan one."

Luke frowned and shook his head at Ashton. "I told you I had dinner earlier. You shouldn't have, I didn't mind."

Ashton disagreed. "Everyone wants pizza, Luke."

"I know but I ate an hour ago-"

The older boy just laughed to himself. "You're at university Luke, you're supposed to gain, not lose weight!"

Luke's eyes widened. "That's just a stereotype!"

"You and your stereotypes! Please just eat some, to make me happy. I won't eat it all anyway and it'll just go to waste," Ashton insisted, looking at the boy sadly. There were times when he truly didn't understand him because he wasn't a teenager, it was like his mind was trapped in some teenage body.

Luke closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Ashton handed him a tissue and he took a slice and slowly nibbled at it.

To make it easier for Luke, Ashton conjured up the energy to talk. "Your message helped me. I don't know why. But it gave me some form of energy if that makes sense?"

Luke nodded, he understood. He got the same energy off Ashton. Like Ashton had said a little over a week ago, they seem to thrive off each other.

"I know you don't talk much, but I do like it when you do. Everything you say has meaning and purpose and that places so much value on words. Like you don't ever say yes or no, you just do a little nod or something with your head. It makes your voice so beautiful to listen to."

Luke froze at the word beautiful. He still had pizza in his mouth and he wanted to spit it out. 

Slowly he chewed it down and turned to see Ashton staring at him, smiling.

Ashton knew what Luke was thinking. He understood the blonde like the back of his hand. He knew exactly how he was going to react when certain words were spoken. Ashton continued to compliment the blonde. "The other week we were all hanging out and you were voted the best looking," he smirked.

Luke just shook his head. He didn't believe him. There were just as many boys as girls, and it didn't make sense to him. "They didn't vote for you?" Luke asked. "Are you not just trying to be modest?"

Ashton rolled his eyes and Luke's defence. "No, we were voted best couple."

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Thank you so much for reading.