tongue-tied and heartbroken ||mashton||

Chapter 10

After a few days of confusion and many questions, Ashton and I officially started dating. Everyone in the school knew about us, and we weren't ashamed of it. We were always together. Usually we hung out at his house. If we weren't there, we were out somewhere. Usually his parents were home, and I had become good friends with them. Ashton thought it was embarrassing that his parents were always hanging around, but I kind of liked it. They accepted me into their family and treated me like I was more than just Ashton's high school boyfriend.

"Hey, M?" Ash asked one day while we were walking through town, holding hands.

"Yeah?"

"Why don't we ever go to your house? We're always at my place or out somewhere."

"Well, my dad isn't exactly super accepting," I shrugged. "I just didn't want to put you through his rants and shit." I didn't tell him the truth. I didn't tell him that my father was an abusive, homophobic asshole. He nodded, but I wasn't sure he was totally convinced.

That evening, as the sun was setting, Ashton drove us to the top of a hill in the countryside a few miles outside town. He spread a blanket on the hood of his car and we sat there, watching the sun set and holding hands. I leaned my head against his shoulder and smiled. Ashton was perfect in every way. I loved him so much. I had loved him since freshman year, when I was too afraid to say anything to him. When the sun had set and the stars were coming out, Ashton got in the trunk of the car and pulled out a bottle of wine and two cups.

"I nicked it from my aunt's place this morning," he grinned, getting the corkscrew and opening the bottle. "She won't notice its gone." He poured some in each cup and handed one to me. We sat there for hours, sipping on the wine and stargazing. When my phone buzzed, I jumped a little. I picked it up and my eyes widened.

"Shit," I muttered.

"Is everything okay?" Ashton asked, worried.

"I- I need to get home. I need to call Luke. My dad can't know I was with you." I immediately pulled up Luke's number and called him, my heart racing and my stomach churning.

"Get in, I'll give you a ride," Ashton said.

"No, Luke needs to take me home. My dad will flip his shit if he knows we're together."

"Hey, M, how's the date going?" Luke asked happily when he finally picked upturn phone.

"I need you to come get me, Luke," I said quickly, scrambling to find all my things. "My dad texted me and he wants me home. He can't know I'm with Ashton."

"Shit, okay, I'm with Sav right now, but we can pick you up and take you home. Where are you?"

"I can drive you back into town," Ashton offered. "Since you won't let me drive you home."

"Just meet me at the bakery on the edge of town, Luke," I said, nodding to Ashton. "I'll be in Ash's car."

"Okay, we're headed that way. And Michael?"

"Yeah, Luke?"

"It'll be okay."

"I hope you're right."