Labels [lashton/malum]

Chapter 22: aftermath

Edited May 2021

"This is weird," Ashton muttered as she walked into the school under Luke's arm. Michael hummed from beside her, his fingers laced with Calum's. People are smiling and waving at them on the way to Ashton's locker, Michael's books already tucked into Calum's elbow. Ashton groans when she sees Todd leaned up beside her locker with that same stupid smirk on his lips. This time, she doesn't want to run away. She feels confident with Luke wrapped around her and Michael and Calum next to her. She strides up confidently and studiously ignores him as she unlocks her locker.

"Hey buddy. Your little performance was cute but it's not really convincing enough for me to think that you wouldn't suck my dick for the right price," Todd smiled tauntingly.

"Todd-" Luke is ready to get in trouble again, but another voice cuts him off before he gets the chance.

"Todd, get the fuck out of here before I tell coach that you're harassing her," Todd is startled by the presence of Peter King. Peter is captain of the varsity soccer team, a team that Todd is desperately trying to prove himself in. Todd clamps his mouth shut hard, glaring at the five of them as he walks away. They're all a little stunned at Peter's presence. Peter looks nervous now that Todd is gone, his ears a bit red and his hand scrubbing at the back of his neck.

"Hey, Ash, can I talk to you for a second?" He flicks his eyes to Luke, whose face is stoic and cold. He then pans over to Calum and Michael, both of them raising one eyebrow.

"You can talk to me right here," Ashton tucks herself more securely against Luke's side.

"Okay, I, uh," Todd stammers a bit, trying to find his words. "What I did to you was really, really shitty."

"Mhmm," Michael's mumble makes Ashton smile. Todd's eyes flick over to the small boy, who just raised his eyebrow again.

"I know it was terrible and I think what's worse is that I never said sorry. I wish I wasn't such a tool back then, I do. I was a fucking idiot and I'm really sorry. You were awesome up there, Ash. All of you were," Peter smiles and it looks genuine.

"Thanks Peter. It doesn't excuse what you did but I appreciate the apology and I forgive you," Ashton smiles softly in a way that only she can with a forgiveness that only she can possess. Peter nods at the rest of them then walks away with his hands on his backpack straps.

"I still don't like him," Luke shrugs.

"It was nice of him to apologize though," Ashton nudged her boyfriend's stomach with her elbow before slipping out from beneath his arm to rifle through her locker.

"Convenient time though," Michael said, leaning against Calum's chest as Calum leaned against the locker next to Ashton's.

"At least he did it," Ashton looked at them pointedly, earning half hearted nods.

"Were we still on for practice after school? Angie wants to know if I can take over a shift for someone at the cafe," Michael asked.

"You kept the job after all?" Ashton asked, still shuffling through her locker.

"Yeah, I want to save up still and Angie is really flexible with my schedule," Michael shrugged.

"Well you go to work then, Mikey, I still need to work on the rhythm for Wrapped Around Your Finger," Ashton said.

"You sure?" Michael asked.

"Of course Mikey, come on let's get to class." Ashton leaned up and pecked Luke's cheek, then wrapped her arm around Michael's arm, hooking their elbows together and pulling him away from Calum. Calum was barely in time to lean over and kiss Michael's lips before Ashton was walking with him. "Later boys," she waved over her shoulder.

Luke chuckled, shaking his head as he shut Ashton's locker for her. Calum turned to Luke with a fond roll of his eyes.

"Your girlfriend is something else," Calum chuckled.

"Don't I know it," Luke shook his head, leading the way to their first class.

-

"I want a garden too," Michael said, smiling down at Calum, one hand clutching his notepad and the other embedded in Calum's curls. Calum smiled enchantingly up at Michael.

"Then a garden you shall have. Anything else?"

"A white picket fence, two kids, an electric can opener, and fish," Michael said.

"Fish?"

"Low maintenance with the kids and the garden," Michael shrugged.

"You can have everything, baby," Calum took Michael's hand from his hair and kissed his knuckles. Michael smiled softly, his cheeks pink.

"I gotta go check my tables," Michael slowly pulled his hand away from Calum, kissing the boy's head before walking away.

"You guys are so cute it's disgusting," Ashton said, shaking his head.

"Says the guy sharing a milkshake with his boyfriend," Calum gestured to the chocolate milkshake with two straws in it. Ashton stuck his tongue out and threw a fry at Calum.

"Hey, are you guys that band from school?" They all looked up and watched as a very thin girl with purple hair stood beside their table with a taller dark skinned girl beside her. Michael sidled up to the table only a second after the girl appeared, the cafe almost empty besides them.

"Um, yeah, we're labels. Name soon to be changed," Ashton said, smiling softly at the girl.

"Um, my name is Cecilia and I just wanted to thank you guys," her cheeks were red and her hand was wrapped tightly around the girl beside her. "I'm only a freshman and my..." she gestured down at her stick thin build, "appearance brought on a lot of hate from girls who would call me 'anorexic' and 'bulimic'. I was always really small, I was born premature, I couldn't even go home until I was three months old. I've been battling with my weight since I was kid and it didn't help when I would get bullied for it. Then I saw you guys at school and I was so inspired by you that I actually stood up for myself for once in my life. I confessed my feelings for my girlfriend," she gestured to the girl beside her, who just smiled supportively, "I went back to the doctor for help, and I stood up to those girls who have always been mean to me. I know this is stupid but you guys changed my life," she smiled shyly, tears in her eyes.

"That is so not stupid," Ashton pushed himself up from the table and wrapped his arms around the girl. Michael got up next and wrapped himself around her and Ashton. Luke and Calum joined in, Luke reaching out for the other girl and pulling her into the group hug.

They made a difference.

They made a huge difference.

This would always be known as the moment where they realized their music meant something. Where they knew it meant something.

They mean something.

They destroyed her label.

They destroyed their labels.

The end

Thank you so much for reading, if liked this maybe check out my other stories :)