3

~Luke~

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My head is throbbing and feels really heavy. I can't even push my eyes to open because I feel like my head would literally explode if I do. I shut my eyes more tightly and raised my hand up to my head and pressed my fingers to my temple for the hopes of easing just a little bit of pain.

"Luke..." I heard a very familiar voice say that in an instant I shot my eyes open to see if my suspicion is right.

I looked around the room and realized that I am in someone else's room for I don't recognize anything in it. My eyes roamed around until it landed on the figure sitting on the chair by the desk across the bed I am laying on, hazel-green eyes intently staring at me and I swear to God, I almost had a heart attack seeing who it was, confirming my suspicion, that I jolted up on the bed with wide eyes and mouth hung open.

Ashton.

This is literally my death. I know that for sure. I know this is the end of me.

"How are you feeling?" He asked in a very calm tone and I am so confused and surprised at the same time since I am already expecting him to throw a punch my way and beat me up to death since I am so stupid for not doing what was told. I don't remember anything that happened but I am pretty sure I was so stupid that I ended up in this room with him.

"Luke...?" He said again, making me look at him with wide eyes. "Are you okay?"

"What?" That was the only thing I can manage to say.

"Are you okay?" Ashton repeated. "How are you feeling?"

"It hurts," I said with a gulp.

Ashton's expression quickly turned dark as he said in a low tone which made shivers run down my spine and I am not sure if it is bad or good, "What hurts?"

"My head. It hurts. So bad." I softly told him as I looked down.

I heard him huff. I looked up and watched him as he stood up from the chair he is sitting on and walked over to the nightstand. He opened the first drawer and pulled out a bottle of pills. He opened the lid and dropped two on his palm, closed the lid again, and dropped the bottle back into the drawer and closed it. He then grabbed the glass of water on the nightstand then turned to me, handing me those.

I stared at the pills then looked up at him with a surprised and confused expression.

"It's Tylenol. For the pain in your head." He said in his usual tone.

"Oh.," I said as I slowly took them from his hands. "Thanks."

He nodded then sat down on the edge of the bed.

I felt uncomfortable with him near me but confused as hell as to why he is being like this...less scary.

I tried to hide how I am feeling about the current situation and swallowed down the pills with water. I was gonna put the glass of water back on the nightstand but Ashton caught my hand and took the glass from me and placed it back on the nightstand.

I was really caught off guard by his action but hid it by immediately looking down at my lap. I really don't understand what is going on, I don't remember anything, and I don't know where I am. Most especially, why am I with him and why is he acting differently?

"Luke..." he said which made me look up at him again meeting his hazel-green orbs.

"Where am I?" I quietly asked.

Ashton looked at me for a moment then exhaled through his nostrils and said, "Do you remember anything that happened last night?"

I shook my head no because I really don't remember shit other than going to that frat party. Anything that happened or I did at that party, I have no idea about anymore and if I try to think and remember, my head hurts more.

"I don't remember anything. Where am I, Ashton?"

"You're in my room."

My eyes widened in shock and I nervously looked around then looked down on myself and on the bed then back to Ashton who is just calmly watching me which made me more nervous because how can he just calmly sit there? I am in his room. I slept on his bed when he specifically told me to never talk to him again which includes being near him, right?

Shit. Is this how he is before he kills people who don't do what he tells them? Am I really in serious trouble now? Is this the time where your life flashes in front of your eyes and everything ends? Holy fuck! This is not how I wan-

"Luke, are you okay?" Ashton asked pulling me out of my panicked thoughts.

"I'm sorry." I blurted out.

Ashton's eyebrows furrowed in clear confusion. "For what?"

"For not doing what is told. I'm sorry."

He looked at me for a moment then sighed and said, clearly getting what I meant, "Luke, that is not the case here."

"What? It's worse than I thought it is?" I looked down on myself again and this time I noticed that I am now just wearing a t-shirt and a pair of boxers. My eyes went even wider if that is possible, as I looked up back at him and my heartbeat is too fast and too loud that I bet he could hear it.

"Did we...?" I asked him in pure panic and fear.

Ashton cocked his head to the side, eyebrows furrowed in confusion, as he looked at me. Then his face lightened up in the realization of what I meant and he laughed, shaking his head, and said, "No, Luke, we didn't."

I sighed in utter relief and said, "Thank God. I thought I lost my virginity over a drunk sex at a frat party."

"Wait, what? You're a virgin? You haven't had sex before or done anything sexual?"

"Well, that is the general definition of a virgin, right?"

"Fuck. I'm gonna kill him." Ashton muttered under his breath but I heard him.

"Wait, kill who?" I asked him in both surprise and curiosity.

Ashton looked at me with dark expression and I felt myself shiver because of the amount of intensity I felt from it.

"Do you really not remember anything from last night? Even just a little bit?"

"I, uh..." I said and looked down trying to remember anything. It makes my head hurt more but I have to make myself remember. I need to make myself remember what happened or what I did. I need to know why Ashton is asking me and why I ended up with him in his room and him acting like how he is right now. I need to remember to understand.

"Luke..?"

"I remember going to that frat party Michael invited us to with you. He introduced us to some people and they were really nice and we played beer pong with them." I started to say as I try to remember.

"What people?" He asked.

"Friends. Michael's friends and probably your friends too."

"Names, Luke. I want names."

"Um...Josh, Tyler, Alex, Jack, Perrie, Jade...I guess those were their names. You know them?"

"Yes, I know them. What happened next?"

"Well, we played beer pong against them, Calum and I-" I stopped when I realized something and I looked at Ashton in panic as I said, "Calum? Where's Calum?"

"He's fine. Michael's with him. Don't worry about him. Just please try to remember some more that happened last night."

I breathed out a sigh of relief as I relaxed again, well not completely because I don't I could ever be really relaxed around Ashton. I moved on the bed, making myself sit comfortably and went back into remembering things.

"After a few rounds of beer pong, I was feeling a bit tipsy so I excused myself from them and went to go look for a bathroom and that was when...you know...we had and encounter," I said keeping my gaze down on my crossed legs on the bed. He didn't respond so I continued, "After I did my business in the bathroom and was on my way back downstairs, this guy blocked my way an-"

"What guy?"

"A little Irish fella? Neil was it?"

"Niall."

"Yes, Niall."

"What did he do?"

"He was actually really nice and friendly. He even made me that really nice drink."

"What drink?"

"I don't know what it's called but it's red and nice. He made me that drink twice actually. He was really nice."

"Twice?"

"Yeah...twice. After he gave me the first one, I played with beer pong again with Michael because Calum was with some redhead girl. Then I took a break again and then Niall appeared again and gave me another one of that drink he made me."

"Only twice? Did he give you anything else? Like a pill or maybe mint?"

"No...why would he...wait," I stopped and a realization hit me and I stared up at Ashton with panicked wide eyes, "did he? Did he drug me or something?"

"I don't know yet, Luke, but I will soon find out. Right now, you need to remember what happened last night. Okay? That is important."

"Okay..." I said trying to calm down and relax. "Well uh...we danced after and then there's this guy-" I stopped again when suddenly everything just came flooding in. I remembered everything now. Everything that happened. How that Andrew guy tried to rape me and how Ashton saved me.

I started to breathe heavily and my hands started shaking and I could feel the panic rising rapidly in me and I know anytime soon I am going to have a panic attack.

I was almost raped last night because I was so stupid and so naive. I was so caught up on the thought of letting go and having fun that I let all my guards down and trusted all the people around me.

I felt Ashton's hands on my shoulders and I looked at him, my mind troubled and my body shaking.

"Luke...breathe. In and out. Okay?" Ashton told me but I can do nothing but just stare at him with wide eyes.

I felt his hands leave my shoulder but then were placed on my cheeks cupping my face.

"Luke, look into my eyes and do as I say, okay?" Ashton told me in a soft voice. I didn't say anything and just looked at him in the eyes like he told me to.

"You're gonna do as I say, okay?" I still didn't say anything so he said, "Do you understand me, Luke?"

I slowly nodded my head.

"Okay. We are gonna count to ten and then you are gonna breathe in between each count, okay? I am here with you. I am not going to leave you."

I nodded at him again.

Ashton then soon started counting and I did the same as I breathed in between just like what he told me to do. Soon I felt myself relax and was slowly going back to breathing normally.

"Are you feeling better now?" He softly asked, eyes scanning my mine, hands still cupping my face.

I nodded at him as I let out a small 'yes'.

He let go of my face and I felt suddenly alone and scared which made me grab his arm immediately.

"Don't leave. Please." I pleaded.

"I am not leaving, Luke."

"O-okay. I don't wanna be alone."

He nodded.

It was silent for a few moments and I still didn't let go of Ashton's arm. He didn't make me let go as well.

"I assume you remembered everything that happened last night?" He carefully asked me.

I sniffled as tears escaped my eyes, remembering what happened. I kept my head down, trying to hide my crying from him. I don't want him thinking that I am such a weak loser, in which I really am for crying over almost getting raped at a frat party because I was so stupid.

"It's my fault anyway. I was so stupid."

"That is not your fault, Luke. Don't put the blame on yourself. Okay, let's say that you really are stupid. Luke, a person's stupidity should never be made as an excuse for someone's perverted actions. He took advantage of you when you were not thinking straight. He seduced you and forced himself on you and he almost fucking succeeded. You are not at fault here."

"But...I let him do it. I kind of initiated everything. I was so weak and so stupid."

"You did try to stop him when he was going too far but he didn't stop. Stop blaming yourself, please."

I whimpered, still not looking up at Ashton.

"I'm scared," I said in a small voice.

"I know," he said.

This time I looked up at him with wide teary eyes and said, "I'm scared, Ashton. What if he's gonna do it again? What if he's gonna succeed the next time?"

"I won't let that happen. I promise."

I stared up at his hazel-green orbs and I slowly nodded.

"I trust you."

---

"I just kind of outed myself to you, didn't I?" I said to Ashton as I was putting on my jacket.

I stayed in his room for another hour to pull myself together. I just laid down on the bed with him sitting on the chair and we were just casually talking about some random stuff. I know he just did that to distract me from thinking about what happened last night. It was really nice of him though.

"How so?" He asked as he waited for me to finish gathering my stuff.

"Well, I just kind of subtly told you I'm gay. A gay virgin to be exact. I hope that me being gay doesn't make you hate me any more than you do."

Ashton sighed then said, "I don't hate you, Luke. I don't necessarily like you just like how I don't like people in general, but I don't hate you. Also, I don't have anything against people who are not straight because there is nothing to hate about them or to be against them. There is nothing wrong with them or with you. Everyone is normal and equal, thus everyone should be treated normally and equally as every human being should be treated because that is every single one of us is: a human being."

I was taken aback by what Ashton said because I really didn't expect him to say something that's deep. I was actually preparing myself for some snarky, sassy response but what I got was something so much better than I couldn't help myself from smiling.

I really didn't see him as someone who would say something like that. I made myself believe that he is an asshole who is really scary and intimidating who doesn't see the world how it should be seen. I didn't even think of him as someone who would be accepting and open-minded. I know I was being judgmental about him without even knowing him. It was wrong but I couldn't help myself thinking of him that way after our encounter in the elevator yesterday. But now, everything has changed. The fact that he did save me last night is even a huge shock to me especially when he stayed with me the entire time and took care of me. Ashton is something more and that makes me feel intrigued and I want to know the things that make him who he is. The real him, not this persona he was showing to people for the reason I still have no idea about. I know the real him is just tucked away somewhere in there and I want to know what it is and I will know what it is.

"Are you ready to go?" Ashton asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Huh?" was the only response that came out from me as I looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"Are you ready to go or are you just gonna stand there until your legs give out?" He sassily said with an annoyed raised eyebrow.

"Oh. Yeah. I'm good to go."

"Then move, princess."

"Yeah. Sorry." I said as I hurried out of his room. I may want to know everything about him but it still doesn't mean I am less intimidated by him.

He followed me out of his room and to the door of the apartment. I opened the door and was about to go stepped when he grabbed my arm and made me turn back to him.

I looked at him with a confused and questioning expression.

He let out a breath and looked at me with those cold hazel eyes and said, "None of these changes anything, okay? We are still not friends and we won't ever be. Got it?"

I slowly nodded at him as I mumbled, "Yeah, I got it."

"Good."

"Well...thank you for everything, non-friend," I said then stepped out of the apartment, closed the door behind me, and headed to mine and Calum's apartment.

I stopped right in front of the door and took a deep breath before I raised my fist to knock. But I stopped my actions when I felt someone's presence next to me. I turned to see who it was and saw it was Ashton. I wasn't really surprised though.

I raised a questioning eyebrow at him.

"Michael's here." He said in his usual monotone voice.

"And you're here to pick him up?"

"Yes, so please, open the door, get inside, and tell him I'm here."

"Okay. Chill." I told him then decided not to knock anymore and opened the door.

As soon as I stepped inside the apartment, I was tackled into a hug by Calum and I almost stumbled back. Luckily, Ashton was quick to hold me in place.

"Goddamit, Luke! I was so fucking worried about you." Calum said against my shoulder as he tightly embraced me.

I felt Ashton's hand supporting me leave my back.

"I'm okay, Cal. I'm fine." I told Calum.

"Where were you? You just disappeared last night." Calum asked as he detached himself from me and held my shoulders as he looked at me.

I smiled down at him and said, "I got really drunk and crashed at Ashton's and Michael's last night."

Calum slowly nodded and slowly peeped on my shoulder to look at Ashton behind me then looked back at me and moved closer and whispered, "Is that why he's here with you?"

"Actually, he's here for Michael."

Calum's mouth formed an 'o.'

"Where is he?" Ashton asked from behind me, still not stepping inside the apartment.

"Uh..." Calum said then turned away to face the living room and pointed at the heavily sleeping Michael on the couch, cuddling a pillow.

I chuckled at the sight then turned to look at Ashton and said, "Well, would you want to be the one to wake him up?"

Ashton just looked at me and without saying anything, he stepped inside the apartment and walked straight to the sleeping Michael.

Calum moved closer to me again and whispered, "He's weird."

I looked at him with a raised eyebrow and then turned my attention back to Ashton and Michael and just chuckled.

Calum and I watched as Ashton woke Michael up by smacking the side of his head and I couldn't help laughing at it.

Michael groaned and slowly opened his eyes and as soon as he saw Ashton he closed his eyes again and nuzzled his face more into the pillow as he mumbled, "What do you want, Ashton?"

"You getting your ass up."

"Some people need sleep you know."

"Some people need to sleep on their own couch you know."

Michael shot his eyes open and quickly sat up and then looked around. When his eyes landed to where Calum and I are standing, he covered his face with his hands and groaned.

"Wow. This is embarrassing." He said still covering his face with his hands.

"You think? Now get your ass up and let's go back to our apartment." Ashton ordered.

Michael removed his hands from his face and turned to me and Calum and said, "I'm really sorry. I totally forgot I crashed here last night. I forgot my keys and just took a ride from Calum."

"It's okay, Michael. I did the same with Ashton and your apartment so it's even."

Michael smiled then slowly got up from the couch and stretched.

"Well for all it's worth, you really do have a very comfortable couch. Don't be surprised if I crash here more often than necessary." Michael said as he tried to fix his messy hair.

Calum and I laughed. Ashton rolled his eyes then headed out the door back to their apartment. Michael was gonna say something else but I didn't listen and followed Ashton.

He was about to reach their door when I called him and made him stop to turn around. He raised an eyebrow at me and walked over to him.

"I was just uh...I just wanna thank you for everything you did last night and this morning and also...I know this is kinda too much but I would really appreciate it if you don't tell anyone about what happened especially Calum." I said.

"I have no one to tell." Ashton just simply replied and turned away.

I looked at him for a moment and turned away myself to head back to my apartment. But as I was about to walk away, I was stopped with Ashton saying, making me turn back to him, "I will take care of Andrew, Luke. I'll make sure he won't do it again as I promised you."

"Okay...and like I told you...I trust you."

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