SOS

Thirty

"So," Ashton crashes down beside Luke in the back of the bus, leaning his head on his friend's shoulder. "Kiss any girls lately, Luke? Or are they just kissing you?"

"What?" Calum turns quickly from his phone, eyes wide as he looks at the two of them.

"That's what I want to know too." Luke moves away from Ashton slightly so he can look him in the eye.

"I was on stage in Charlotte to do some prep and someone who looked remarkably like you was standing over by the fence near the merch stand hugging a dark haired woman, and then shocking to me, the girl leaned up and kissed him before turning to leave." Ashton smirks.

"You really need to explain what is going on between you and Elodie, Luke. Because I am far too nosey to accept your 'I don't know how it started, we're just friends' shit." Michael speaks from the doorway, having clearly heard the conversation as he was headed to join them.

"I don't even know honestly." Luke shrugs, "And I cannot believe you saw that, Ash! Would you stop witnessing our private moments?"

"You've witnessed other moments?" Calum turns to Ashton, eyebrow cocked.

"Found him hugging her tightly in Milan a few months back, it blew my mind then, and probably softened the blow of her kissing him a few days ago. When did you guys find out they even talk though?"

"When you collapsed and he ran to her for comfort, and she responded by staying glued to his side for the next twelve hours until we got to go to the hospital to see you." Calum answers.

"Twelve hours? She spent the night with you?" Ashton smirks, cocking an eyebrow at Luke.

"I don't even know what it is guys, so I don't think I want to try and answer your questions about it. Beyond that, El is a very private person and I'd appreciate it if you would respect her and not pry too much." 

"I know we don't know her, but can I just say something, Luke?" Michael asks.

"What?"

"That is the kind of girl you should be looking at, and looking for. She is everything others haven't been to you, don't let her get away just because you're scared."

"I agree." Calum nods.

"Same." Ashton shrugs, "And she likes you."

"As a friend."

"Mate, she kissed you." Ashton scoffs.

"On the cheek." Luke pushes back.

"Luke, she talks to you. That means something." Calum tries.

"Ya, that she felt bad for me once and then continued to pity me."

"You are far too self deprecating. If she didn't want to talk to you, she wouldn't. I may not know her, but I feel like I know enough to know she wouldn't talk to you out of pity." Michael shakes his head.

"What do you want me to say then?" Luke sighs, "That I'm scared? That I'm literally terrified of the idea of falling for someone like her? That I feel like I would end up unintentionally hurting her if something ever happened? She's too special for someone like me, too good."

"She likes you, Luke. And she is not too good for you, you are not thinking enough of yourself. You've clearly been talking to her for months now, and you go to her for comfort, and she responds by helping you, and staying with you. You need to stop thinking and just do, it's clear there is something there for her too."

"I just got out of a relationship, and a really bad one at that." Luke sighs.

"It's been two and a half months since you let go of that relationship, Luke. Plus, the speed of things isn't what matters, the feelings involved are." Ashton shrugs.

"I was in a really bad place two months ago. I don't know if I trust myself to be ready to start something."

"You don't have to start something right away, Luke. We're just saying you need to think about it, and try to open yourself up to the opportunity that seems to be right there, and seems to be so good." Calum smiles sympathetically.

"Which show was it that she first talked to you?" Ashton asks more nonchalant.

"Um, Berlin. It was after the show and I don't think she meant to do it, but she did."

Ashton simply nods, doing something on his phone for a moment before smirking, "Sunrise in Berlin that's burning for days." He chuckles, "That was her first 5sos lyric caption and it was the morning after you two talked, and you replied to the post." Ashton shows Luke the post.

"And?" Luke rolls his eyes, not understanding the context of what Ashton is trying to say.

"And later in that exact same song you sing the line 'Wish someone had told me what I couldn't see, A glimmer of hope that was staring at me.' Luke, she's your glimmer."

"Ooh, that was good, Ash." Calum laughs, "And I one hundred percent agree with Ashton on that, Luke. She really is your glimmer of hope. She is the one who made you realize you needed out of your relationship with Amy, and she is the one who has silently carried you through the last few months as you've dealt with and adjusted to life after that awful relationship."

"Don't be scared to find what you deserve, or to find peace of mind." Michael adds.

"Fuck all of you. It was one caption on an Instagram post, not a good omen on what a beautiful relationship we could have." Luke groans.

"Actually, maybe it was. You're really good at looking through the bad omens, maybe you should try seeing the good ones this time." Ashton shrugs.

"Would you guys stop quoting our own lyrics to me about this? It's weird as fuck." Luke sounds exasperated as he sits forward, his head falling into his hands.

"But what if she's the one who you won't want to grow older without her head on your shoulder?" Calum mumbles, a knowing smirk on his face.

"Fuck you." Luke rolls his eyes, but his mind wanders to her nonetheless, and the night they spent singing that exact song together.

"You're in deep, Luke. We just want you to realize it before it's too late." Michael sighs, "You deserve something as good as this could be for you."

"You guys don't even know her."

"But you do, and you are better because of it, and we can see that." Calum's tone becomes more serious.

"It doesn't matter if we know her and talk to her everyday, Luke. What matters is that you know her and talk to her, and that she makes you happy, and makes you feel safe." Michael adds.

"She does..." Luke admits quietly, "She's made me feel safe since Berlin, since she cleaned my injuries up and let me be vulnerable and only responded with sympathy, no judgment."

"That's a good thing, Luke. Your person should be the safest place in the world for you. We can't tell you if Elodie is that for you, you have to decide for yourself, but if she is, don't let it slip away."

"My solo music now..." Luke glares across the space at Calum as he adds that bit.

"That one was an accident." Calum laughs, "But it works. Didn't she use one of your songs as a captions a few weeks ago too?"

"Ya..." Luke sighs, "But she's used a lot of other lyrics too. Don't read too much into it."

"You know us, Luke. We will be reading into everything until you figure yourself out." Ashton grins.

"Ya, that's what I'm afraid of." Luke sighs.

—-----------------------
It's a bit cheesy, but are his bandmates wrong?

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I love you guys!!!

~M =)