veracity • lashton

seventeen.

-Ashton-

/!\ TW: SMUT + LIGHT MENTIONS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND CHILD ABUSE /!\

I remarked; "You're quite the quiet one, huh?" as I sipped my tea.

Luke's head snapped towards me, a look of horror on his face.

"And you, are surprisingly calm for someone who just shared their painful past."

I cleared my throat. "Well, I already shed enough tears with Sierra last week... and just half an hour ago on the floor."

He nodded, and I scanned him from head to toe.

Fear seemed to grip a part of him, but I could also sense the happiness in his eyes knowing that I finally opened up about an important part of my life.

"Cut it out," he averted his gaze.

I raised an eyebrow. "Cut what out?"

"Stop staring at me like I'm some criminal you used to examine."

I smirked, taking another sip of my drink. "If you've got any questions, fire away."

His eyes widened. "Oh- um- I- are you sure-"

"It's now or never. Hit me with your best shot," I interrupted, locking eyes with him.

"Alright..." He sighed. "First of all, I'm sorry for everything you went through. You're an incredible person who deserves love and happiness."

He placed his hand on my knee, and I instinctively placed mine on top of his.

"Thank you." I toyed with his fingers, a faint smile forming on my lips. "So... any questions, or..."

"Oh, yeah, uh-" He cleared his throat. "What did you do after that bitch went to prison?"

"Well, since I didn't have any other family, they were going to send me to an orphanage. But luckily, the sweetest lady ever stepped up to be my legal guardian."

"Who?"

"Joy Hood." I couldn't help but smile at the thought of her. "She's like an angel. I owe everything to her."

"Calum's mom?"

I nodded.

"They were your neighbors, right?"

"Yeah, his mom and my dad were colleagues for a long time before he passed away. When I say I've known Calum since we were in diapers, I mean it."

"And when, um- did the- the abuse... start?"

I looked to the ground, biting my lower lip.

"You don't have to answer-"

"No." I cut him off, looking back at him. "I feel safe with you, it's okay." I gave him a light smile that he gave back. "And um- it started shortly after my father passed away. My mother never fully grieved. She became severely depressed and addicted to different things. I was only about two years old, but the physical abuse started when I was around seven... Got introduced to drugs at around ten, almost died because of it at eighteen, then went to rehab for two years."

"My God..." He said under his breath. "And how old were you when she got arrested?"

"Thirteen, maybe?"

"Thirt-" He cut himself off with a sigh, trying to keep his cool. "Didn't Joy, or anyone for that matter, notice?"

"She noticed, and did everything she could. If it wasn't for her, my mom wouldn't be in prison and I wouldn't be here. She called the police and child protective services, but my mom always managed to escape the consequences."