we were born sick. || lashton ✓

11

luke.
..
When I wake up I can feel someone pressed against my back as well as snoring in my ear. I turn over gently to see Ashton fast asleep beside me in his bed. I'm confused for a moment just before the pain in my back kicks in. Then I remember everything.

Quickly, I jump out of bed only to get tangled up in the sheets and fall on the floor with a loud crash. My head bangs against the wood floor and I swear I bent my ankle backwards.

"Luke?" I hear Ashton question, looking over the edge of his bed. I wave my hand and he begin chuckling.

"Help me up you buttface." I laugh. Ashton gets out of the bed and begins untangling the sheets and blankets before pulling me to my feet. Once I'm upright, I lean my head on Ashton's shoulder and he kisses my cheek.

"Let's go downstairs. Mom has some things she wants to talk to us about." Ashton whispers. I nod and let him lace his fingers through mine before we walk downstairs. As soon as we hit the middle of the stairs I can smell pancakes and bacon wafting from the kitchen.

"Morning boys." Mrs. Irwin smiles, setting plates in front of us when we sit at the counter. Instantly, I'm confused as to why she's being so nonchalant about me and Ashton. The thought doesn't last long, however, when my plate is filled with bacon, pancakes  and Vegemite toast along with a side of milk.

"So, mom, what did you want to talk to us about?" Ashton says, disrupting the silence.

"Well, first of all I need to make sure you both understand that I accept the two of you. I think this whole old school bullshit the church has brainwashed the town with is wrong. If you two love each other, then I think you should be together." Mrs. Irwin explains. My heart drops into my stomach when I hear those words leave her mouth. Someone actually accepts us!

"Now, since I'm assuming you, Luke, were kicked out of your house, I am going to allow you to stay here. You can stay in Ashton's room as long as there is no foolishness going on." I look to Ashton and see him smiling wildly and I can't help but do the same. I get up from my seat and walk around the counter to hug Mrs. Irwin. She chuckles and hugs me back.

"Thank you." I whisper, tears falling slowly from my eyes.

"Come on, Lukey, let's put your clothes away." Ashton smiles, tugging on my hand like a toddler would. I turn and run back up the stairs with Ashton to his room. He takes a couple of drawers out of his dresser and empties them as I open my duffel bag. I begin folding my clothes and placing them in the drawers as Ashton finds a new home for his clothes.

"This is the second best thing that has ever happened in my life." Ashton says.

"What was the first best thing?" I ask.

"Becoming your boyfriend of course." I laugh softly as I finish putting my clothes in the drawers.

"At the amount of clothes you have, how did people not know you were gay?" Ashton jokes. I give him a fake astonished look before hitting him with a pillow and falling onto the bed. Ashton just laughs and lies beside me.

"I'm scared to go back to school." I say after a few minutes of silence. And it's the truth. I'm terrified of having to go back to school and deal with those heathens. They'll just bully Ashton and I. Who knows, the teachers might even decide they won't teach us. It is a Christian school run by our church.

"It's okay. I won't let anything happen to you." Ashton says, running his thumb over the back of my hand. I wish his comment reassured me, but it doesn't sadly.

"Let's just ignore that for right now. Let's talk about something else."

"Like what?" I ask, having no idea what topic could be more important at the moment.