bulletproof - calm ot4

17- watermelon smiles

Don't you know that those watermelon smiles just can't ripen under water?

-

"Ashton, this is the first time you've been home in days!"

His mother is shouting at him the second he walks through the front door of his house. It's true that he hasn't been home, but he has good reason.

"I'm sorry, mom," he says, but it isn't as truthful as he makes it sound. He doesn't lift his eyes off of the floor as he makes his way towards the staircase, but his mother catches his wrist before he can escape.

"You didn't even think to call, let us know that you're alive?" she demands, hand placed on her hip. This infuriates Ashton.

"Since when do you care whether or not I'm alive?" he demands. He imagines steam coming out ears, his face red with anger.

"Your father works so hard to support this family and the least you could do is come home once in while!"

"Don't you dare call him my father," Ashton fumes, teeth gritted. "That pathetic excuse for a man is not my father."

"Don't talk about Jeremy that way." Ashton's mother is quick to defend her husband, even though they both know that neither one of them loves him.

"You don't give a f uck how I talk about Jeremy," Ashton rolls his eyes. "All you care about is his money."

And it's true. His mom's lips are painted with lipstick that she wouldn't have been able to afford ten years ago. She's dressed in designer brands, something that--when Ashton was young--she would've never been able to wear in her wildest dreams. She's embraced Jeremy's wealth more than she's embraced Jeremy. More than she's ever embraced Ashton.

"I love him! He loves me, too," Ashton's mother insists, emitting a harsh laugh from Ashton.

"Oh, yeah? Where is he now?" Ashton taunts.

His mother clinches her jaw. "On a business trip."

Ashton raises her eyebrows. "And what does he do on those business trips?"

"Ashton Fletcher--"

"He f ucking cheats on you, and you know it!"

The room grows eerily quiet, both Ashton and his mother near tears.

"I haven't gotten any phone calls from the school, so it's clear that you haven't been ditching," his mother says, changing the subject completely. Ashton clenches his jaw, but doesn't oppose to the change of conversation. "I'm assuming you've kept your grades up?"

"Yes." Ashton spits the word at her, lacing as much venom into it as he possibly can.

"Good," she says nonchalantly. "I expect you'll be receiving scholarships soon enough."

Ashton bites his lip, wondering if it's a bad time to tell her that he doesn't want to go to college. He wants to paint, even though he's never really gotten the chance to try it before. He just knows that he'll love it, knows that he'll be good at it. But at the same time, he also knows that he has to go to college, get a job. He has no choice. He has to do something to support his boyfriends.

"Yeah," he repeats, with less venom this time. "Can I go now?"

He doesn't wait to hear her response.

-

Feeling more daring and courageous than ever before, Luke moves his lips down to Michael's neck. What started as an innocent nap quickly turned into a steamy make out session. Luke is surprised by his own actions, and he can tell Michael is, too. He doesn't know what it is about Michael that makes him feel so safe, so secure, but he does.