Heart and Desire (boyxboy)

Chapter Three

Oli's POV:

I woke up on my side of the bed, stretching and groaning. Ashton and I had shared my king-sized bed last night since neither of us had wanted to sleep on the floor. Kara had rung me repeatedly yesterday but I ignored the phone until I eventually turned it off. Ash found a few of my old games and we'd played on my PlayStation all afternoon until we put a movie on and fell asleep. The day had been exhausting at best.

I moved my arm and patted around for Ashton, but the bed was cold and empty. I shot upright and frantically pulled back the covers in a desperate attempt to find him, as if he was hiding underneath them. Looking around my room, I saw no trace of Ash ever being there. The games had been put away, the TV was off, the clothes he'd strewn on the floor last night were missing. Where did he go?

Then it dawned on me; he'd left. It was all a trick, a cruel joke, just as I'd thought. He'd never intended on telling me why he'd hurt me. I bet his whole story was a lie. Why would he come out to his parents? It made no sense, he knew how badly they would react - how his friends would react - which was why he'd made me promise to keep our relationship a secret when we were together.

I ran my hand through my hair, yesterday's events twisting into a black hole of lies and manipulation that curdled in my head and sunk deep into the pit of my stomach. I felt sick.

I ran down the stairs two at a time, calling my mum. I burst into the kitchen and froze. Two heads raised to stare at me, both equally confused and unsettled.

"Ashton" I let out a relieved sigh; he hadn't left.

"Oh, Oli, there you are. Ashton was just telling me why his parents kicked him out." My mum smiled sweetly as if it were the most normal thing in the world, her soft Southern American accent chiming like a bell. Her smile seemed somewhat forced, probably due to my outburst. I took a few minutes to overcome the fear I'd felt when I thought Ash had left me. Again. Then my brain processed what my mum had just said, and I exploded at Ashton.

"What? You told her before you told me?" I yelled. Ashton opened his mouth to reply, but my mother jumped in first:

"Now, Oliver, where are your manners? I think it's quite noble that he risked everything for you, by coming out to his parents. My God, you boys are adorable." She smiled in a way only a proud, romanticizing mother can, acting like Ash was my knight in shining armour. I scoffed, rolling my eyes. But I had to ask.

"For me?" I whispered, knowing this had to be a joke. A lie to add to our made-up story of why we broke up. There was no way he'd ever do anything for me, especially not something that drastic. He obviously had nowhere else to go, which was why he had texted me yesterday. He knows I'm a pushover. He knows how to manipulate me. He knows I wouldn't leave him stranded if he was desperate.

He sure is one lucky bastard.

Ash didn't answer my question. He pretended he hadn't heard and took a bite out of his toast. Yum, chocolate spread. I pinched the other slice of toast from Ash's plate and bit into it. Ash feigned a look of horror, I smiled at his exaggerated hand gestures and stuck my tongue out at him. My mother looked truly horrified, her mouth gaping open. I only shrugged, taking another bite of toast.

"What? It's chocolate spread." I defended myself to my mum, then eyed Ash, daring him to object. He just shrugged. I smiled triumphantly and plomped myself onto the bar stool next to Ash.