The Deal || Luke Hemmings

Ashton

      "Hello Cara."

"Shut up, Michael." I placed my hands on my face. I didn't want to hear him gushing about Louise again.

The person behind me laughed, and I froze. I hadn't been talking to Michael. I just told Ashton keep his mouth shut. And how I indentified that it was really the drummer of our band, was his giggle. For a tall guy, you'd think he'd laugh like a man, but in reality, he just sounded like a little girl--which was kind of cute and bordering on weird.

"Oh sorry," I said. He jumped to sit on the table, this time showing me that I was not actually talking to my brother. "I thought you were my brother. He kept talking to me the whole day, you know. Now I think that every person calling me is him."

"It's alright." He waggled his legs like a little boy.

I looked away to avoid his gaze. He needed to stare less and talk more. It wasn't hard for anyone to ask that from him though, so I expected that he would burst out if I gave him some more time. Thing is, he couldn't keep his mouth shut. There was this time where he and Luke were groupmates for defense, and whenever Luke would try to talk, Ashton would continue his sentences for him with a smile so big it was impossible to hate him.

"So," I said. "What's up?"

He supped from the drink he was holding. "Nothing much. But hey, look." He pointed to a group of girls who were arguing viciously. "Girls are going crazy over the fact that Luke's taken."

"Th-they're official?" I almost said this out loud. Thankfully, the girls on the next table were a lot louder. Now that Louise was really taken, Michael and Calum were bound to burst in to tears. Such cry babies.

"How should I know?" he frowned. "Matters like these don't interest me. People make a big deal about the whole thing, don't you think?"

"Yeah, especially the girls."

"You'd be surprised, some boys are taking the whole situation to a whole new level. They're almost as bad as the girls." he sniggered, motioning to a group of boys. I caught a glimpse of Calum and Michael in the group of guys who were all as distressed as the girls.

"It's because they all have a crush on Louise, isn't it?" I looked over Ashton and laughed at the scene where the boys were gathered.

"I wouldn't know," he grumbled. "Like I said, things like these don't interest me."

"Right."

He was really not feeling the new-couple vibe everyone was giving off today. What if he could sense it in me? I mean, it was sort of interesting to everyone because Luke, the love of almost every girl in this school, hadn't dated anyone in years. His once single status added to his so called "handsome" points.

Ashton's expression switched to something more gentle as he spoke to me.

"This is why I'm talking to you," he smiled.

That was disappointing. People have heard about rebound girls, but give it up for a new kind: the rebound friend.

"Uh, cause you have no one else to talk to, so instead you talk to me?" This question was said in all frankness and I tried to show I was clueless and innocent.

"No, no! It's because I know you don't take useless things like these too seriously. You're sensible you know."

I laughed at this because he didn't know that, "I was actually into the whole thing, it's just that I don't get to talk to people about it."

"I was curious too, but there was this one girl who was enough to distract me instead of Louise." He winked and the amount of agitation in me didn't subside.

"Who's the girl?"

"I won't directly say, but let's see if you can guess if I describe her." So he was one of those guys who liked to play those guessing games that always came out so unclear. "She's beautiful-" He started off with that? How cliche. "-without trying of course, she's funny, smart, has rather strong opinions on the people she dislikes, but nevertheless she's great to be with."

On a side note, while he was saying all this, I made a short checklist in my head. I am a ravishing individual with exceptional qualities, quick-witted and graced with prodigious intelligence and all that he described. He did go wrong along the lines of "people she dislikes". Of course not! I had no burning resentment against anyone.

But it was impossible that Ashton were to fall madly in love with his friend, who was none of what he described.

"Doesn't ring a bell. There are so many girls like that."

I knew I was going to get an answer already. He'd have to tell me sooner or later...unless Calum would bring me the news faster.

Instead of getting what I hoped for, he answered me with, "Are you okay?"

"Huh? Yeah, why?" I said.

"You were staring at the other table for the longest time."

I looked back at the table only to see that it was being occupied by no other than the hottest couple in school.

"Sure? I wasn't aware actually," I replied. It was such a terrible lie because I had been looking at their repulsive, big smiles.

"Ok...anyway, when's our next band practice?" It was time to change topic because the one prior to this was getting boring. Also, I wanted to stop scrutinizing Louise's country style hippie dresses.

"Next Saturday." I said.

"So are all of our band practices going to happen every Saturday?"

"Maybe," I shrugged.

He kept quiet and I spoke up for him.

"Can I ask you a question?" 

"Go for it." He paused for a moment then continued. "Just nothing personal."

"I know you like this other girl; but being objective here, do you find Louise pretty?" Oh no. I came out like some jealous girl who thought there was only room for one pretty girl.

"To tell you the truth," he whispered quietly. "She's ok, but not my type."

"How?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I thought she, being tall and blonde, was his type. Was he saying the girl he liked was even prettier than Louise? How could us girls compare to her? Guys nowadays...giving us such a hard time. I blame Louise too, for setting the bar so high.

"How, what?" he asked.

"Nothing. It's just that almost everyone finds her gorgeous and-

"Well," he cut me off and smiled. "now you know it's not everyone."

The loud, shrill sound of the bell marked that break time was over and Ashton said, "Well, it's time to go to class," he hopped down from the table and moved his arm in my direction. "Let's go?"

"You can go ahead." I sighed, tired out from our bleak discourse.

"You sure?" He still had his arm out for me. His downcast gaze became present from my rejection. "You don't want to-

"Actually," I gathered all my things and stood face to face with him. "I think I'll come along."

And that was all I had to say to put a spark of light in his eyes. We walked back to class together, laughing about some other issues that didn't concern Luke or Louise. Besides, I had lost my interest in the subject and I had something--or rather someone else to occupy my thoughts.

-

Cashton would've been a good ship name, had it not been taken already...

                 ~God Bless!~