Torn In Three | Malum, Muke, Mashton

Chapter Twenty-three

-Michael's point of view-
"Because that would mean I might end up loving you back."

The next morning I woke up with an unbearable headache. If it were up to me, I would have stayed in bed for the next hundred hours, but unfortunately fate was not on my side. I was woken up my a miserable Calum telling me we had to leave to go to the studio in just over an hour.

I walked into the living room of the band's hotel where Ashton and Calum sat talking, but stopped when they noticed my presence.

"I want to leave on time today, so don't be lazy and late like you always are." Calum said. I hummed in reply, still half asleep and half aware of everything due to my hangover.

After drinking a luke-warm glass of water on the counter, which I regretted afterwards, Ashton walked up to me. "Do you still have a headache?"

I nodded. "Do you have any painkillers?"

Ashton shook his head, "does that mean you don't remember anything from last night?"

I copied Ashton's action and shook my head. "Should I?"

Ashton's face showed disappointment, but that soon faded into anger. Recently I saw his angry expression only too often. "No. Just shut up and get ready to leave."

**

During the entire journey I couldn't help but wonder about what happened last night. Why did it seem so important to Ashton? It's not like I woke up naked in his bed this morning.

I sat next to Luke in the car, since he insisted, and held his hand. Now our relationship was out in the open, we could do cute couple things like this. However it was still quite weird; it's like I'm programmed to sneaking around.

"What are you thinking about, Michael?" Luke peered up towards me, squeezing my hand.

I smiled, squeezing back. "You." I watched as a large grin was planted on Luke's face, and admired how cute his dimples are. "Do you know what happened last night, you know, after I left?"

The blonde boy sighed, his adorable smile fading. "We went back to the hotel and went to sleep. I heard you come back and talk to Ashton, but that's all."
Of course. Ashton must have confessed his love towards me, or something like that, and he wanted me to remember. Well, if it's that important, why can't he just tell me again? "Right, it's just I've completely forgotten everything."

"How much did you drink then?"

"How would I know? I've forgotten it all."

The car ride was silent after that. Buildings and scenery I had never seen before came into view and I watched as we passed them all, wondering if I jumped out of the car at that moment it would hurt a little less than this awkward tension between the band.

The studio we arrived at was just like every other: big and plain. We jumped out of the vehicle, Luke and I still holding hands, and went through the visitor's entrance. Luke ran off towards the toilet, leaving my hand cold because of the lack of Luke holding it. "Today's gonna be boring," I said, earning a glare from Ashton.

"Be thankful we're even here, Michael."

"I would, if I could spend this time with people who I actually got along with."

"Well who's fault is that?" Ashton raised his voice. Defeated, I sighed. There was no point in arguing.

After spending hours and a lunch break in the "small ass room", Ashton and I were left alone.

"Do you know what happened last night?"

"Regarding you making a fool of yourself? Which part?"

"I'm pretty sure there's one involving you." I said, looking down towards my shoes.

"There is," Ashton said, "but are you sure you want to remember?" he looked amused. I nodded quickly, desperate to know. Ashton mock sighed, and leaned forwards towards me: he moved so close that his hair tickled my forehead and his warm breath was on my skin. He then leaned sideways so that his lips were only a centimetre away from my ear, "you told me you love me."

My breath hitched. I hurriedly grabbed Ashton's shoulders and pushed them away, wanting him far away from me as possible. How could I say that? I've ruined everything. Sudden flashbacks of the previous night flooded my memory and I knew it was true; I just couldn't face it. How could I love Ashton? "N-"

"It's true; you're such a needy drunk. You sobbed uncontrollably. How desperate for me are you?"

"No, no. I don't love you." I rushed, pushing the thought of loving Ashton to the back of my brain.

"Drunk words are sober thoughts." Ashton said. He stood up to walk away, still as amused as before. "I'm sorry you feel that way about me, mate."

I paused, annoyed with myself. "Why did you look so disappointed this morning then?"

The golden haired boy stopped in his tracks. "I was never disappointed."

"I beg to differ - you looked as fucking desperate as I probably was." anger towards myself and Ashton bubbled inside of me; this feeling was too common.

"Maybe I was disappointed that you didn't wake up this morning full of regret. Afterall, you did have to wait this long to remember the fact you love me."

"Please," I stood up towards Ashton and spun him around to face me. "That's not the case at all. You couldn't make it more obvious that you like the fact I love you, am I right? You imagine me pleading on my knees for you. Well, fun fact, I chose Luke."

Ashton frowned. He looked into my eyes, and I followed. "You sure you don't want one last taste of the person you love?"

"If you think that's funny, it's not." I backed away from Ashton, but he only followed and pouted his lips ready for a kiss.

"Come on," he laughed, "you can't resist me. Am I right." The twenty year old mocked my voice.

"Oh," I decided to join in on his joke, "you're right. Kiss me, love." I pouted my lips, trying to keep a straight face when Ashton started backing away.

"Bring it on, loverboy." Ashton moved forward again, but this time a little too close: our lips touched. Neither of us moved, until I pulled away, shocked. "I knew you couldn't resist me," Ashton laughed.

I looked at Ashton: his tousled hair fell perfectly against his forehead, his hazel eyes glimmering in the sunlight from the window. And his lips, oh god I missed them. What did I have to lose? "Shut up and kiss me again." I closed the gap between us, and felt his soft lips against mine. Ashton made no obvious attempts to stop the kiss, which lead me on further: I felt up his back and stopped when reaching his hair, causing him to moan. He was definitely still attracted to me. It was a closed mouth kiss, but special nonetheless.

It was the sound of a door opening that stopped us.

"Luke," Ashton and I said in unison.

--
This story is so messed up sorry
So there's this famous festival round the corner from my house aka I get free concerts from my bedroom window and of mice & men are playing soon so I'm just wearing my merch and sobbing bye
-Celia