A Heart Doesn't Forget (Fanfiction)

Chapter 32: Have you come to say goodbye?

Third Person P.O.V.

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Ashton pulled himself in through the window, and hopped into the room.

The first thing he noticed was the mess. There was trash scattered across the carpet, and the blanket from the bed was sprawled across the floor. It instantly reminded Ashton of how Luke's apartment looked after...

No, Ashton didn't want to think about that. Surely it hadn't gotten that bad again. It was just...a mess. That's all. Simply a lack of cleaning, Ashton told himself in his mind.

The second thing he noticed, was the dresser pushed up against the door. That explains why Calum and Michael weren't able to get in.

The third thing he noticed, looking around the room, was that he couldn't see Luke.

A feeling of dread filled him as he started searching through the room. Soon after he started though, he heard a soft whimpering noise behind him.

He turned around, and spotted the blonde haired boy sitting in the corner of the room, his hands covering his ears, his knees pulled up to his chest, his forehead resting against his knees, and his body trembling. Ashton was relieved that he found him, but wasn't exactly satisfied with the sight he saw.

"Luke.." He whispered, aproaching the boy cautiously, still not sure how Luke will react to seeing him here.

As Ashton got closer, he realized Luke wasn't just mumbling incoherently, and he was actually speaking to himself. Muttering words to himself that Ashton couldn't understand until he was less than two feet away from him.

"Stop. Stop. Stop. Please, stop." Luke mumbled. Ashton got closer so he could see Luke's face, and realized he was sleep talking.

"Luke?" Ashton whispered, kneeling down closer to the boy.

"No, please, don't. Don't, please! No!" Luke's tone suddenly got louder. Ashton backed an inch away, startled at first but then even more concerned.

"Lu-"

"Please! I don't want to play! No, stop! Please.." Luke cried out, and Ashton stopped hesitating then, and reached forward to shake Luke's shoulder.

"Luke, Luke, Luke, wake up..."

"Stop, it hurts!" Ashton almost thought Luke was talking to him before realizing he was still dreaming.

"Luke! Luke! It's a dream! It's only a dream. Wake up!"

"No, no, please stop. Please, don't, I don't want to play. I don't..." Luke's voice started getting softer again, and Ashton thought that was a sign of regaining consciousness.

"Luke! Wake up!" He shook the other boy's shoulder with one hand, and stroked his messy hair with the other.

Luke's head snapped up, his eyes popping open. Ashton took his hands away out of surprise, and Luke put his hands on the wall for support as he tried to steady his heavy breathing.

Luke kept his eyes focused on the floor, and didn't even notice Ashton's presence until he said,

"...Luke?"

Luke jumped up, and Ashton stood up after him. He stared at Ashton in shock, with wide eyes and an open mouth. He tried backing away, then realized he was trapped in the corner, and slid against he wall away from Ashton.

"W-what are you d-doing here?" Luke asked with a shaky voice.

"I...I came to see you, Luke. I wanted to see how you were doing-"