alumni ➢ luke hemmings [DISCONTINUED]

3.8 ➢ Masturbating.

SOPHIE HAYES

I'm in the library with Chase and Dylan, the entirety of the floor that we're on quiet and undisturbed as I stretch, my bones clicking  and causing the people around us to grimacein disgust.

"I wish it was still freshers week," Chase groans quietly, tilting his laptop screen halfway down to look over at me. "It was brutal but at least it was fun."

"Brutal would be an understatement," Dylan says, typing up his essay with swift, undisturbed movements. He doesn't even look up at us when he speaks.

"At least I made it into the frat," Chase shrugs, though he doesn't look too convinced himself. "I mean, it's not what I thought it would be, but it's... fun."

"Define fun," I say, and he shrugs yet again.

"Uh, we go out sometimes. Call each other brother. I've even got three of their numbers," he says proudly. Dylan rolls his eyes.

"That's depressing,"

"I know," Chase's shoulders slump and he frowns. "I don't know. It's supposed to be more than that, but Luke's almost never at home so nobody wants to do anything,"

"I can think of a good few reasons as to why he's never at home," Dylan says. He catches my eye and winks, making me look down at my own laptop with a blush on my cheeks.

"Speaking of which," Chase says, gasping almost as he turns to face me, "You two kissed?"

I nod, but I don't expand on the topic. Knowing Luke, he probably wouldn't want me to go around telling people about what happened the other day.

He hasn't called or texted me since the morning after, and that same afternoon Michael came over to talk. It was short and to the point- he asked me a question and I answered it. Now, however, I'm beginning to wonder whether I should have even answered it at all; I liked Luke. I wanted him, yes. But how could I be sure that he felt the same way about me?

Dylan and Chase don't press on and I'm thankful. Everything resumes back to normal as we all concentrate on our separate assignments, and it's only when I stand up to go to the printer that Chase asks me if I can get his, too.

"How many pages is it?"

"Six and a half,"

"And a half?"

"Save the trees." he tells me nonchalantly, but as usual with the boy, I don't question it.

The printer's on the other side of the library and not a lot of people use it, opting for the ones nearer the computer zone instead. I'm thankful to find the area somewhat empty- well, apart from one person.

"Ashton," I say, mostly surprised but also a little confused.

He turns around to look at me, his face puzzled at first. It softens as soon as we make eye contact and from here, I can see the patch of clingfilm on his bicep covering a freshly done tattoo; still sore and red from the needle. "Sophie!" he greets me, leaning in for a one-armed hug.

I return it in the least awkward way I can manage and he resorts to crossing his arms yet again. "How have you been?" he asks me.

I make a slight gesture with my hand, "I've been okay. You?"

"Brilliant, thanks for asking." he smiles at me. A part of me melts inside. When Luke smiles, it's always so small and so abrupt that it never has the chance to mesmerize you- although it definitely could, if he did it for just a bit longer. With Ashton however, it's different; his smile is always prominent and it never allows you any time to breathe. "Do you come here often? I never see you,"