He Sleeps Alone

Chapter 1

When Luke was 5 years old, his family went to Disney Land.

He used to talk back then, even if it was only a few words. He doesn't remember too much about that trip, except for the boy.

The little boy, who looked about his age. Luke had watched him slip out of his mother's hand and run over to Luke's family. He had chubby cheeks, dusted rose, and tufts of soft curls messy on his face. His hazel eyes, they had been wide with wonder, but Luke distinctly remembers his first words.

He had leaned over and grabbed Luke's face, and excitedly told him, "you have the prettiest blue eyes I ever saw!"

Luke had remembered standing there in utter shock, while his family cooed over the small boy. He was a small boy, a lot smaller than Luke, and when his mother had ran over embarrassed and began talking to Luke's mom, the boy lead Luke aside and began to talk.

And he talked quite a bit. Even if it was all broken English, as advanced as a 5 year old could manage, Luke wasn't annoyed. Most people would be, desperately wanting the little boy to shut up, but Luke, Luke was different.

Never one to talk much himself, Luke was happy to have someone to talk instead, so he could silently listen. He doesn't remember the boys name, age, where he was from, or anything about him.

A lot of things changed since then, but Luke doesn't think he'll ever forget the hazel eyed boy.
*****
When Ashton was 6 years and 1 month old, his mom took him all the way to Disney Land. It had been absolutely magical. He had repeatedly ridden all his favourite rides, eaten all sorts of delicious snacks, and to top it off, had even met his favourites, Rapunzel and Flynn Rider.

The highlight of his trip however, would have to be, the most beautiful blue eyes Ashton had ever seen.

They were so pretty, and he couldn't help but go up and tell the boy how much he loved them. Ashton soon began to like the boy attached to the eyes.

He was a quiet person, who actually listened to Ashton instead of either ignoring him, or telling him to shush.

The second Ashton had returned, he'd found his notebook in the resort, and had used his best and sharpest blue pencil crayons to draw those ocean eyes.

He didn't remember the boys name, age, where he was from, or anything about him.

But Ashton couldn't ever forget those ocean eyes, and he didn't want it either.
*****
Luke looked up from his book, hearing the sharp sound of his mother's knuckles against his door.

He sighed quietly and opened it, surprised by her smile. He'd expected her to be upset and him for something he didn't even remember doing.

She often got frustrated with Luke's choice to not speak, but it had been 7 years. When he'd stopped talking at the age of 10, no one could get him to say a word. Now, everyone around him had accepted it. For the most part.

He was the silent boy, who never spoke a word.

"Luke, sweetheart, the new neighbours have just arrived. I figure we'd ought to be friendly and welcome them, so in an hour we'll be heading over there" Liz informed him, before shutting his door.

Luke couldn't even interfere, which irritated him, but he let it slide. It's fine. He grabbed his pad off of his nightstand, and the black pen. He used those to communicate, because sign language confused everyone, and well, he refused to speak.

Luke peeked out the window, spotting a four people and a few movers. Luke couldn't see very well, and was suddenly feeling thirsty, so he walked downstairs, before scribbling down onto his pad for his mum.

Who are the new neighbours?

He poured himself a glass of water, and let his mum read over the question, before turning back to her.

"Not sure, but they seem pleasant. Thought I saw a boy who looked your age, and he was carrying a box of band posters, much like yours" Liz said half heartedly, more focused on her lasagna.

Luke nodded his head, before he returned back upstairs, peering through his window again. He couldn't see much, so he moved to his other window, surprised to see the other boy there, his own window only a few meters apart, separated by a large tree.

Luke squinted through the branches, without much luck, instead returning back to his novel. He had a chapter left, when his mother knocked on his door, and called him down.

Luke nodded, and silently trailed behind her, the rest of his family a few steps behind him. Luke didn't tend to get too nervous around new people, except when they forcefully tried to get him to talk. He'd made sure to remember his notepad, and by the time he'd mentally prepared himself, they were already inside.

A woman greeted Liz and Andrew, before he turned to Luke. Luke scrawled his message down, and held up his pad to her.

My names Luke. I choose not to speak.

Her mouth formed a small 'o' and she softly smiled, before reaching her hand out to shake Luke's.

"Anne. I understand your choice" her voice was quiet, and Luke admired her choice of words, as it was comforting to hear someone accept him. People always questioned, and Anne was the first to just understand him.

Luke smiled at her as well, when he finally noticed the children behind her. They introduced themselves as Lauren and Harry, to which Luke held up his own name.

A third child walked down the stairs around this time, messy curls pulled back with a bandanna. However, it wasn't the boys clothing choice, or the fact that he had half a grapefruit in his right hand.

No, it wasn't any of those things.

It was his hazel eyes.

The boys mouth fell the second he saw Luke, and his face lit up with recognition, he dropped the grapefruit (which Luke still didn't understand) and cautiously walked up to Luke.

"Your eyes...you have the prettiest blue eyes I ever saw"
*****