Façade<Lashton>

20 - Caught In A Truth

Life consists in not holding good cards but in playing those you hold cards well. ~Josh Billings

Luke's POV

I sat in Ashton's house, about a week later, patiently waiting for any news of what would happen to my father, until there was a knock on the door.

"I got it." I said, and climbed off the couch, walking to the door I opened it. And lost all air in my lungs.

"F-Father.." I mumbled and he smiled as he held up a piece of paper, handing it to me.

Turns out my father had been found innocent of what he had done to me, in other news, they said that I was a bullied, suicidal child who had lost their mother and was mourning. In other words, they considered me a liar.

"You're coming home with me, boy." He smiled wickedly, grabbing my arm and pulling me out the door.

"Hey leave him alone!" Ashton yelled as he chased us outside, my father simply showed him the paper.

"He's mine, Ashton." My father shrugged. Ashton had no word, no matter how hard he fought, my father won either way. The law was on his side, Ashton and I had lost.

I lost.

And I told.

I'm a dead-man walking.

"C'mon Luke." My father snarled and pulled me down the sidewalk and to our house, where I saw Ashton's mother come outside. Pulling him back in the house. Probably telling him how pointless it was.

"Get in there!" My father yelled as he shoved me through the door. "You little brat had the audacity to tell. So, things are going to run a little differently now."

"H-How different?" I mumbled.

"Well let's start with this." My father snapped. Yanking the sleeves of my shift up. "You like to do this. So I'm going to give you a little help."

"W-What?!" I squeaked. "Y-You're gonna c-cut me!?"

"No. I'm not." My father scoffed. "Every day I am going to take this and give you the worse possible pain from it."

"Please just leave me alone.." I mumbled.

"Leave you alone? Oh no boy, I am going to wreck you." My father snarled. "From now on every day you will clean the house from top to bottom. I will make a list for you every day and if you don't finish then I will beat you for every thing you missed. And every grade below an A- I will beat you for. And if you decide to test me one more time, I will make you regret it." My father lifted me up to him. "You got that?" I nodded. "Good." He released me and walked out of the room, leaving me to struggle on the floor.

I am a dead man.

[Triggering Scene]

I climbed up off the floor, noticing the gun on my desk as it seemed so tempting now, like maybe I could avoid the torture of my father. But no, I had to keep going. For Ashton. Because Ashton needs me, right?

I'm starting to think he doesn't.

I pulled out a blade from it's hiding place and pushed it against my skin before pulling it. Blood immediately rolled out of the broken skin.

And it was a task happening over, and over and over until the skin on my arm was a bright red and it was dripping on my clothes and pants. Until I was light-headed and sleepy and until I could barely stand to wipe myself off.

Shedding off my pants and shirt and flopped on my bed, examining my stomach and thighs, the picture mixing with my horrid thoughts was not healthy.

But I picked up the blade and swiped it across my stomach and across my legs until I could barely hold the metal in my fingers.

I wondered if I was dying or just tired for the longest time. If the black fading in and out of my vision was just being tired, or losing too much blood.

I don't think I cared either way.

[All Good]

I woke up that morning, stinging, suck with the dried efforts of death. Climbing out of bed I took a shower, it was Monday and I would be late for school if I didn't hear Ashton calling my name.

"In the bathroom!" I yelled, being the first time I've spoken today, my voice was jagged and rough.

The door opened. "I just wanted to see if you wanted me to drive you."

"Yeah. Sure, just-just give me some time." I said. My skin was positively burning and stinging but it was a pain I had welcomed.

The door shut and I tied a towel around my waist, not expecting Ashton to be here I didn't expect to need clothes. So in a towel I walked upstairs to my room and saw Ashton sitting in a chair with his hands in his hair. His leg bouncing.

"Hey." I croaked. "Could you go out in the hall? Let me change?"

Ashton's eyes looked up to me and widened. Not for the fact that I was in a towel, but the fact that my body was gut-churning for him to see.

"Yeah." Ashton mouthed and left me to change into my uniform.

"You can come back in!" I called as Ashton opened the door, his eyes staring at the bloody mess on my bed.

"You..Um.." Ashton mumbled as he looked to me. I saw his reflection in the mirror. His face was horrid.

"Yeah, I did it." I said quietly. "Ashton," I turned to face the boy. "I can't do this anymore."

"Wait what?" Ashton asked, wide eyed.

"I can't keep living like this anymore, I won't make it." I shook my head as I broke into cried. Ashton immediately stood up and wrapped his arms around, holding me tight.

"Don't give up on me." Ashton said. "If you can do it for you, do it for me. Do it for your mum. She doesn't want you dead."

"He's going to be the death of me." I mumbled. "I-I told you not to go to the cops."

"I know Luke," Ashton said, breaking into tears. "I'm so sorry."

I took in a deep breath. "It's okay Ashton, we're okay."

AUTHOR'S NOTIFICATION

I wrote this in class and holy hell I'm sad. Cause I got a 45 on my science test. I literally got two questions right. Ughh I hope I don't get in trouble cause I tried really hard.

Anyways I hope you had a good day.

Hugs, Kisses, Cuddles and Serenades xX