[for redhearts19 , thanks for all your support ❤️]

***

Luke wasn't sure what to think.

            Ashton had just dropped a bomb on him, how was he supposed to respond to that?

            "Ashton?"

            "Yeah?" He breathed, still not turning to look at Luke.

            "I was just wondering...Can we still be friends?"

            Ashton slowly spun around to face the blonde boy.

            "I'm sorry, what?"

            Luke gulped.

            "C-can we still be friends? I uhm, still like you and would like to continue hanging out, and—"

            "Didn't you just hear me?" Ashton seethed. "I told you I was only being nice to you because I was forced to. I wasn't doing it because I thought what I was doing was wrong and I wanted to make up for it. I did it to crush you,"

            Luke shrugged.

            "But you did realize it was wrong, that's why you felt so bad." Luke took a step towards him. "I don't really care about that, people make mistakes. I just think we were getting on so well, maybe we could still talk and stuff. I can look past it." He looked at Ashton so earnestly it made his heart hurt. This boy was just the most precious human he'd ever met. Why had he been so mean to him all this time?

            "Luke, you've got to have higher standards than that. I've been bullying you for like ten years, and you automatically gave me your trust. You can't do shit like that!" he shook his head. "It wouldn't be right."

            "But—"

            "No, that's it." Ashton decided. "We're not friends anymore."

            "What about in the car? Did that mean nothing to you?" Ashton gulped, looking away. "And what if that's what I want—"

            Ashton sighed. This wasn't turning out how they thought it would.

            As much as he enjoyed spending time with Luke, he knew it wasn't right. What he'd done was unforgivable, Luke shouldn't be able to look past that. If he was, then...maybe Ashton had to do something that he couldn't get over.

            "Why would I be friends with a stupid fag like you, Luke? Did you really think any of it was real? Sure, I felt bad for like, a minute, but after that, I was back to laughing with Calum and Michael behind your back about the stupid shit you did. That keychain? That was the gayest thing I've ever seen. If you don't think I told the entire school about that, then you're dumber than I thought."

            Ashton forced his face to remain impassive as the tears rolled down Luke's face.

            I'm a horrible person, Ashton thought.

            "That scene in the car? That was me sealing the deal and winning the bet. Thanks for that, by the way." He smirked, pushing the bile rising up in his throat down. He needed to seem sincere. "So get out of here, and don't talk to me again. I got what I need from you now. If you try, I swear you'll get a beating so bad you'll be in the hospital."

            Ashton held open the door as Luke's sniffles turned into sobs and he ran out of the storage closet.

            Ashton too felt like crying, but he wouldn't let himself. He hadn't cried since he was a kid and his parents told him they were getting a divorce. He wasn't about to cry over some stupid boy.

            He almost couldn't believe this is where he was in life, bullying the gay boy. And for what? What even was the point of that? Just because he liked boys didn't mean anything, why did he have to do that? Why did he have to start having feelings? Luke really had changed him.

            Ashton sunk to the floor, wrapping his arms around his knees as he cried for the first time in years.

** *

Luke tried all week to talk to Ashton, but the jock ignored him.

    Ashton made sure to be late to every class they had together and always sat someplace else, never with Luke. He didn't go to lunch in the cafeteria, and he ran the opposite way if he spotted Luke in the hallway.

    And if that wasn't bad enough, Ashton must have told everyone to start being mean to Luke again, because the next time Luke tried to sit at the popular kid table, everyone refused to look at him and Calum dropped a slice of pizza into the back of his sweatshirt. Thankfully it didn't burn, but it did stain on the fabric and was embarrassing. Everyone took pictures and videos of it.

    So Luke was back to where he started, except now he'd had a taste of friendship—maybe it was more than friendship—and he craved it more than ever. Luke would sometimes think of something funny and want to tell Ashton so he'd turn next to talk to his friend in class only to remember the seat was empty and Ashton was still ignoring him.

    Luke sighed as he helped Mr Styles put away books in the library after school. He didn't have tutoring today, but he knew his mom would ask him why he was home so early again and why he wasn't with his new friend. He just didn't have the heart to answer her at the moment. It would just make him sad.

    "Hey, bud, what's with the long face?" Harry looked at the student in concern. He sometimes saw the boy upset, but never like this.

    Luke shrugged, pushing the cart down the next aisle, hoping to avoid the prying librarian. He didn't want to talk about it unless he was talking to Ashton.

    "Did someone hurt you?" Harry followed him, crossing his arms. He'd turned a blind eye to the torment for too long, someone had to do something for this kid before it was too late.

    "No," not physically at least. Does emotional torment count? He just wanted to speak to Ashton and get to the bottom of why he did what he did. He needed answers, and maybe he could get his friend back. The boy had seemed so genuine when they spent time together, Luke didn't believe he actually felt that way.

    "Are you sure, Luke? You seem really down. Is everything okay at home?"

    "Yeah, my mum's great. It's just..." Luke bit his lip, trying to stop himself from breaking down. If he started crying, Mr Styles was going to worry too much and Luke would end up spilling everything to the teacher.

    "You can trust me, Luke, this is a safe place. I won't tell anyone anything as long as no one's going to be harmed." Harry warned.

    Luke sighed, one tear falling from his eye and Harry took the book from his hand, gently guiding the sad boy to the couch a couple of aisles away. He sat Luke down and took a seat next to him.

    "It's all right, tell Dr Styles what the problem is," He said in a posh accent, causing a giggle to bubble out of Luke.

    Luke told Mr Styles all about what happened, how Ashton was in charge of the bullying against him, how he started to be friends with him, and then their interaction in the closet, how Ashton said all those horrible things even though Luke knew they didn't mean anything.

    "I think he's just scared, but I don't know of what. He's trying to protect himself, and me I think. I know he didn't want to say all those hurtful things, but something made him do it." 

     Harry thought for a moment.

    "This kid is popular, right?" Luke nodded. He left Ashton's name out so he wouldn't get in trouble for being mean to Luke. "Maybe he's afraid that if he does start to genuinely like you as a...a friend that everyone else in the school will be mean to him, too. Or, from what it seems like, maybe he feels bad about what he did and is punishing himself for it. Anyone who knows the real Luke Hemmings would feel awful once they learn who you really are,"

Harry had a feeling there was something more than friendship going on here, especially by the number of times Luke had said the word "friend" in their conversation. Clearly both boys were in denial about this.

    Luke blushed and thought about that. It could be.

    "Maybe. It could be a lot of things, but I won't know until I talk to him. He just keeps ignoring me though. He literally runs down the hall when I'm near him."

    Harry chuckled.

    "Teenagers," he rolled his eyes fondly. "Maybe you'll just have to keep at it. If you really want to be 'friends' with this boy," Harry actually did the air quotes, as he could see right through the real reason the young boy was so upset at being ignored, "You might have to keep working at it."

    He smiled at the teacher.

"He uh, almost kissed me too," Luke admitted sheepishly.

"WHAT!?" Harry shrieked, forgetting he was supposed to be the adult in this situation. "Luke, there's no way this is friendship then,"

Luke blushed.

"But he didn't, he said it was just to prove something to his friends. What if it was a mistake?"

"How do you almost kiss someone by mistake?"

Luke shrugged.

"I don't know. It's possible."

Harry shook his head fondly, unsure if Luke was being like this because he truly thought there were no feelings involved here or if he didn't want there to be.

After a moment, Luke spoke again. "Hey, Mr Styles?"

    "Yeah?" Harry asked.

    "I just wanted to thank you for listening to me without judgement and for always being here for me. You always know just what to say. But why aren't you telling me to not chase after him? He's been mean to me for so long, shouldn't you tell me he's not worth it, he isn't deserving of a second chance, or I should have higher standards or something," Like Ashton had told him.

    Harry raised an eyebrow at the young student.

    "Do you really think I'd tell you that anyone doesn't deserve a second chance?"

    Luke shrugged.

    "That's what most people would tell me," Luke's read all sorts of fanfiction, he knows the best friend always urged the other friend to not trust the player, to protect himself and move on. In this situation, Harry was his best friend. "He's hurt me for a long time. Most people would say he doesn't deserve a chance after this long."

    "True. But do you think this friend of yours deserves someone who won't give him second chances?"

    "No, of course not. Everyone should be given a second chance,"

    Harry gave him a look.

    "Oh, okay. I see."

    Harry ruffles his hair and gets up.

    "Just be patient and find your chance to talk to him. I think it'll be good for both of you."

***

What are your thoughts? Do you agree with Luke and Harry? What would you do if you were Luke?

What do you think about giving chances to people who continually hurt you? This is something I'm struggling with right now. Where do you draw the line between toxic and the possibility of redemption?

Enjoy this bonus photo of the boys. I made this pic my lock screen on my phone and it brings me much joy when I open my phone ☺️

In other news, I'm not sure when I'll be active/back with my next chapter. My friends are driving 13 hours to come see me (they're arriving tonight) for a week and we've got about a months worth of plans to fit into a week lol. So I'm not sure when I'll be writing again, but I'll do my best!! Also this book is almost coming to an end 👀

~ashtonfortherwin