Array
(
[text] =>

**Dr. Matthews in the media section**

Dedication: To everyone who's read/voted/commented at any point. It all means a lot to me so thanks for taking the time out of your lives to read!

Sorry for the lack of updates but I think I make up for it with 3 new chapters all at once? Anyways, I wont be uploading next week because I'm in Cape Town so hopefully this will do until I come back.

I think this story will probably be ending soon. I'm not exactly sure when but maybe in 3 more chapters? Idk...

Anyways, like always, don't forget to point out any errors.

Vote and/or comment if you enjoy! Hope you do. :) - Vanessa

***

Previously:

"I'm putting in the anesthetic now," he informed and Ashton took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. He felt something being placed over his mouth and nose as he breathed and soon enough his head started to feel slightly fuzzy.

He could hear Dr. Matthews saying something but he wasn't sure what. All he could think about as he drifted under was Luke and how he'd give anything to see what he looked like. He couldn't help but think how the person he'd spent his whole life dreaming of seeing was gone before he'd ever gotten the chance.

***

Ashton groaned awake, feeling a slight uncomfortable pressure on his eyes. He reached out to rub them but was met with a bandage that wrapped around his eyes. He felt groggy and confused, the bed he was lying on was uncomfortable and the sheets were scratchy.

Before he could panic too much, however, he remembered that he'd just gone through the surgery. His heart was hammering in his chest in anticipation. He didn't know whether the surgery had worked or not and the excitement yet fear was overwhelming. Just the thought of being able to see again made him feel like he'd start hyperventilating soon.

He didn't know whether anyone was in the room or not so he decided to just stay put and wait. It would probably be embarrassing if he started calling out when there was no one around.

He knew that if Luke and him were still together that Luke would be here. He would probably be seated right next to him the entire time, maybe even holding his hand so that when he woke up he wouldn't panic. He felt his heart constrict at the thought of Luke. Reaching out for Luke's emotions and all he was met with was an empty feeling. It was easy to forget that they weren't connected emotionally anymore. 

"Ashton, are you awake?" He heard Dr. Matthews voice and he startled a bit in surprise, being too lost in thoughts to hear him come in.

"Uh, yeah Dr. Matthews," Ashton whispered, clearing his throat that was thick with sleep.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Uh, my eyes feel a little funny. They don't hurt or anything they just feel sort of uncomfortable," he said, fidgeting with the sheets on the bed.

"Not to worry, that's to be expected after the surgery, just as long as you aren't experiencing any pain. The surgery went perfectly well, you'll be pleased to know, and tomorrow morning we'll be taking your bandage off," Dr. Matthews informed.

Ashton bit his lip, nodding timidly and swallowing the lump in his throat. He was so overwhelmed with so many emotions he almost felt like he could cry. He couldn't believe that this was really happening, that he was really going to see again but at the same time he wanted to cry because Luke wasn't here with him. He also missed Michael and Calum so much. He needed his soulmate and his friends right now.

"Well, your mom went to take your siblings to your Aunt's house and she told me to tell you that she'll be back soon. Your dad is in the cafeteria and should be here shortly. I'll let you get some rest so just call for a nurse if you need anything," he informed before leaving the room.

Ashton sighed and tried to relax, imaging once again that Luke was with him.

***

"Lauren, calm down," his dad chuckled as Lauren was squealing from some part of the hospital room. It was hard to pinpoint her whereabouts as she kept moving with excitement but he didn't blame her. He'd probably also be pacing the room if he wasn't waiting for Dr. Matthews to come and remove the bandage.

He was already sitting on the edge of the bed, changed into his normal clothes and signed out of the hospital. He would be leaving right after removing the bandage and getting his instructions from the doctor.

"Right, Ashton. Are you ready?" Dr. Matthews asked and all Ashton could do was nod because he didn't think he could form any coherent words at this point. 

"So, I told you this already but just to remind you, when I take your bandage off your vision will be blurry. Your vision may come back from as little as a few weeks to maybe a year. During the time it takes your vision to come back, it'll vary between being blurred or not." Ashton nodded his understanding, his foot tapping obnoxiously in anticipation.

"Alright," Dr. Matthews chuckled, "Are you ready?"

Ashton nodded again, not finding his voice to speak. He swallowed as he felt the bed beside him dip before his mom's fingers intertwined with his in a comforting gesture. He relaxed beside his mom, listening to Harry annoy Lauren in the background and his dad hiss at him to stop.

When Ashton felt Dr. Matthews untying the bandage from the back of his head, everyone seemed to go quiet, waiting with bated breaths. He removed the bandage before going on to the pads over his eyes. With steady hands, he peeled the pads off.

"When you're ready, Ashton, you can open your eyes," he said gently. Ashton bit his lip so harshly he felt as thought it would bleed. His mom squeezed his hand again, reminding him that she was there and offering her comfort.

"What are you waiting for, Ash?" Harry asked impatiently but was quickly shushed by their dad. Ashton couldn't help a small smile that graced his face, Harry always able to make him smile somehow.

With a deep, shaky breath, Ashton opened his eyes slowly.

He couldn't help his sharp gasp as he gathered his surroundings. Despite everything being unclear, everything was... colourful and bright. He squinted against the sudden burst of colours but he could make out a man standing in front of him. He couldn't identify much about him expect that he was tall and slim but with all the colours merged together, he was more like a blob.

He almost felt dizzy with it, like everything was too much. The room was light and white and as he looked around the room, he noticed two smaller figures standing by a taller man. He knew it was Lauren, Harry and his dad, and even if he couldn't see them clearly, he still wanted to cry.

He felt the hand still linked with his squeeze his hand tightly and he turned to face his mom who was sitting close. She was slightly shorter than him and her blonde hair came down softly and her eyes were, despite being unclear, so beautiful. The room was plain, but looking at his mom it reminded him how beautiful colour was and how much he'd been missing.

He took in a shaky breath as he looked at his surroundings. Everything was so overwhelming and he felt like he was about to start crying at any moment. He swallowed the lump of emotion in his throat, willing himself to stay composed but it was so difficult. He dreamed of this for nine years, he'd forgotten so many things and it was like he was being reborn.

"So Ashton, can you tell me what you're seeing?" Dr. Matthews asked him. Ashton turned to look at him, almost unable to speak as he stared at the colours and swirls that made up Dr. Matthews. He was probably feeling uncomfortable with Ashton's intense staring but Ashton couldn't think of anything other then the fact that he was seeing.

"Ashton?" He asked again.

"Everything is- it's unclear but there's- the colour- there's colour." Ashton didn't really know what he was saying but he wasn't focusing on that, he was just looking over the room, taking everything in with as much detail as possible.

"Well, it's understandable that Ashton is a little distracted right now," Dr. Matthew's chuckled. "So Mr. and Mrs. Irwin, I'll just let you two know what Ashton's supposed to do to look after his eye."

Ashton was paying attention, only slightly, but he decided to let Dr. Matthews think he was completely zoned out because he honestly was so dazed. Everything was just so- indescribable. Of course, the more he looked at things the more he was able to associate them to vague childhood memories but it had been so long.    

"So, Ashton can't rub his eyes. He can't exercise for a week and needs to avoid physical strain. He needs to avoid smoky and/or dusty places. If his eyes are particularly sensitive to light, he needs to wear his sunglasses. He needs to avoid contact sport and he can't get water in his eyes for at least a month. He also needs to wear these patches over his eyes for a few weeks every night.

I'll be prescribing antibiotic eye drops which he'll need to use for several months to avoid inflammation and swelling and prevent rejection and infection.

He'll need to come to regular follow-up appointments which over time will become less frequent. The stitches in his eye will be removed after about a year. So, any questions?" Dr. Matthews asked his parents.

Ashton spent the whole time staring at his fingers and fiddling with his pants. Despite his blurry vision, he was intrigued with his hands, the way his fingers seemed slender and long. He flexed his fingers, watching the way they bent and moved. It was weird, the last time he'd seen his hands they were so small. Everything was different and he couldn't help but feel curious about the way he looked.

But as he fiddled and played with the tear in his jeans, holding on to a stray thread, his thoughts went back to Luke.

He wanted to see him more than anything. He wanted to look at him and see all the things about him he always dreamed about. He wanted to see the way maybe his eyes would light up when he talked about something he loved. He wanted to see the gestures he did with his hands. He wanted to see his nervous habits.

He wanted to see his hair as he'd run his fingers through it. He wanted to see his lips as he would trace his finger over his lip ring. He wanted to see the dimples that appeared when he smiled.

He still remembered asking Luke to describe what he looked like and the way Ashton's fingers brushed upon his face like it was a canvas; like Luke was art. He knew the way Luke's features felt but it was so difficult to apply them.

He wanted to look at Luke, but it's never going to happen.

***

Things were difficult for Ashton at first. It was difficult because he could see but not really. It was like he was so close but not quite there and it was so frustrating. He wanted to see things clearly.

He wanted to see his family when they weren't a blur of colours. You'd think after nine years he'd be patient when it came to his vision considering he never thought he'd be able to see again to begin with, but it bothered him how long it was taking for things to settle down.

His vision wasn't fluctuating between being blurry and not, it simply stayed extremely blurry and he hated it. He also hated that he'd broke his phone because he'd broken it beyond repair and he needed to get a new one and lost all his contact numbers.

He was going to use his mom's phone to call Michael just because he felt terrible about dropping off the face of the planet after promising he'd stay in touch but his mom didn't have his number saved. She told him she cleared out the log on her phone but he didn't know what that meant because he didn't know anything about phones and his vision was still too blurry to learn anything on his new one.

Michael didn't call his mom either after Ashton told him not to, so that was no help either. He felt so alone. After spending some time knowing what it was like to have friends, he wanted that again. He wanted to laugh and he wanted to smile and he wanted someone to share everything with.

He felt tied down though, because everything reminded him of Luke and he hated that. Michael and Calum reminded him of Luke and even Harry did. He just wanted to move on, to start over and make new memories that didn't involve Luke and in order to do that he needed his eyesight to come back completely. 

Ashton stared at his reflection in the mirror. It had been a few weeks after his surgery as he stared at his blurred form. He could see dark blonde hair that was wavy, practically curly on his head. He was tall and slim and when he looked close enough he could see brown and what seemed to be green in his eyes. He can slightly remember his eyes from when he was younger but that was a really long time ago, so seeing them again after so long was odd.

He'd just woken up and he had to remind himself not to rub his eyes, so he just blinked groggily a few times. He didn't expect however, for his vision to clear somewhat drastically. He gasped as he focused on his vision because he could see himself more clearly than he ever had since the surgery.

He didn't know how to feel about himself. His hair made him cringe and he didn't really like his face but he just shrugged because there was nothing he could do about that.

He walked out of his room, staring at everything, his head turning right to left as he took in his surroundings that were no longer barely recognizable. He bit his lip, willing himself not to cry because everything was overwhelming, so much more then he knew how to handle.

He picked up his phone off the bedside table, turning it over in his hand as he admired the slim build. He pressed the button and flinched a little at the bright light.

"Ashton, are you up? We have to go to your appointment today," Ashton heard his dad's voice behind him. He turned around and couldn't help but stare at the man. They looked a lot alike, same hair colour and eyes and similar height although he was slightly taller than Ashton.

"Ash?" His dad asked again, although he was used to Ashton's staring. Since the surgery everything distracted Ashton and he was clumsier than usual, tripping over everything as he was always admiring his surroundings, even the littlest things.

"Ah, yeah. I just need to get ready... my vision cleared up. I don't know if it'll go back to being blurry but for now it's pretty clear," Ashton murmured, smiling slightly.

"That's great, son! We can talk about it to Dr. Matthews today I'm sure he'll be so excited to know. Did you use your eye drops today yet?"

"Not yet. I'll do it now. I'll be ready in ten and I'll meet you down stairs," Ashton said, not missing the way his dad smiled as he nodded and left the room.

Ashton could walk places without having to be guided and aided and it never felt so good to not be such a burden, to not have to rely on everyone for everything.

Despite how pleased he was, however, he still felt incomplete and empty because he was missing his other half. Ashton couldn't help but feel that if he could trade his eyesight for a chance to get Luke back, to have things with Luke like they were before, he'd trade in a heartbeat.

***

"Has your eyesight been fluctuating between blurry and clear, Ashton?" Dr. Matthews asked. Ashton couldn't help but notice how attractive Dr. Matthews was. He seemed very young to be a doctor but who was Ashton to question that?

He stared at his soft brown eyes, not even realising how awkward he was being and took in his dark hair and the stubble that dusted his jaw. There was no doubt he was extremely good looking and Ashton couldn't help the blush that crept on his face as Dr. Matthews chuckled.

"Ashton?"

"S-sorry. No, not- not really. It was always blurry but it's bee clear since this morning," Ashton said, lowering his eyes to his black skinny jeans as he scraped his conversed feet on the floor.

"That's great, Ashton. So I think we can get your glasses ready today. That doesn't mean that your vision wont go slightly burry ever again, because it still could considering your surgery was only a few weeks ago, but I think you'll be excited to see just how clear your vision will be with glasses on. Is that okay?" He asked, smiling softly and Ashton couldn't help but blush again. He wasn't used to seeing such attractive people. He wasn't exactly paying attention when he was ten.

"Uh, yeah. O-okay."

"Excellent! Come with me then," he said, getting up. Ashton told his dad he could wait here as he followed Dr. Matthews out.

"So Ashton, I can't help but notice you haven't been completely happy after getting your sight back. I don't mean to intrude but I'm just surprised is all. I would've thought you'd be ecstatic with the news," he said softly, guiding Ashton.

"Uh," Ashton stared, not knowing whether he should tell him. He opted to considering he didn't see the harm that could come with it. "My soulmate and I, we- we aren't together anymore. I miss him," Ashton whispered, swallowing and willing away the burn in his eyes.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I suppose to a certain extent I know how you're feeling," he said as he opened the door to a room further from his office. For the first time Ashton wasn't looking at his surrounding, instead he was looking at Dr. Matthews and the way he was frowning.

"What happened?" Ashton asked.

"My soulmate died," he said, clearing his throat. Ashton's eyes widened, taking in Dr. Matthews as he bit his lip. He looked so vulnerable as he nibbled on his bottom lip.

"What- how?" He couldn't help but ask, knowing he was probably over stepping his boundaries but not being able to stop himself from asking.

"I don't know," he shrugged, "we never got to meet. I was in med school when I felt the most horrendous pain in my life. It wasn't my soulmate's pain but it was them being taken from me. I just knew they died. Friends and family tried to comfort me, tell me maybe they didn't die but I can't explain it, I just knew," he said, turning away from Ashton. He knew he was probably trying not to show how vulnerable he felt. Ashton felt his heart break for him.

"I'm- I'm so sorry," Ashton mumbled.

"It's alright," he said, faking a smile as he turned to face Ashton again. "So why did you and your soulmate break up?"

"He cheated on me. He said we were never going to work out and he- he doesn't care about me. He said that."

"It's impossible for him to not care about you, Ashton. There's never been a single person in this world who was capable of not caring for their soulmate. What has he been feeling?" He asked, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"I- I don't know what he's feeling. I can't feel his emotions anymore," Ashton whispered, shifting his gaze from Dr. Matthews intense stare.

"I've heard of that happening before. Can I give you my advice, Ashton?" he asked, making Ashton turn to face him due to the seriousness of his tone. Ashton just nodded.

"We'll never know everything about soulmate bonds. It's something so beyond our understanding but we've always tried our best to comprehend it. I've heard of this happening before and I think that in order for you and your soulmate to have a chance, you need to make sure you're the best possible version of yourself.

A soulmate bond is damaged and it can't get fixed unless you fix yourself first. You're so unhappy, Ashton. I can tell and I don't think it just has to do with your soulmate.

Do everything you can to better yourself and hope that your soulmate does too. When fate decides it's time, you'll see each other again. Maybe you guys can work it out. I hope you can. I'd give everything for a chance to have my soulmate alive," he said, his eyes so intense Ashton wanted to look away but couldn't.

"Here, now how about you try on these glasses," he said, holding out a pair of spectacles, a small smile gracing his features, his brown eyes gentle.

Ashton placed them on with shaky hands and couldn't help it when his breath hitched. Dr. Matthews laughed, ruffling Ashton's hair and making him blush.

"Thank you for everything, Dr. Matthews," Ashton said, still blushing as he adjusted his glasses.

"My name is Ethan. You can call me that today, if you'd like," he offered.

"Thank you, Ethan.

Ashton couldn't help but turn over Ethan's advice in his head. It made sense and maybe he'd do just that and hope Luke would try too.

Maybe one day they'd see each other again.

***

1 month later:

Ashton was sat on the couch, eyes glued to the TV screen as he watched American Horror Story. He took it upon himself it catch-up with all the latest TV shows and movies and he still had a long way to go.

He knew his face was probably covered in crumbs as he was stuffing his face with chips, eyes wide as he stared as the killer clown stabbed the life out of an extremely good looking guy. Apparently his name was Matt Bomer in real life and if there was no such thing as soulmates and he was able to fall in love with other people, he'd probably be in love with him.

So as he died an extraordinarily painful death, Ashton almost felt like he would cry, not being able to pull his eyes away from the blood.

"Ashton, what on earth are you watching?" Aunt Kathy cried, making Ashton jump so high in the air he dropped his chips all over the floor. He straightened his glasses, pausing the show to turn to Aunt Kathy with a sheepish smile.

"American Horror Story?" He said, making it sound more like a question.

"You have your therapy session soon; you should probably get going if you want to make it there on time. Are you sure you want to walk?"

Ashton nodded, "I'm sure, Aunt Kathy." He stood up, picking the chips off the floor and stuffing them in the bag because he couldn't eat them now so he'd just have to throw them away.

"Remember to take your phone and call me if you need anything. Also, you have a lesson tonight so don't forget. Don't come back too late," she hurried worriedly.

Ashton's parents and siblings had gone back home, but Aunt Kathy suggested Ashton stay with her just to be closer to Dr. Matthews for his appointments. Aunt Kathy is also a teacher and offered to help Ashton brush upon his reading and writing, also teaching him basic things he missed during the time he was blind.

He'd picked up on reading and writing quite quickly. He remembered a lot of things from when he was younger and a lot of things he thought he'd forgotten came back in a short amount of time. He needed to make sure he was ready to go back to University. He hadn't completed his transfer to the University closer to home. He wanted to make sure he was ready for University, considering how many things he had to be retaught.

Ashton had also decided to take Ethan- Dr. Matthews' advice. He wanted to be the best version of himself he could be so he was going to therapy. He hadn't had a lot of sessions but he hoped they were helping. He wasn't sure when he'd be able to notice a difference but he hoped it'd be soon.

As Ashton walked down the street, the air was cooler and he couldn't help but stare at everything he passed. He didn't think he'd ever get tired of seeing or take it for granted again. Everything was so beautiful and something always managed to catch his attention.

It didn't take long for Ashton to arrive where his therapy sessions took place. He fiddled with his phone, sending his Aunt a message saying he'd gotten there okay. For some reason it was taking him a while to get used to certain technologies. He'd never used it much when he was a kid as he was always doing stupid things with Michael and there were a lot of things that seemed to be much more advanced. Half of these things were definitely not around when he was younger.

Ashton smiled at the polite secretary as he took a seat in the waiting room. She was very pretty with short blonde hair and freckles, her green eyes wide a doe like. Ashton tapped his foot as he waited, staring at the water machine in the corner of the room and watching the bubbles with captivation.

"You can go in now, Ashton," the secretary, Mia, said with a smile. Ashton nodded, offering her a shy smile in return, before making his way towards the door. He opened it hesitantly, still not liking how quiet and almost eerie the room seemed to be.

He closed the door behind him and smiled at Dr. Tomlinson who was seated in her usual seat, clipboard in hand, opposite the couch he took a seat at.

"Hello, Ashton. How are we doing today?" She asked politely, offering a reassuring smile.

"I'm good, thank you, and yourself?" Ashton asked quietly, looking around the room to avoid her intense gaze that seemed to be reading his every move.

"I'm good, thank you," she said before writing something on the clipboard making Ashton frown. Her left hand moved fast, the sound of the pen scratching across the paper seeming loud in the quiet room.

"So, how have things been since we last spoke?"

"Okay, I guess. I've just been with Aunt Kathy and I hung out with Louis for a bit," Ashton said, looking at his untied shoelaces that were smudged with dirt and cringed at how dirty they looked.

"I'm glad you're spending time with other people. Louis is a good person, very spontaneous and outgoing and I think he could be a good friend for you."

"You're just saying that because he's your son," Ashton joked quietly making Dr. Tomlinson laugh.

"Yes, I suppose I may be a little biased. I must say Ashton, I'm already noticing you've opened up quite a bit since our sessions have started. You're even making jokes now," she said, smiling widely making Ashton blush.

"So, I asked you during the last session to try talk more and be more open to conversations with strangers, since you admitted that if anyone you didn't know talked to you, you'd try to avoid them or have a hard time talking to them. Have you tried?"

"Uh, well some girl in the coffee shop asked to sit with me and I said yes but I just read while she sat there. I didn't know what to say," Ashton admitted, biting his lip.

"That's okay, Ashton, it's already a step by allowing her to. We already know that your hesitancy and timid nature stems from your accident as a child. Because you're aware of that it does make this easier. What were you thinking when the girl asked to sit with you?" She asked with a knowing look.

Ashton blushed because Dr. Tomlinson already knew what he was going to say but he said it anyways because she asked him to. "I was thinking that I don't know why she would want to sit with me in the first place," he murmured, avoiding her gaze.

"Ashton, I've said this before and I'll say it again until you learn to believe what I'm telling you. You matter. You're not worthless and you're not a burden. You never were."

"You remind me of Calum," Ashton couldn't help but say, a small smile playing on his lips.

"And why's that?" She asked, shifting on her seat more comfortably.

"He told me something like that, too. He's studying psychology," Ashton said, staring at the fan in the far corner of the room. "I miss him, and Harry and Michael."

"And Luke, too," she added with a nod. Ashton swallowed loudly, biting his lip before nodding.

"Louis has been telling me about a music event that's happening," Dr. Tomlinson stated, her expression thoughtful and Ashton frowned. What the hell did that have to do with anything?

"O-okay?" Ashton asked, brows furrowed.

"I think you should go with him. I think it'll be good for you," she said, offering a smile.

"I don't know..." Ashton trailed off, scratching the back of his neck.

"Just think about it. You have Louis' number and I really think it'd help you."

***

It took a week to convince his parents to allow him to go to the music event with Louis. He didn't know Louis too well, hence their hesitancy, but Dr. Tomlinson told Ashton he needed to be more open and trusting so he decided to give the event a go.

He was nervous. He didn't know anything about it except that it would last the entire weekend and that Louis was driving. Louis had been through some things a couple of years ago and as a result he didn't have many friends. He didn't know what happened but it meant that Ashton was the only person he was going with. He didn't mind that because he didn't know how many strangers he could handle.

He had just finished packing his duffle bag, making sure to stuff his phone charger in there because his mom was insisting he call or at least message often so that she knew he hadn't been killed.

He had just finished packing when he heard the doorbell ring. He knew it was Louis because he liked to try make songs with the door bell, trying to ring it to a certain beat. It annoyed him and his Aunt to no end so he rushed down the stairs to make him stop. At least his Aunt wasn't home today.

He flung the door open and smiled at the shorter boy. His brown fringe was feathered to the side and he had a soft, barely noticeable stubble on his jaw. He was wearing a white tank top showing off his muscled and tattooed biceps with black skinny jeans and converse. His blue eyes were excited and he had a wide small gracing his thin lips.

"Hey, Ash," Louis greeted, his Yorkshire accent thick.

"Hi, Louis," Ashton greeted, smiling a little timidly. "You can come in if you'd like, I just need to get my bag and we can go."

"Sure," Louis said, walking in as Ashton stepped aside. "I'll wait on the couch, yeah?"

"Yeah okay. I'll just be back in 5 seconds."

Ashton made sure Louis was seated comfortably before running back up the stairs, almost tripping but stopping himself last minute.

He ran to the mirror, trying to tame his wild hair that rested curly on his forehead. He groaned when he realised it was futile and just adjusted his glasses. He looked over his outfit, debating whether it was okay. He was wearing a black simple shirt and skinny jeans. He decided to throw on a snapback because his hair was a nightmare.

He pulled his glasses off and replaced them with his contact lenses because he didn't think his glasses went with his red and black snapback. He gave himself one more once over before nodding. This would have to do. He went back to his room, shoving his glasses in his bag before slinging it over his shoulder and running back down the stairs, taking two at a time.

Louis was sitting on the couch still, going through his phone when Ashton cleared his throat. Louis turned around and smiled wide.

"You look great! You ready?"

"Thanks," Ashton said softly, blushing a little. "Yeah, let's go."

"You're not going to say goodbye to your Aunt?" He asked as he stood up, walking towards the front door with Ashton.

"She's at work, I said goodbye last night."

"Cool. Let's get going then."

Ashton couldn't help the small feeling of excitement that was bubbling in his stomach. He loved that he could go out and enjoy things without having to fear what could go wrong because he was blind. He could actually do things himself and go out with friends. Was Louis a friend? He'd like to think he was.

Maybe for the past month he still lay awake for hours before falling asleep thinking about Luke. He hoped this weekend would be a distraction, something to help him forget even if it was just for a weekend. He was tired of the ache in his heart and music could always help.

Maybe this weekend would be good for him.

***

"Louis, stop," Ashton whined as Louis kept switching the radio to The Spice Girls. They'd been driving all day and Louis still hadn't stopped.

"So tell me what you want what you really really want!" Louis sang at the top of his lungs. Ashton couldn't help but giggle despite his slight annoyance. He really didn't like this song.

"Oh come on, Ash! Have a little fun, yeah?"

"Focus on the road!" Ashton said nervously because Louis kept closing his eyes as he sang. At this rate they probably weren't going to make it there alive. "I can't wait until I can drive," Ashton murmured to himself.

"When are you getting your license?" He asked, surprising Ashton that he'd heard with how loud the music was.

"I can kind of drive, I just need to practice more before I schedule the exam," he said, adjusting the snapback on his head.

"And, we're here," Louis said, indicating the car to go right before turning in. Ashton almost had a heart attack when he saw a sign saying they were pulling into Sydney University.

"What are we doing here?" Ashton screamed, making Louis jump in fright before glancing at him like he was crazy.

"The music event. Honestly Ash, keep up, yeah?"

"But- but it can't be here," Ashton panicked.

"Well it is. The event is organsied by the music students. It's always a big deal and people from all over always come for it. Not my fault you didn't ask anything about the event," he said as he parked the car with ease.

Ashton bit his lip harshly as he looked out the window. The parking lot was extremely busy and he was surprised Louis had found a parking spot so quickly.

He felt like he would cry at any moment just knowing that him and Luke had first met in this very parking lot.

Luke was here right now. Despite everything, a masochistic part of him hoped he'd see him, just once.

[text_hash] => 7c6127dd
)