14 | l.s mpreg

chapter four

"You do realize that staring at him won't keep him from flirting with her, right?" Zayn pointed out as he watched Ashton, whose eyes were currently glued to Luke who was sat across the cafeteria as he steadily flirted with one of the cheerleaders who seemed to be enjoying herself, further agitating Ashton.

"Shut it, Zayn," Ashton spoke, his eyes staying on Luke as he watched the cheerleader laugh at something Luke has said to her. "Mind your business." He spoke, not meaning to sound so snappy, but well. He was in a bit of a mood right now and the last thing he needed was Zayn chastising him for staring at Luke. "Honestly, you never know when to keep your fucking mouth shut."

"Jesus, just thought I'd inform you that you staring won't solve the problem at hand. Besides, you're not dating him, so why does it matter anyway?" Zayn asked softly as he glanced over at Luke and the cheerleader, Bella, he thinks her name is. "Think he'll ask her out?" Zayn asked, further stirring the pot which was evident by the breath Ashton let out at the question.

"Zayn, the mate, come on," Louis spoke as he looked at Zayn from across the table. "Leave the poor boy alone to sulk the way he sees fit, yeah?" Louis asked and then glanced over at Ashton, a bit concerned he was going to pop a blood vessel or something from how genuinely upset he looked. Not only at Luke and the cheerleader, but Zayn now as well.

"And now they're exchanging fucking phone numbers," Ashton said with a small huff as he finally pried his eyes away from them for a moment, only for his eyes to drift back over to them not even seconds later. As if he hadn't looked away at all.

"Why do you care so much, Ash?" Liam questioned, looking up from the notes he was taking to look at the disgruntled boy who looked like he was two seconds away from breaking down into a sobbing mess. "Aren't you both always adamant that you aren't dating? Or like, exclusive, or whatever?" He asked, genuinely curious as to why Ashton suddenly cared entirely too much for a boy who flirted with anyone with a pulse.

Ashton ignored Liam in lieu of any type of actual answer, making Harry glance over at Liam to give him a look that read 'stop talking to him' as to not further upset him. Liam shrugged and then went back to his notes as if nothing was happening.

Ashton sat up a bit straighter whenever Luke finally stood up from the Cheerleader's lunch table and averted his attention elsewhere, apparently to the skin around his nails as he ignored Luke's presence making its way over to their group's table. It looked like Ashton wanted to be anywhere else in the world but here and honestly, Harry felt for him. He couldn't imagine if he had to sit back and watch Louis flirt with someone so shamelessly. Even the thought itself pissed Harry off more than he'd like to admit. Everyone else at the table had grown scarily quiet, even Zayn who had a knack for sticking his foot in his mouth

"What's... going on?" Luke questioned curiously as he looked at everyone around the table, not getting an answer from anyone. "Okay." Luke said with a roll of his eyes, in a permanent bad attitude, it seemed before he took his normal seat next to Ashton. Who then decided to stand up from the table abruptly, picking his bag up before he was rushing out of the cafeteria. "Ash?" Luke questioned as he stood up from the table again, his eyes following Ashton the whole time as he made his way out. "What the fuck is his problem?" Luke asked as he sat at the table again, his permanent scowl back again.

"Are you seriously that clueless or are you just a dickhead?" Eleanor asked, making Harry laugh a little to himself. "The kid is practically attached to you and you just..." Eleanor said, motioning over to the cheerleader's table where Bella was watching them with curious eyes. "Bella? Of all people? Really?" Eleanor asked, keeping her voice down.

"What does it matter to you?" Luke questioned, narrowing his eyes at Eleanor, glancing around the table for any sort of help, but everyone seemed to be avoiding eye contact with him. And maybe for the better. "In case you've all forgotten, Ashton and I aren't together. I know that. He knows that. So, he should probably get over this silly jealousy when I flirt with someone that isn't him." Luke said with a careless shrug of his shoulders.