"What are you doing?" Luca huffed out when Ashton caught up to him and began matching his strides.

"I'm making sense of this. I'm not going to be left confused all over again," Ashton said, his voice serious and his eyes sparkling with determination.

Luca parted his lips, ready to tell Ashton to fuck off but quickly stopped himself at a sudden change of heart.

Maybe Ashton was just that persuasive, but in all honesty, he knew he was being unfair and complicated.

Expect he was sure of one thing.

"Ashton, you're not–"

"–Gay? Yeah I didn't think so either. Until I met you and then I kissed you. I'm not going to sit here and deny my sexuality because I honestly don't care if I like boys, girls or everything in between. All I care is that I have never felt the feelings I feel for you."

Luca fell into a silence at Ashton's words, leaving him dumbstruck and wide-eyed. They continued walking beside each other but Luca stopped himself, pulling Ashton back with him.

"I like you Ashton, I do. But I need you to understand that just because I do, it doesn't mean I want to date you," his sentences were almost harsh but the softness in Luca's tone killed all the bad immediately.

Ashton shook his head, "That doesn't even make sense Luca..."

"Yeah well I don't make sense okay?"

He picked up his feet again, stepping over the concrete path in a direction he wasn't quite sure he was following.

He heard Ashton right behind him, letting out a heavy sigh as he ran his hands through his hair.

"Is it because of Betsy? Is it because you still hate me? How can you hate someone you like?" Ashton rambled away and Luca gritted his teeth at his mindless questions.

"I hate you because I like you and I don't want to. I don't want to like you."

He felt Ashton stop this time, and he fell into his own halt, turning to face a hurt looking Ashton.

"Ouch," he grumbled, looking away.

It wasn't long before Ashton was speaking up again and every ounce of regret Luca was feeling towards what he had said, vainished as quick as it appeared.

"If you hate liking me... Then why do you like me?" Ashton asked.

Luca pondered on the question for a moment, "I don't know."

"You feel it too don't you? The undeniable attraction. I know you do, the way you kissed me the other night tells me that."

The kiss. Luca thought back to it, his cheeks burning up into a messy blush. It was passionate and quick, but Ashton's lips moulded against his own—felt perfect.

He didn't say anything, basking in the silence and that was enough confirmation for Ashton.

"Then kiss me again," Ashton whispered, stepping closer and forgetting their surroundings, "Kiss me and then tell me that this can't happen."

And so Luca did, much to Ashton's surprise.

He pushed himself closer and brushed their lips together before moving them against Ashton's. Ashton was quick to respond, reaching out a hand to cup Luca's chin.

It was perfection all over again, but short-lived as Luca ripped his lips away and realised what he had done.

"Don't leave," Ashton murmured, leaching onto the other boy's arm.

Luca met his eyes, "I have to..."

"You're only making this hard on yourself Luca," he mumbled before motioning his head in a forward direction, "Go then. I'll be waiting."

Luca bit onto his lip hesitantly, watching Ashton for a short moment before spinning on his heel and setting off down the path.

Ashton turned around himself and walked off in the opposite direction.