Luca stumbled over his feet as he plopped down in front of Ashton and his head shot towards a familiar voice.

"Ashton!"

Betsy was running towards the line, skipping to the front earning her annoyed looks and when she came to a halt, her eyes landed on Luca.

"I'm with him," she told the worker, pointing over towards Ashton.

Luca let out a sigh of relief and got up from his seat, ready to escape back into the line.

"Sorry lady, you'll have to wait till the next one," the worker replied, shutting the gate and pushing Luca back into the cart.

He staggered and allowed his gaze to fall back onto Betsy. Her shoulders were slumped and it was obvious she was slightly annoyed even when offering Luca a thumbs up.

Groaning, Luca sat back and casted his eyes onto the sky that sat above them as the Ferris wheel moved. The two boys both avoided each other's entire existence for a moment—maybe it was because of the fluttering in their stomach in which one boy was completely aware of and the other not.

Luca watched tentively as Betsy hopped onto the cart below them, Benji accompanying her. This sucked he thought to himself.

"So you and Benji are friendly now huh?"

Luca turned his head, eyes locking with blue ones and he furrowed his eyebrows together. Ashton didn't sound all too nice, no—he sounded as if he were angry.

"Is that a problem?" Luca questioned, folding his arms.

He watched as Ashton shook his head—features flashing with distress, "No, just didn't know you two would even get along."

Luca scoffed, "Why? Because I don't get along with anyone? Because I don't have any friends?"

"No," he instantly shot back, "I just.. it's like what do you two even have in common you know?"

Luca shifted his gaze away from the blond and went back to looking up at the clouded fading blue sky that was blending into an orangey-pink colour as the night neared.

They had been at the fair all day, and Luca had somehow quite enjoyed himself. Benji was nice, like really nice and they oddly enough got along well.

Benji and Ashton were alike in a way. They both were friends with everyone—that's what bothered him. He despised people like that because they give you all their attention for a day and then tomorrow comes and they're onto the next person.

He feared Ashton would soon do this to Betsy and he knew Benji would to him so he didn't leave himself with any expectations or hopes for this new 'friendship'.

"It doesn't matter what we have in common and what we don't," Luca reasoned, holding onto the railings for support

He heard Ashton huff, "You be friends with him so easily but yet you hate me."

"Because—"

"—because of Betsy right? I know, you've said it before. You think I'm playing with her heart but I beg you to believe me, I'm not. I like her, I genuinely do and I wouldn't be wasting all my time into getting to know her if I didn't."

Luca fell silent, nibbling on his lower lip and processing Ashton's words as the warm air stuck to his skin in a way that made him feel comfortable.

"What to know a secret?" Ashton asked, breaking the silence though neither minded it.

Luca just raised an eyebrow and that was enough confirmation for Ashton to continue.

"I never needed tutoring. My English grades are fine, I began failing tests so the teacher would suggest tutoring. I knew Betsy had the best grades so I had the teacher ask her."

The confession didn't really shock Luca, but he smiled when he listened to Ashton tell him. The smile had disappeared in a millisecond.

"You're lying to her about it as well?" Luca asked and Ashton nodded, causing him to roll his eyes.

"Just.. I'll tell her eventually but that's not the point. You see now? My feelings are genuine, I deliberately failed three tests for her, just to talk to her. I like your sister a lot Luca, I really do."

Ashton leaned back into his seat, his heart wanting to scream and his thoughts in an endless battle it seemed.

His main train of thought was that he was happy for Betsy, yet wary for her and still slightly suspicious of Ashton's intentions with her. He wanted to believe him, he did—but it was hard to with his dating reputation.

"Okay," Luca mumbled, "I still hate you though."

He ignored the pain in his heart, just like he would continue to ignore Ashton. It seemed as if this cycle would never end.