“Apology accepted,” I give him a small smile.
He hands me the mug; the sweet smell of cocoa fills my senses and calms my nerves. We took little sips from our cups in silence, there was only the crackling sound of wood burning in the fireplace. I look around my surroundings. This is a good place, it has a soul - like the house is alive itself.
I bend my knees in front of me, becoming as small as I can be. My body is still shaking, and tears are still threatening to fall from my eyes. Taking a deep calming breath, I smell the cocoa, devouring the taste of the comfort it gives.
“Are you cold? Do you need anything?” Ashton fusses. His voice is soft and caring that it touches something inside me.
“No. I’m okay… thanks to you,” I murmur, but the tears fall down before I can stop them.
“Shit, Acacia. Don’t cry. Tell me what you need… what can I do?” His rude side is nowhere to be seen.
“I… do you mind… whatever forget it.”
“No, tell me. Whatever you need to feel better, to forget.”
“Can you hold me?” I whisper. I need his strong arms around me, reminding me that I’m safe not with that cold alley. I shake again. “Please?”
“Like a hug? I mean, yeah, sure…” He rubs his neck troubled, but he comes to sit next to me on the couch.
At first, the hug is awkward, our arms and legs are all over, but finally after we relax into each other, it turns into the most comforting thing I’ve had for years. I place my head on his chest as his arms wrapped around me tighter.
“Better?” he whispers through my hair.
I lift my head a little, so I can see his face and nod, I didn’t think we would end up this close. I immediately move my head back to the place. He clears his throat but doesn’t stop holding me. I move closer to his chest, closing my eyes I yawn as the sleep shows its face to me.
“You can take my room if it makes you feel better,” he whispers.
I take that as a cue for the end of our hugging session, I sit up. “No, I’m good here, thank you. It’s warm,” I say.
“Okay, I’ll bring you one more pillow,” he murmurs and leaves the room.
When I’m with him the room felt warm and homey, but when I’m alone it is cold and too dark; the shadows from the fire are creating fake monsters on the walls of the room.
I jump when I hear his footsteps behind me. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” Ashton whispers carefully.
“No, it’s okay. I’m a little bit jumpy. Sorry.”
He places the pillow on the couch and touches my back comforting me. “Don’t worry, you’re safe here. You get some rest, I’ll be around,” he assures me.
That must sound creepy, but instead, it gives me peace of mind. I nod my head and close my eyes.
“Goodnight, Ashton,” I whisper. Before catching his answer, I let myself fall into the comfortable arms of sleep.
CHAPTER NINE
ASHTON
The rain didn’t stop all night, it constantly made Acacia jump in her sleep. I couldn’t help but keep checking on her. I wanted to leave her side, go back to my room, and even forget about her presence in my house, but it was impossible. I don’t even know the girl, but I can’t shake the worry about her well-being. S
he is a strange girl. With her blue-gray hair, daring eyes, and her ripped clothes she looks like a rebel. A badass. Like no-one or nothing can scare her.
Yet here she is - on my couch, wrapped up in a blanket like it’s some kind of armor. The most vulnerable thing I have ever seen. And I can’t take my eyes away from her, probably because she keeps jumping with each clap of thunder, every flash of light. It shines over her face in sunder, like it’s her glow. If I have, to be honest with myself it’s not the only reason my eyes keep turning back to her; there’s something about her that fascinates me more.
Whenever I’m alone, I feel cold, literally, like the temperature of the place suddenly drops. I even feel it like a touch, a caress. That coldness starts to give me a comfort, but whenever I’m close to Acacia that doesn’t happen, it’s like the strange comfort of the coldness leaves me somehow. I know it sounds silly, I know it’s almost laughable, but I like to think that cold sensation is April. She loved the cold, and it would only suit her to reappear like that. And it feels like this girl is taking April away from me… just by being close to me.
I want her to be gone from my house, but I also like it when she’s close, I want her to be okay. I don’t want to care about her, but I keep checking if she wakes up or if she’s cold like there’s a magnet on her body and it’s drawing me in. Huffing in annoyance at my reaction to her I walk toward my kitchen to make a coffee, she probably likes her coffee with milk and sugar, opposite of mine, opposite of April.
I shake my head.