Ash's Darling | ✔

Chapter 35

~Esther~

The last bell of the day rang through the school, signaling the end of the day just as Mr. Kraffert had finished telling us we needed to complete a three page paper on the Colonial Era in US History. Yay.

Groans filled the classroom as everyone gathered their things and piled out of the room. I stacked my books on top of each other while Ash – who had been sitting next to me with his hand on my thigh the whole period, making it hard for me to concentrate – stood up and held his hand out to me.

I took his hand and stood up from my desk. I took my pile of books in one hand while still holding Ash's with the other as I followed the rest of our classmates out of the room.

For the last two days Ash had been resting, for the most part, and today he decided he was healed enough to go to school so here we were. Holding hands as we pushed our way out of the school after putting away our books. As we made it out to the parking lot, Ash glanced at me while still continuing our journey to his black Challenger parked a few spaces down from the doors. "I have something to give you when we get to my house, darling."

Confusion covered my face as I looked back at him. "What? Why?" It wasn't my birthday, nor any special occasion so I didn't know why he would get me anything. Should I have got him something too? I really wasn't prepared for this.

"I don't want to spoil anything, just be patient." He chuckled, leaning down to place a kiss on the top of my head before opening the car door for me.

I wanted to press for more questions but I decided to let it be a surprise. Ash shut my door after I got in and walked to his side of the car, getting in and starting the car.

Ash put his hand on the headrest of my seat, turning his body to look out the back windshield while he reversed out of the parking spot. I couldn't help but admire how he, somehow, made backing out of a parking spot look hot. His muscles flexing as they turned his body and his veiny hand turning the steering wheel.

Ash's deep chuckle broke me out of my thoughts and I looked up from staring at his body to see him smirking at me with humor swirling in his eyes. "Like what you see, darling?"

I shook my head and looked away as I felt my cheeks heat up, knowing I'd been caught checking him out.

He laughed once more at my reaction, slipping a hand onto my thigh while he pulled out of the school's parking lot. "Darling, I didn't say I didn't like it." He moved his hand from my thigh to my chin, making me look back up at him when I didn't do it myself.

I laughed, realizing he wanted me to keep staring and he smiled back at me. The rest of the drive to Ash's house was silent except for the soft music playing from the radio. I started playing with the silver rings on Ash's hand while I got lost in my thoughts.

Ever since Friday night my thoughts have been a jumbled mess. I keep thinking about what his tattoo means and why it's a flower crown. I didn't have time to look at it clearly but I thought I saw a name below it.

It made me wonder who he got a tattoo for. His mom? Grandmother? Friend? Cousin? He didn't have any siblings, at least none that I knew of, so I knew that was out of the question. What if he was in love with another girl and got a tattoo for her?

That would explain the writing underneath but I tried to push that thought out of my head. I was sure he had other girlfriends before me and that never bothered me but the thought of him getting a tattoo for another girl, that hurt but I wasn't sure exactly why.

"What are you thinking about?" Ash spoke, bringing me back to reality once again. I looked up and saw we were already pulling into Ash's driveway. Apparently I had been lost in my thoughts longer than I realized.