Ash's Darling | ✔

Chapter 40

~Esther~

For the past two days I had told Ash I still wasn't feeling well and that I just needed to rest, hoping he wouldn't come over to see me. My black eye and the bruise on my stomach still hadn't healed and my nose still hurt anytime I touched it although I was thankful it looked normal. I still wasn't able to cover my black eye with foundation which meant I would have to avoid Ash until it healed enough that I could.

That was my plan, at least, until I heard his voice coming from downstairs. I stopped reading and put my book down, walking closer to my door to hopefully hear the voices better. I just told him not to come over because I still wasn't feeling well though. That couldn't be him, right?

As soon as I got close enough to my door to hear the voices clearly their conversation stopped and heavy footsteps seemed to be coming up the stairs. Shit. Shit. Shit. I started panicking, running back to my bed and throwing an oversized hoodie on myself and pulling the hood over my bruised eye.

He was going to flip when he saw my eye and I really didn't want to lie to him again so I walked out of my room and towards the stairs which Ash's large frame stood at the top of. "Hey, darling."

"Hi." I mumbled, keeping my head down as I grabbed his hand and dragged him back down the stairs and through the living room to the front door. I didn't know how badly he would react but I did know I didn't want to be in my house, with my mother, when he found out.

"Where are we going? I thought you didn't feel well?" His voice held a tone of confusion but he still let me pull him to his car. I didn't answer his question, instead walking to the passenger side of his car and opening the door so I could get in. I motioned for him to do the same, all while not looking up since I knew if I did then he would see my eye.

Ash sat behind the wheel and I could see out of the corner of my eye him turning towards me, not even starting the car. "We aren't going anywhere until you explain what the hell is going on, Mae." His voice was stern, letting me know he meant every word.

I played with my hands in my lap, not wanting to look at him. "Ash, can we please go to your house first? I'll explain everything there." There was no way I could come up with an excuse for the bruise on both my stomach and my face this time. He barely believed me last time, there was no way he was going to believe any lie I told him this time.

He sighed as he put the key into the ignition and turned the car on but he still didn't pull out of my driveway. "You promise?" I opened my mouth to tell him that I promised but before I could he spoke again. "And no lies. I want the full truth, whatever it is."

I nodded my head, still looking at my hands as I spoke. "I promise, no lies."

He grabbed my chin lightly and tried to make me look up at him but I moved my head away, not ready for him to see it. "Will you at least look at me, darling?"

The tone of his voice sounded concerned and it made me want to look at him like he wanted but I forced myself not to. Just wait until we get to his house. I shook my head slightly. "I'm sorry, Ash, not yet."

He sighed once again but accepted my answer and shifted the car into reverse, backing out into the road before starting the fifteen minute drive to his new apartment.

The drive was silent except for the music playing from the radio. I kept my eyes trained on my hands, straying every once in a while to look at my shoes on the floorboard for some new scenery. Ash didn't try to ask me any more questions, probably knowing I didn't want to answer them yet.

I promised myself I was going to answer any and all of his questions once we got to his apartment. I had kept this hidden long enough, I knew it was time to tell him but that didn't make me any less scared of his reaction.