Hellfire - The Awakening (Complete)

Chapter Fifteen *

I didn't wait to see what happened next, my chair screeched as I pushed my way out of the seating area. My hip jarred as I caught it against the corner of the table. Tears sprang to my eyes and I forced them back, there was a shattering sound and I realised that in my haste I had knocked over my glass over water.

“Ebony wait!” Cinder called.

I didn't look back. I could feel everyone staring at me as I stormed across the room but I no longer cared, all I cared about was reaching the exit and getting away from everything.

As I neared the exit I noticed Ash on his knees pleading with Masquerade, I had hoped that she would see sense, get shot of him and find someone better and more worthy of her time to dote on, but she was smiling tentatively instantly willing to forgive him, sickened I left the room.

Now that the drama had passed everyone had returned to their conversations which meant that the corridor was empty. I had no idea where I was and so I sat down and hugged my knees to my chest. How had everything gone so wrong?

I sat and cried for a few moments, it felt good to finally be able to release my emotions. Several minutes later the door swung open and Desdemona entered my line of vision.

“You should come and sit with us, nobody is judging you,” she said.

I chewed on my fingernails, “I can't,” I answered.

She looked confused, “Why not?” She asked.

“Because this is my fault, I've messed up with the Ash situation and now Masquerade is upset and who knows what Cinder thinks!” I babbled.

“If you love Cinder, why does it matter what Ash thinks?” Desdemona questioned.

I looked at my feet guiltily, “He was kind to me when I first got here and I thought that I liked him that way, but then I started to fall for Cinder, and I couldn't just tell Ash that it was never going to happen,” I admitted.

She placed a cool finger on my chin and tilted my chin up forcing me to look her in the eye, I cringed waiting to see disgust but was greeted with utter sincerity.

“You're young, you have time to work things out. Cinder understands that this is all a difficult adjustment for you, he may be a git at time but he still has a heart. As for Ash, he's been alive for hundreds of years and he's been emotionally blackmailing you, he should know better. I'm assuming that you didn't promise that you would be with him?” She asked.

I shook my head, “No I never promised, I only promised that once I was certain of my feelings, if I liked him then I would let him know,” I replied honestly.

Desdemona sighed, “As expected of Ash, he never knows when to quit,” she muttered.

I cracked the smallest of smiles and Desdemona's face lit up, “I'm pretty sure that Cinder is on his way to see you so when he gets here I'll be heading back,” she said.

I nodded and as I did the door swung open revealing Cinder. Desdemona gave me a squeeze and then left leaving me alone with Cinder.

“Hey,” he smiled.

“Hey,” I replied weakly.

He sat beside me and I turned to him, feeling courageous to ask him the one thin which had niggled me, “When you were talking to Ash, did you really mean it when you said we were in a relationship?” I asked.

Cinder smiled, “Well originally I planned on asking you first, but I'd like to be, if you wanted to be my girlfriend that is,” he replied somewhat nervously.