To the Moon & Back

Chapter 22- Ash

Trigger warning again, guys. Ash has got anxiety thoughts (lol, can relate :D). Nothing rated R or anything (or really anything over, like, PG or PG 13), just... Be aware of that, I guess?

After the Aunties went to bed, I wanted to too, but I couldn't help still worrying. Today had put a lot of stress on me. Not only did I confess to Linh, but also his aunts. Not to mention the confrontation with Adair, that I still wasn't entirely sure how I felt about...

"Hellooooo?" Linh waves his hand in front of my face.

My eyes refocused on him. "W-what?"

He looked at the floor then back at me. "I don't know... you just seemed kinda zoned out. The Aunties already went to bed 10 minutes ago & you've just been... sitting here. You okay? Something on your mind?" His eyes looked directly in mine, eyebrows raised slightly & chin rested on his hand.

"Uh..." I ran my hand through my hair, pulling it back from my face. "I don't know... It's just... still kinda stressed from today... I mean- I know Adair is gone now but... I can't help thinking this isn't over, ya know?" [Foreshadowing...]

Linh's eyebrows knit together a little. "Yeah, I know what you mean... Adair is your ex's name, right?"

"Yeah..." I look away & we sit in awkward silence for a little bit.

"Well... I should be going to bed... but I hate to feel like a douche... Is there anything I can do- to help... relieve your stress, I guess?" He cringes a little, but eventually makes eye contact.

"Uh... I don't know, sorry. It's just kinda 1 of those things where... You stress over, maybe nothing, but can't help stressing, ya know?" [I do this a lot...]

He nods. "Yeah, I get that... Is there anything specifically you're worried about, or just the whole situation in general?"

I draw my knees to my chest & rest my chin on my knees, wrapping my arms around my knees. Linh looks down at me patiently. "Um... maybe just the whole idea of Adair with a gun...? &- I know he was arrested, but what if he comes back? What if he comes after others? What about my family? What about... you guys?"

"I- wow." Linh's eyes widen. "Yeah, that's- a lot. I- don't know... I'm not exactly good at defending myself... as you saw today..." He looks away & his face reddens. "I'd hope... that'd you'd protect us, but I can't ask that much of you... I don't even know... if you'll stay, so... Yeah- we're fucked..." He laughs nervously & draws himself inward defensively.

"Well..." I look up a little at him. "I don't want you guys to get hurt, obviously... I don't really know you as well as I could... But I- care about you guys... and-" I look away, feeling a little flustered. "If anything happened to you-" My voice breaks away & I see Linh looking at me, his eyebrows raised. I look away again, feeling my face heat. "But what I'm saying is that- I want to protect you guys... But I don't know... that comes with a lot of stress, &... I don't know if I could do it on my own... Especially if Adair has any friends that agree with his sentiments..."

Linh nods. "Yeah... if only you had, like... an army of, like... werewolves, or something... to protect us..."

I look off in the distance, thinking. "Yeah, maybe." I smile & Linh smiles too, though a bit confused. & I can't help feeling... hope.

Is this chapter long enough? I'm really bad at measuring good chapter lengths on Wattpad, lol. Like, maybe in other mediums, I'm somewhat ok, but here... Completely useless... But I'm used to that, lol :D... Anyways, see you guys later. Byeeeeeee :3