As much as I wanted my day to drag on as slow as a snail, it just wasn't in my favour. My classes began on time and ended on time aswell. I completed and handed in whatever assignments I had due. I completed all my notes and even managed to get some quiet study done at the library. It was past six PM and I was exiting the library, looking for something else to occupy myself with.

I sat on an empty bench and pulled out my phone. Dani was already on her way home to prepare for her talk with West. Todd had night class so he wasn't on campus yet. I wanted to text Gio but that would be so weird. I leaned back and sighed loudly, thinking of what to do. Just then I suddenly got the worst cramps. I clutched my stomach and tried to breathe through it but it was just horrible. My eyes went wide with shock when I realised why it was happening.

"Oh no! Oh God, no" I gasped to myself as I went through the apps on my phone, searching for my tracker app. Just as I thought, today was the start of my period.

"Great, just great" I huffed in annoyance. I stood up and immediately felt myself getting all wet and moist down there. "Oh you have got to be kidding me. Right now?!!"

**

I took a cab home and was lucky enough not to get any blood on the seat. I rushed up the stairs and burst into my apartment, completely ignoring the guy who was sitting in the kitchen.

I grabbed my towel and rushed straight for the bathroom, eager to get out of these stained clothes. I was so busy with everything else I totally forgot about my period. It's so not like me to be unprepared. I hope this never happens again.

"Uh Kaia, is everything okay?" Ashton knocks on the bathroom door.

"Everything is just fine" I snap at him.

He doesn't reply so I hope he's got the memo and is gonna leave now. If he wanted a little confirmation on how I felt, he would've got it by now. Loud and crystal clear.

I wash up till I'm extra clean before stepping out of the warm shower. I exhale contently as I dried my body and my damp hair. That shower was just what I needed.

I unlocked the door and went to the laundry room to wash my stained clothes. Luckily I wore dark jeans today. God knows how embarrased I would've been if I had worn white. I would never show my face on campus again. It's only right that I don't. I mean, there's no coming back from that type of embarrasment.

I put on the washing and head to the bedroom, still completely ignoring Ashton's presence. I open a new box of tampons, grab the softest pj's I could find, put on my fuzzy socks and started to blowdry my hair. All while thinking of how to address my current situation. I would drag Dani here if it were possible but I know she's busy tonight.

"Guess you'll have to man up, Kaia" I mutter to myself, switching off the dryer. I unplug it and toss it on the bed before finally leaving the room, my heart beating rapidly as I approached the living room.

**

Ash sat at the edge of the couch fiddling with his hands. He looked up at me as I approached him and sat on the armchair opposite the couch. The atmosphere is awkward. I pictured the first time we would meet again to be aggressive and full of arguing. I guess it would have been that if we were face to face sooner. Now that it's died down and we both had time to process and think about it, it's a much calmer and mature scene.

"Can I speak?" Ash asks lowly, his voice still hoarse and raspy. Maybe it's from all the binge drinking. I nod at him once. Not ready to speak. My mind was still searching for the right questions and the right words. Him speaking first would buy me some time.

"I don't know how I got here. I actually don't know where this is" Ash begins, looking around the place with a puzzled look. "And I also know that given by your cold nature right now, you don't want me here" he says, looking down.

It was getting harder for me to swallow. My stomach was in knots and in any second now I was going to burst into a river of tears. I tried my best to breathe and not think too much about his words. The words that were going to make me cry. I bit my lip and looked out the window or at a painting, just not at him. Damn hormones.

"I'm also missing my wallet, keys, phone and car. That's why I'm still here. It's not that I stayed to make you even more upset. I wouldn't do that to you. So if you know how I got here could you enlighten me so I can get my stuff back and be out of your way" he tells me.

Great, I have to talk to him now.

"You got arrested outside a bar. Yvonne kept you in a holding cell and called me to fetch you, that's why you're here. And here is my new place, above Gio's studio. As for your stuff, I'm guessing Yvonne has it" I answered his questions, all while not attempting to make any form of eye contact whatsoever. This is hard. This is so hard.

"Oh, so you don't live with Axel anymore? Well that's a relief" he mutters to himself,maybe? I'm unsure if that was directed at me or was he thinking out loud.

"That was temporary, just until I found a place" I huffed in annoyance.

"Can we..keep talking? No pressure, I just think this conversation is going quite well" Ash asks me, a hint of a small smile on his face. Please don't smile. Not when I'm like this. Not when I feel weak.

"Okay" I blurted out, shocking both him and myself. I looked away again to try and figure out why I agreed. I don't want to seem too eager here. "Do you want some dinner? I'm kinda hungry" I decided to ask, changing the topic.

"Only if you want me to..have dinner with you. I wouldn't want you to feel even more awkward" he replies, staring at the ground.

Truth is, we were both making this awkward because it seemed like we both wanted to have a decent conversation but were afraid it would turn into a full blown argument. It kinda seemed like we were walking on eggshells right now.

"It's fine. I don't mind. How about I make dinner while you take a shower? I may have accidently packed some of your clothes with mine so you have a change if you want"

Ash's eyes lit up as he stood from the couch. "Sweet, yeah that'd be great" he says, heading to the bathroom.

I walked into the bedroom and opened my drawer in search of his clothes. I managed to find a tshirt and a pair of sweats. That should be enough. I folded the clothes and made my way to the bathroom. I knocked twice and stood idly, my stomach twisting and turning it felt like gymnastics were going on in there.

"It's open" Ash calls out over the sound of the shower. I take a deep breath and open the door, stepping inside. I keep my eyes only on the bathroom sink and nowhere else.

Placing the clothes on the sink, I made the mistake of looking in the mirror. It was beginning to get steamy inside the bathroom and the mirror was just starting to fog up. I accidently may have looked at Ash's reflection. Even though the glass doors were blurred, it was evident he was standing directly under the shower. And knowing he was in there absolutely naked was making my heart race dramatically. I had to get out of there.