Ashley

There was darkness everywhere, I couldn't see a thing. I tried to navigate my way through it and got rewarded by hitting my head on the door.

That's when I turned on a flashlight and walked downstairs.

"What the heck happened?" Andrew screamed.

"A power cut maybe," I replied.

"Where is the electrician?" Hudson grumbled followed by Mason's animalistic groan. 

"Where is the main electric panel?" I asked.

"There's an electric panel too? No one ever told me that," Mason yammered.

"You're such a bull, Mason. You don't even know this?" I tried to stifle a laugh but failed miserably.

"Andrew, tell her to mind her words or else.." Mason threatened me while dragging Andrew into it. 

I ignored him and followed Andrew who showed me the way toward the main electric panel. 

Sustaining in the hellhole, I learned to play with wires too. I clicked open the box and twisted a few wires which caused this scene. And, finally, I plugged the fuse in, which I had removed before and the lights turned on.

I let out a sigh of relief whilst Andrew stared at me like I'm some elf.

"You're a genius," he squealed.

"I know, right?" I teased, brushing some invisible dust off my shoulders, and we both laughed.

"I have done the packing, where is the Australian brute?" I inquired.

"Getting ready for a few extra minutes to impress you," Andrew added.

I was about to reply to him when the brute himself appeared.

A massive scowl laced his features while he ramped in casuals. His tee clung to his body which appeared as if carved by Giotto himself; Clearly, a Casanova material. His gaze fell on me and I shifted my weight from one foot to another. He had Edward Cullen-like eyes, captivating and converting every potent into an aphrodisiac. 

But it's a shame that such beauty is showered upon him. The irony of fate, I guess.

I looked away refusing to give in to his glory.

I glanced up and saw Hudson, his jaw set firm throwing daggers at Nathaniel. 

As he turned to look at me, I passed him a smile which he didn't return. His eyes were red, fingers gripped the railing as if someone's throat. 

"Let's go," Nathaniel broke the ice.

Considering the situation, it was best if we just left. We walked out of the house and turned one last time to see Andrew winking at me.

"Have fun," he whispered.

I narrowed my eyes at him and we took off.

The ride was silent, which wasn't really a serene one. I took a side glance at him, he looked straight into the road, looking so dead serious that I started to rethink my choice.

"Can I tell you a secret?" I asked out of the blue to get his attention.

"Uh-huh. Anything else than something related to him and you."  He replied after a couple of long minutes.

"Why'd you think I'd ever tell you anything about us?" I cocked an eyebrow at him.

"What secret were you going to spit out?" 

"Yeah, so listen. You know... I' 'm not Ashley Logan."

"What you mean?" He stopped the car abruptly. 

He shifted in his seat, to turn and look at me. His jaw ticked, eyes focused on my face.

"My name is Ashley T. Wilson," I said, telling him the exact proportion of truth I needed him to know.

He nodded. He knew.

"I said I would tell just one secret. Now, shut up and drive."

He looked at me with such seriousness that if I hadn't said that I might have blurted out secrets that I can't.

"Stupid, lassie. You're incorrigible," he hissed, agitated.  

He took a few deep breaths through his nose, controlling his brimming rage,
revived the engine again, we were back on the track.

"Nathaniel?" I called out again.

No answer. Seriously?

"Uh-huh." 

His lack of interest was fueling my enthuse like anything. Time to push more.

"Can I ask you a question?" I asked.

"No," he replied curtly. The vein in his forehead was popping, he was getting worked up. What a turn on!

"Come on, just one," I tried to convince him.

"That will make you shut your mouth for the remaining hours?" He negotiated, giving me a quick glance.

"Yeah, I guess," I drawled out, giving in.

"Then, shoot," he prompted.

"Are you still in contact with your family, I mean  your mother?" I asked.

"Excuse me, how is that any of your business?" He roared, his voice booming inside the vehicle.

I squirmed in my seat. I pushed the wrong buttons. Time to shut it.

And for the rest of the ride, I zipped my mouth and stared out of the window. We stopped for food but I declined to eat or talk to him so he went himself and ate in front of me.

Such an asshole trying to lure me by the hamburger but I resisted. I could see the pleasure he was receiving from torturing me. I needed answers which he refused to give.

The sky had turned vermillion, few clouds overhead. Slowly, the sky was turning dark. The sun had set, but I couldn't see it due to the clouds. Outside the window, I saw the trees sprinting, wild grasses dancing against the sweet breeze that blew. The fields looked abundant with greenery but excluded from admirers. Australia was beautiful with its natural beauty and liveliness.

As we passed the meadows and fields, small houses came into the view. There was a couple who walked hand in hand, their laughter and raptures filled the air.

They reminded me of my parents, how they acted like newlywed even after four years of their marriage. I never saw them fighting or screaming, their love was beyond the fixed boundaries of obnoxious reality.

I smiled as I  recalled the only sweet memory of my parents still afresh in my memory lane. Whenever I closed my eyes I could see it but never feel, because it was turning old day-by-day and hence, fragile. 

"My mother was a drug addict. She left me at foster care when I was just a year old." He murmured softly as if saying it out loud would make it even more bitter. 

"Why the hell am I telling you all this?" He said, clearly frustrated with his recent revelation.

It took me a while to take in what he just said. But the fact that every soul has a story and not every tale is a fairytale made sense, even more, when I heard his words.

"It feels good to blurt out some woeful remembrances to a stranger, isn't it?" I said, my voice strained.

"So, we're strangers?" He quirked an eyebrow at me, trying to mend for the mournful tension but I had adjusted to this long ago.

"Yeah, I guess so. What else are we?" I tried to act jovial.

"We shared secrets like friends but we exactly don't match the same dots. So, what does that makes us?" He asked, taking a quick look at me.

"Frenemies," I replied quickly.

"Right," he chimed in.

                      ••••••••••••••••••••

The night sky wasn't a starry one, maybe the drab hid all the lights underneath. 

A cool breeze blew softly making the trees shiver and sing along. As I moved closer, I could hear the rumbling of different insects. But, the thing that was illuminating the whole place was the sea sparkles. 

We're at Jervis Bay in New South Wales.

The coastlines shone as blue glitters sprinkled all around. It looked heavenly, divine.

The sight was soothing to eyes, I moved closer toward it and observed how those tiny creatures brightened the entire area. 

I was grinning like a three-year-old but hell, I couldn't help it. 

Living inside that hellhole for over eight years, we were never allowed to leave the building without permission which we never really got. I had forgotten the sight of beaches, mountains, and waterfalls. 

I just had some faint memories of my childhood experiences before they found me and destroyed everything. 

Clearing my thoughts, I turned to glance at him. He was staring at me with amusement in his eyes. I didn't know we were coming here. 

I thought it was just some beach, he never told me anything.

I ran toward the water throwing my shoes behind.

I squealed in happiness as I stepped into the water, surrounded by those luminous blue algae. The fact that those nasty algae can be so beautiful, I never thought.

"Come here," I called out to him.

He faintly smiled at me and gently declined. 

But, I don't take a no as an answer.

I strode toward him, gripping his wrist, I pulled him toward the water. After making some faces, he gave in and joined me in the water.

"Click my picture," I asked him.

And he clicked my picture while I posed with the sea beauty. 

After posing in water for an hour, I was dead-ass tired.

"You look exhausted. Let's go and eat something." He said while looking into my eyes.

I smiled and nodded.

Today, he didn't act like an asshole. That was one hell of a change. 

He spun around and was about to step forward when I gripped his wrist. He stopped dead on his track, his body rigid.

I felt my heartbeat ace up and my body left lighter. I don't know if it was the illuminating water, the silent night or the way his large, callous wrist warmed mine, I felt dazed and exposed. 

He turned around and looked down at me. His eyes shone and the light seemed to blind me.

Everything about him screamed danger caused after, a ghost of a smile kissed his features.

I broke the stare, leaving his hand, walked away. As my feet came in contact with the warm sand, I didn't relax. Something was wrong, my hands felt cold after I left...his?

I shook my head, grabbed my shoes from the sand and ran toward the car without looking back.