98.
chapter ninety-eight:
the catch 'em
wears is the
runway because of
this runaway!

Drew and I returned, breathless and anxious, only to note that the show was still not at the end. 

Calem and Lisia had just finished their ramp walks and were resting in the changing rooms along with a worried Serena. I was pleasantly taken aback when she threw her arms around both of us upon our arrival. However, she pulled away just as quickly, not even letting any bit of her addictive warmth seep into my system. 

"Are you guys okay?" Calem asked, standing up along with Lisia so we could take their seats instead. I forced the girl back down and let Drew take Calem's. When he shot me an inquisitive look, I simply shrugged and mumbled that I didn’t need rest. 

"I gotta give this license back to Dad since you guys are done with your part." 

"Want us to tag along?" he offered, but I politely declined. 

"You’ve been a great help already. I can’t possibly ask for more, Sensei." With a pat on his arm, I sprinted out, almost colliding with someone on the way. I couldn’t make out who it was, but his voice had my skin stand on end with relief. 

"Dad?" 

"Ash, the license! We—we’ve made it to the second!" 

Huh?

My mind blanked out, but my muscles worked on their own and handed him the card before I watched him scamper away into the limelight. I contemplated following him but gave up when I found myself landing against someone’s chest upon stepping back. 

Double huh?

"Congratulations, Ash." 

Meme cat huh?

"Uh, thanks, Serena." 

We were face-to-face, her eyes gazing up into mine, intensely piercing through with the blue lights that danced in them with each flash of lighting from above. I bit my lip, feeling a physical pain shooting to my chest—overwhelming and searing. I was so close to her, but so far. 

Alles nerd fern. All’s near becomes far. Quite literally.

As if sensing the misery I was in, she closed the distance between us so that our breaths tickled each other. With one arm behind her, she cupped my cheek with her free hand, gently running her thumb across the size of my swelling jaw, her eyes never leaving mine. The honey-blonde didn’t realize how she was setting fire to the wound. 

What now? 

"You know," I started, clearing my throat to overcome the gravel version of my voice. However, I had no idea what was at the tip of my tongue or what I was even thinking when I blurted out: "I’m really thankful for that one day you kissed me back when we were six." 

Serena’s eyes widened, and her caresses turned gentler, softer, as if handling a fragile piece of furniture or antique. Her hands were far from calloused like mine, but her hum was deeper than what my vocal cords could come up with—a melody emanating from the depths of the deepest trenches and ocean beds. 

"Mhm?" 

"If you hadn’t contacted Mr. Looker, I would’ve lost the second opportunity I was given at life, girl. So, thank you. Arigato gozaimasu, and merci de coup." I grinned happily, seeing her chuckle at the usage of all the languages I could speak. 

Yes, made her laugh for the day!

"Oh, Ash. Come on now. Allow me to patch you up before you have to get on stage. It’s your victory, remember?" 

She dropped my jaw, but before my face could fall, grabbed my uninjured hand and started leading me toward the changing rooms. 

When we entered, Calem and Lisia were missing, leaving Drew asleep on the couch. He looked to be tended to for his bruises as well, and Serena explained how she had him seek medical attention first since being chained led to scars burning deep into the skin. 

"Hey, Serena?" I started, watching her concentrate on sorting out the emergency kit supplies from Calem’s car. It was disappointing to enjoy her adorable kindness but be unable to hold her in gratitude. 

"Mhm?" 

"Why do you care?" 

It was a question she might have expected the least, but her body language didn’t give away any emotion in the slightest. If anything, her face took on a blazing look as she began dabbing her wet handkerchief on my jaw. I grimaced when the freezing fabric made contact but managed to tone it down to earn a bit less of her concern. 

"Why do I care? Oh, you daft. Being on a break doesn’t mean I still... don’t love you." 

The words rang in my head like a broken record, each time filling me with inexplicable fuzziness that plastered a permanent lopsided grin on my lips. 

"But I think you’re improving." 

For whatever reason her tone had an implying smugness, I decided to wipe it off with a smile that reached my eyes, one that had her flustered and stuttering for words. 

"In what way?" 

"For one," she stammered—as expected. "You didn’t seem to be jealous of me hugging Calem or Drew. I’d say that’s a good sign to begin with. That’s how the real Ash had been. The one I had grown to admire since, as you stated before, we were six." 

Her words were like the gentle, timely tap of the high keys of a piano—gentle, piercing, but soothing on a spiritual level. They never failed to put a smile across my face, even on the dullest of days. 

With a final flourish, Serena plastered a Band-Aid on my forehead—a spot I didn’t know I had been hit—and stood up, dusting herself off and straightening her clothes. I looked away, heat flooding my cheeks. Even if what she was doing was quite normal, it felt sharply to the contrary to me. Like it were something intimate I was not designed to watch just yet. 

Serena didn’t seem to have caught on, for she instantly urged me to join the stage to receive our prize for coming in second. 

I promptly refused, and as much as I wanted to stay close to her, hold her against my side, and kiss her hair until the sound of her giggles filled the air, I stepped away. 

"Dad’s there to take the cup. And so are Calem and Lisia. I just wish to stay behind for once and enjoy." 

Your company, I finished internally, giving her as genuine a grin as I could muster, with how much it pained my chest for reasons unexplainable. 

For reasons I wasn’t made for. 

For the reason we weren’t meant to live a normal, cottagecore, lyrical love story. 

For the very same reason I had to go through a teenage nightmare.