home (halsey)

13

Ashley

With a rapidly beating heart and sweaty palms, I ran as fast as my legs could take me to the front of my house. Chills rose up my bare legs as I saw that the entire front window was shattered, glass laying on the floor in jagged pieces.

"Oh my god," I whispered shakily, covering my mouth with my hand.

I walked over to the cause of this; the giant rock with a note taped to it.

Tip-toeing around the glass pieces carefully, I crouched down to grab the rock. It read,

Just a warning!
Your time is coming to an end.
Watch out if you love each other.
Blow your last kisses and share
your last hugs because things will
change in the blink of an eye.
- J + S

Dropping the rock suddenly, it thumped loudly, causing more of the glass shards to go flying. I felt my leg sting, knowing that it had cut into my skin.

Maya's footsteps echoed in the house, her tiny body running towards me. I hissed, trying to stand up in a spot that was not occupied by glass.

"Baby, reach out," Maya said, extending her arm to help me regain my balance.

Instantly, I crashed my body into hers, crushing her with the tightest hug I had ever given her. I began to sob into her neck, my chest rising and falling quickly.

"T-they won't leave us alone," I cried out, sniffing loudly.

Maya frowned and rubbed my back, kissing the side of my head to comfort me.

"Baby, baby," She cooed, pulling my face away from her neck to look at me. "Take a deep breath, then you can explain everything."

I hiccuped from my excessive tears, wiping them away with the back of my hand.

"Can we go to the couch? Looking at this mess is pissing me off." She nodded her head hesitantly, holding my hand as she guided me to the couch.

"What happened?" She asked, her voice quiet. Taking a seat, she waited for me to sit on her lap.

"I don't know why Sky thought this was funny, but she threw a rock at our window, Maya. A fucking rock! She even attached a note to it," I choked out, my throat becoming dry. "The note was signed with the letters S and J. S is definitely Sky, but who is J?"

She shrugged hopelessly and frowned, rubbing my arms gently.

"I wish I knew," Maya whispered as she pulled my head down to place it on her chest. I listened to her unsteady heartbeat for a minute or two, my voice never finding courage to make a sound.

My tears had stopped by now, but I was too shaken from everything that was occurring.

"I can't protect you, Maya. I'm too weak. I can't do shit," I said sadly, covering my face with my hands. "I really thought it wouldn't be that serious and that Sky was just messing around, but she's serious. I don't know what to do anymore."

After kissing the top of my head, she responded, "We'll figure something out."

"I need to protect you, Maya. If anyone ever hurt you, I would never forgive myself. You're in my fucking veins," I confessed, looking up at her through my lashes.

"I love you, Ashley. I know you'll be able to protect me," She said sweetly, giving me a hopeful smile.

I frowned and shrugged my shoulders, saying, "I'm not so sure anymore."

I knew that later on in the night, my body would lay restlessly on the mattress, my mind running in all directions.

"Well, I am. Be positive, baby girl. Our window was just busted open, but let's pretend like everything is okay," She laughed, nudging my side. I knew she was trying to make me feel better and for that, I was grateful.

"I love you," I said, looking up at her and puckering my lips. In the next second, she attached her lips with mine, giving me a quick kiss that made my lips tingle long after she pulled away.

"I love you more," She said after the kiss, lacing her fingers with mine.

I hopped off her lap, causing her to furrow her eyebrows. She wondered where I was off to.

"Cigarettes," I said to answer her confusion. I stumbled over to my purse, ignoring the stinging sensation in my leg from the cut. The blood had dried up by now, anyways.

I returned to sit on Maya's lap shortly after, opening the pack of cigarettes and offering one to her. She shook her head and watched me carefully as I put a cigarette in my mouth, letting it hang carelessly from my lips.

Lighting it, I took a deep breath before exhaling the cloud of smoke. Maya bit her lip as she watched me, her eyes trailing to my plump, cigarette laced lips.

"Actually, can I get a puff?" She asked shyly, smiling at me. I nodded my head, holding the cigarette to her mouth and waiting for her to take a drag.

Before exhaling, she grabbed the sides of my cheeks with one hand, pushing them inwards to open my mouth. She blew the smoke into my mouth, waiting for me to blow it back out.

"That was so fucking hot," I laughed, putting the cigarette back in my mouth. She smiled bashfully and took in a deep breath of the smoke-infused air.

"We have so many problems, yet here we are, smoking on the couch," She laughed quietly, rubbing my thigh.

"And we're about to have sex," I winked, finishing off my cigarette.

"Are we?" She smirked, pushing my back onto the couch and towering over me. I licked my lips and watched her every move as she slipped off her shirt, throwing it on the floor.

All I knew was that Maya kept my mind off of everything, keeping me sane and content, and shit, did I need the happiness at the moment.