Little Miss Nosy

Chapter Twenty-Two: The More You Know

- Edited -

What have I done? What am I doing?

I've been lost in thought the moment I followed Ashton out of my neighborhood, only coming to every once in a while to make sure I keep enough distance so as to not be spotted. The unshakeable feeling of guilt has weighed me down since before I left the house. For one, getting caught snooping through Ashton's phone and now following him. Every street light I drive under feels like a spot light identifying my presence. But also, Jay's messages alone are enough to spook Ashton. From his mere reaction I know it's not an underground chess league I'll be getting the inside scoop on.

The thought of the unknown has my fingers itching to turn the steering wheel and head back home. Mind my own business like Ashton told me. But we turn down the familiar street where Rafael's ice cream shop is located, and spotting Ashton finally parking his car is enough for me to keep it pushing. I've gotten this far. No use in turning back now.

I park a few lots down from Ashton. He's barely parked for five seconds before swinging the door open and speed walking past the shop and into the alley next to it. I huff and follow suit. It's rained recently, and I take note of the small puddles scattered on the damp ground, tiptoeing around them so as to not alert him of my presence with any splashing. That is, if my stuffy nose doesn't signal to him instead.

Once I'm in the alley, the very dark alley, I question for the fifth—sixth? I stopped counting after the fourth—time if this is a good idea. But I'm doing this to help Ashton. And in the interest of remaining honest, to relieve my curiosity of who he truly is. With nothing but dull streetlights to cover me, I put my key between my knuckles and move deeper into the darkness.

It takes me less than a minute to get behind Rafeal's. Past the graffiti covered brick building and overflowing trash cans, I make it to the supposed warehouse in question. Is Ashton already in-

I'm pinned against the brick before I can scope out where he could've gone. Wherever that was it couldn't have been far because he's right in front of me, wearing what would be comical in any other scenario, a mask of barely contained exasperation. "If the shit I've gotten myself into isn't the death of me, you will be. What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same and if you just told me I wouldn't have to go behind your back like this."

I accidentally sneeze in his face. He doesn't seem to care. "What I do is dangerous. Once I go in there," he nudges his head in the direction of a set of metal double doors, "I can't protect you."

"And I can't protect you from my bedroom. If I just knew something, anything...maybe I could help."

He eyes me curiously for a moment, gaze softening with every second that ticks by. There's movement in the corner of my eye—his thumb stroking a strand of hair out of my face. I'm now realizing he placed his hand between my head and the wall to cushion the impact. "Yeah. Maybe you could. But not tonight. Will you at least stay out here?"

"Yes."

"Are you lying?"

"Yes."

He sighs, letting out a small breathy chuckle. "I'd expect nothing less at this point." Then, he's rigid again. "Just promise not to hate me after tonight."

He pushes himself off the wall and enters the building before I can ask how I could ever hate him. If anything I'm surprised he didn't lash out more after finding me here. I should've known better than to underestimate him.

Before I get a chance to properly think about what I'm throwing myself into, I pull open the door, wince as the hinges squeak, and follow his lead.

I'm brought into a long, narrow corridor. Looking to the left exposes a similar looking one, proposing the idea that this entire building is one long maze. But footsteps on the other side of the wall have me thinking I won't have to look far. I crouch and walk alongside it, trying to match their location with my own.