vapor || a.f.i.

0.2

ashton strode down the street, lighting his cigarette and briskly letting the smoke flow between his lips. he glanced into the local bakery, spotting the same girl he saw yesterday working at the counter, snorting to himself, he opened the door, stopping to look at the sign and continuing to walk inside. 

a tiny bell rung through the store, making the girls big brown eyes look up at him. her greeting smile faded as she stared at him with a grimace. glancing at the cigarette in his hand, ashton then noticed, rolled his eyes and through the cigarette into the metal bin beside the door. 

"hey zoe." he smirked, making her mouth slightly part.

"how'd you know my na-" she began but stopped as he pointed at her name tags. "oh."

"i'll just have, like some bread or something." he shrugged, flicking his lighter on and off. "whatever."

scoffing softly, zoe turned to the shelves and too a loaf of bread, shoving it into a plastic bag. "that'll be five dollars."

ashton dug through his pocket, handing her a five dollar note and taking the bag from her hand at once. 

"it was nice seeing you zoe." he said sarcastically, strolling out of the store, ignoring her response as he headed to his car at the end of the street. 

as the bakery closed late at night, zoe locked the door, heading onto the street. the street lights covered the roads as cars sped past. across the street was the town park. taking her hat and apron off, zoe stuffed them into her bag and slowly walked over. 

sitting on a park bench, she brought her knees up to her chin. she looked around the park as people walked along paths, their phones pressed to their ears. a couple sat on a picnic blanket as they looked out on the small lake. she sighed, picking the thread of her jeans. the smell of smoke filled her senses, making her scrunch up her face in disgust. 

"long time no see." the boy chuckled, making her roll her eyes.

"go away..." she drew out, not knowing his name.

"ashton."

"whatever."

he sat beside her, clearly wanting to annoy her. she huffed, placing her feet onto the ground. "could you and your cancer stick please leave."

"and why should i?" he scoffed, taking a long drag from the smoke in his hand. a jacket was wrapped around his body, the moonlight making his hazel eyes sparkle as he glanced over at the couple on the picnic blanket.

"because i don't like it." she mumbled.

"if i have a right to do it, i'll do it." she spat, making her eyes widen.

"it'll kill you one day." she huffed.

"what could you possibly know about how smoking can kill me?" he snorted, "i hardly know you."

"because my mother died from it." she whispered as she pulled her knees up to her chest again, making him stop smoking his cigarette and glance at her. "not that you could possibly care. because you still have the right." 

he kept quiet, throwing his cigarette into the bin beside him. she turned to him, a confused look on her face. tears welled at her eyes after talking about her mother. 

"i'm just gonna go." he coughed, standing up and dusting off his black jeans.

"please do." she sniffled, looking down. he stopped to talk to her again, but sighed and walked in the opposite direction. 

don't do it. don't do it.

he thought to himself as he paced towards his car, stopping and turning on his foot to walk back over to her. 

"do you want a ride home?" he asked, making her glance up at him and wipe the tears from her eyes. 

"what?" she sniffled. 

"i said," he said in obnoxiously, changing his tone to a nicer one. "do you want a ride home?"

"for all i know you could either 1; take me somewhere else and murder me, or 2; annoy me even more." she spat, turning to face a different direction. 

rolling his eyes, he crossed his arms. "just get in the car, i'll take you home. and i'll never speak to you again."

she turned to look at him again, his stomach churning as her sad eyes stared into his. swallowing the lump in his throat, he looked away to cut off the eye contact. 

"i mean," she whispered, "if it's okay with you."

he nodded slowly, waiting for her to stand up, and began heading for his car. he walked around it to get to the drivers seat, unlocking the car and allowing her to get in. 

zoe slowly got into the passenger seat, a smell of smoke and vanilla filling her senses. she scrunched up her face, closing the car door. she buckled up her seat belt, glancing over at ashton as he watched her carefully, then glancing away to look out the window. 

"where do i go?" he sighed, regretting asking her for a ride. 

"just drive and i'll tell you where to go." she shrugged, staring in front of her. she felt ashton's eyes burn into the side of her face, stopping as he started the car. the music played throughout the car as ashton pulled out of his parking space.

"so do you just live with your dad now." he began, after a few minutes of silence. 

"i've never seen him." she said softly, making ashton stop talking again. he couldn't help but look at her face as she glanced every now and then at him. although she annoyed him with her campaigns against smoking, he felt sympathy for her. "turn here." she whispered, ashton obliged. 

the car ride was silent for the rest of the way, and ashton had finally arrived at her house. she got out slowly, muttering a thanks behind her and closing the door. 

"look," he spoke up, winding the window down. she turned around and glared at him. "i feel bad that i was such a dick to you."

"if you're trying to apologise, don't." zoe spat, "you shouldn't have to apologise for what you generally are, and i don't want your sudden pity."

she walked up to her front door, unlocking it to an empty house as jen was at work. ashton scoffed to himself, starting his car again and taking off down the street.