Cinder

Chapter Six

//Asher.//

I wipe the sweat from my body onto a towel that I quickly shove in my bag, I'm hounded with questions of where I was going - the only response I provided was "I'll make it up to you next week"  and I would stay true to my word since I've been working my ass off this past week.

Opening my car door, I turn on the AC to full blast since I'm literally a figure pouring sweat from that intense session. I grab one of the spare shirt I keep in my back seat and throw it on quickly as I drive to pick up Cinder. I tighten my grip around the steering wheel - the bruises on my knuckles starting to ache. If it were anyone else, I'd never pick them up - but she's Mamarie and Bing's granddaughter and only God knows how many time they've saved my ass. 

Pulling up to the address, I already see the girl I'm after - she's kicking the decorative garden that outlines the family's driveway. Either something went really wrong tonight or she just has a problem with greenery, either way I'm not interested to find out - my offer included a lift home and that is all, so counselling session was included. 

I wind my window down and cough slightly in attempt to grab Cinder's attention, but no luck. She was really giving these plants a beating. 

"You know they have security cameras installed, they'll catch you" I say from the window - this finally grabs her attention and she takes into account what i've said, suddenly noticing the round camera on the gate. 

She quickly runs over to the passenger side door and makes herself comfortable inside my car, putting her dirt covered shoes all over my seats. Now, I wasn't that kind of car-douche guy that seems to have an emotional attraction to my vehicle, but I did take pride in my car - I worked for the money and I'm proud of it so having dirt on my seat isn't really my favourite thing in the world. 

"Feet off the seat" I say, sounding harsher than intended. She rolls her eyes and places her feet on the floor mat, arms folded across her chest.

"For someone who is bothered by a little dirt on their seat, you should get an air freshener - it smells like butt hole in here" She states, waving her hand in front of her face and opening a window. 

"Sorry I didn't polish my shoes too before I left my own plans to voluntarily pick you up from a snob -filled high tea" I retort emphasising words to get my point across of how annoyed I was, this girl had game to take the piss out of me when I am her way home. 

"It wasn't a high tea." she shoots back, but releases a exasperated sigh afterwards "but thank you, for leaving your plans - I hope they weren't too important." she adds in a tone that almost sounded apologetic, but had no mention of the word sorry. 

"nothing I'll leave sleep over." I simply state.

"How do you have such a nice car if you're still in high school? I mean, I can barely afford a piece of crap car - and this is well... nice considering my lack of cars" She asks and I'm not sure what to tell her.

"Uh, thanks. Work, I guess. Winnings and whatnot" I respond, not wanting to get into it, but she presses the matter further.

"Where do you work? and how do you earn winnings?" She presses, keeping a stare on me like a reporter does with a respondent in an interview. 

"No where you'll know. What are you wearing, anyway? You look like a dentist" I laugh in a desperate attempt to change the subject, I noticed her attire - she wore something that my mum would probably wear. I didn't know Cinder's usual attire but I don't think this was it. She looked uncomfortable in it, like she was wearing a costume. 

She looks over at me with a smirk plastered on her face, she looks at my own clothing - I guess trying to make a joke back at me, but not much can be joked about a black tee and gym shorts. Her laughing soon quietens, and she takes off the blue blouse, revealing a white singlet underneath - even in just an undershirt, she seems more comfortable with it. 

"this was my attempt of looking like someone Leighton would want to be friends with" She mumbles, saying it so quiet that I don't thing she really meant for me to hear it. 

"Why do you want to impress them so bad anyway? " I ask, keeping my focus on the road but I feel her stare still on me. I try to make it seem like I don't notice when she doesn't reply, she changes her concentration to the view outside her window and that's when I accept our conversing was over. 

I pull up to the cafe, and put the car in park. Mamarie and Big live in the small apartment that connects to the cafe upstairs, so i'm guessing this was where I was supposed to drop her off since she didn't really give me any directions on the rest of the silent trip. 

"Here you are" I say quietly, but I get no response. 

When I look over, the girl behind me had her eyes closed gently and her breathing was slowed. You're kidding - she's asleep. I had no fucking clue what to do in a situation like this! I turned my engine off and take my own seatbelt off, as well as hers. 

I reach over and poke her, nothing.

I whisper for her to wake up, nothing.

I shake her slightly, nothing.

Of course I have the worlds heaviest sleeper in the passenger seat of my car, I consider carrying her inside - it would easy done for me, she looks to weigh close to nothing to what I have lifted before - but then I imagine if she woke in the process and noticed me trying to pull her out of my car probably wouldn't look right. 

I made my way around to the passenger side door, perhaps the cold breeze would wake her? but when I had opened the door, I watched the blonde come falling with it  - landing on the sidewalk, and on my feet. 

"What the fuck?! Ever heard of waking someone before pushing them out of your car?" She squeals and I couldn't help but laugh at the accidental mishaps that left her dusting off wet residue off her jeans and rubbing her head.

"First of all, I did try to wake you - many times, actually. Second, I did not push you out of my car, you fell out of it" I correct her between chuckles that I simply could not keep in. Once realising the humour of the situation, she joins in on my laughter too. 

She shakes her had at me and continues to rub her head, a part of my felt slightly guilty but the most part couldn't stop replaying her tumbling out of my car in my head and laughing about it all over again. 

"You should put some frozen peas on that" I finally say, pointing to her head.

She raises her eyebrows at my suggestion, and I roll my eyes at her in response.

"The peas in the packet with mould to your head - much better than a solid ice pack" I say, sounding just like my coach when he first told me about the frozen pea fix for injuries.

"Never heard of that one, Thank you." She says, turning to walk inside the door with the obnoxious bell that sounds when the door opens and closes. 

"it's a Fighter's hack" I say quietly, hoping no one but myself would hear.  

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A/N: HELLO LOVES!

I HOPE YOU'RE ENJOYING MY STORY BECAUSE HERE IS WHERE IT REALLY STARTS TO GET GOOD! I'M TRYING TO UPDATE EVERY 2-5 DAYS FOR YOU GUYS SINCE I'M REALLY ENJOYING WRITING IT & IF YOU'RE ENJOYING READING IT PLEASE VOTE! IT WOULD MEAN SO MUCH.

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