Glass Rose

chapter 2 part 1

                                                     Marks POV
    The day started off like any other day: Me, waking up from a nightmare, drenched in sweat and unable to go back to sleep. I stepped out of my room in my boxer shorts and T-shirt and made my way for the kitchen to get a bottle of water. "Can't sleep?" I heard behind me. Startled I dropped my water and spun around to see a very tired Ashely. "Hey, uh yeah, sorry if I woke you." I said breathlessly as I picked up my water bottle. "It's ok, I heard noises and came to see if everything was alright." She said giving me a small smile. "Thanks, I'm fine," I said returning the smile. "You should try to go back to bed." I took a small drink of my water as she made her way back to her room. "Goodnight." She said waving to me. "Goodnight."

    I sat at the table with my head in my hands. "Another dream?" I heard. Looking up I see Alex standing next to the table, a look of concern on his face. I nod my response not wanting to speak. "Want me to let the school know you won't be coming today?" He asked as he makes his way to the kitchen. "What do you think would be the best option?" I ask leaning back in the chair. "Well I feel you should eat something and try to get some more sleep though, knowing you you'll probably ignore my first option and just go straight to bed." He said opening the fridge and starting on making breakfast. "Honestly I could go for some food." I say standing. "Morning guys." Came the cheerful voice of Ashely. "Hey sis." Alex hollered from the kitchen as we heard the clatter of pots and pans. "Morning." I say as I make my way to the living room. "So what classes do you have?" I hear as I turn the tv on. "Huh?" I reply still out of it from my rude awakening. "What classes do you have? Im curious cause I haven't finished picking mine." Ashely says as she sits down on the other end of the couch. "Oh, I'm taking computer coding, history, and multiple languages, also I'm a bass player in the school's orchestra." I said as I stared at the tv, not really watching the show that was playing. "Can I ask you something?" Ashely asked sitting a little closer, close enough that I could smell a small floral scent. I gave her a small nod, still not trusting my voice much to not betray the pain that my mind was causing me. "Last night you seemed really shaken by something and, well..... I was curious about what was bugging you?" "Hey ash could you give me a hand real quick." Came the sudden voice of Alex. 'Thank you Alex' I thought to myself, feeling my breath hitch in my chest.

    I sat at my desk typing, on my laptop, the story I had been working on for years now when I hear a knock on my door. "It's unlocked." I called out not turning my head as I finished the sentence I was working on. "Hey sorry to bother you." Ashely said poking her head through the door. "Not at all what can I do for you." "Could you possibly give me a lift to the store, I need to get some supplies that my idiot brother forgot to stock back up." She said giving me a small sheepish smile. I felt my pulse quicken a little bit from that smile, though it faded as fast as it happened. "Sure, I probably could use the fresh air anyways." I said closing my laptop and tucking it in its carry bag. "Thanks, I owe you one." She said stepping back from the door as I stepped out of my room. "Where to?" I ask, grabbing my keys. "Any store will be fine by me." She said giving a genuine smile as we made our way to my car. "Wait you drive this?" She asked staring at my '67 mustang. "Yep, Alex helped me fix it up, but don't let its looks fool you she drives like a dream." I said with a small hint of pride. In truth Alex helped me get the parts I needed while I actually built the car from the ground up. "She?" Ashely said with a quirked eyebrow. "It's a long story, one I don't talk about anymore." I said feeling the grief rise in my chest. 'Damn it why am I acting like this?' I thought to myself as I climbed into the car.

    The ride to the store went about as well as a led balloon. First there was the fact that I haven't driven this car in years with someone in the passenger seat which caused me to panic a little. Two, we almost crashed halfway to the store when some idiot decided that the red light didn't apply to them and finally was the fact that when said close call happened I immediately went into a panic attack and incessantly asked if Ashely was ok. "Why does life have to test me today?" I asked no one in particular. That's when it dawned on me, it was the day. "Hey sorry that took so long," Ashely said, climbing in the car with a couple of bags. "Stores here are more different here than in Germany." "All good, it takes time to get back into the swing of things." I said my voice monotone. "You ok?" "I'll be fine." I said maybe a little to quickly. The ride for the most part was quiet, with the exception of Ashely answering her phone a few times, when I saw a little flower stand.