Afire Love (Under Editing)

Chapter 5: A Bad First Impression

"Kat, are you alright?"

I nod but he looks at me worriedly and pulls over.

"No, you're not. What's wrong?" he asks.

I fall into his arms and start to cry. He looks at me but I look at the floor of his car. It starts to rain again. This is not helping because the windows are rolled down and the water is getting on my face. When I wipe off the water it smears my makeup making me look like a sad clown. He leans my head up and sees my bruises and scars.

"Kat!"

"Nothing happened, just drop it," I say as I once again look towards the floor in an attempt to hide my face.

"No, I won't. Who did this to you?"

"My-my mother," I say.

I look up at him and put my hands on his face.

"I really like you, Ash."

We finally make it to my house and my parents are still gone. 

Yes, that means that I can get in without anyone knowing I was gone.

I tell Ash to stay in the car and then get out and walk towards my front door. Surprisingly someone opens it. It's my mother, with my father standing behind her, regret on his face. 

Ash's car is still in park, not leaving until he knows I am alright. Then, mother hits me. And then she does it again. And again. Until I fall to the ground outside the house.

"How dare you sneak out of my house? Do you know what you are? You are an awful child," she screams. 

She pulls me up off the ground and then hits me even harder leaving a big red mark on my face. She must have stabbed me because I am now bleeding all over. I glance at Ash for a moment and then hide my face in shame.

"Mother, let me exp..."

"I don't want to hear it, Katherine! Park your father's car and then get your ungrateful ass in my house."

Ash gets out of his car and unhooks my father's car from his. I try to push it into the driveway but fall over in pain, holding my stomach. I puke out blood and start crying out of pain and fear.

"Hurry up missy!"

I successfully push the car into the driveway and walk towards Ash's car. I get in the car to get my stuff when he gets out, locks my door, and closes it.

"Wait, what are you doing?" I ask, surprised.

"We are getting you the hell out of here," he says, smiling at me.

He turns on his car and hits the gas. His smile quickly fades and turns into a look of worry when he looks down at my wounds. We turn the corner and drive out of the neighborhood in a hurry.

"Why wouldn't you let me help you?" He asks. "I could have helped you," he says raising his voice.

"Because I'm not yours to take care of, Ash! I can take care of myself! Okay!?"

"Okay."

I sigh.

"I didn't want you to worry about me ok? I don't like to see you worrying like that. I can take the pain of the bruises but not the pain of you hurting because of me."

"I would rather die knowing that you are safe from harm than live knowing that you are getting abused by your own family! So, let me worry about you because I care about you god damn it." He turned away from the road and looked into my eyes, still driving. He sighed and lightly caressed my bruised cheek. I heard a car honk and looked over to see we were about to run straight into it.

"Watch out!" 

Ash had crashed into a stop pole and damaged the front of his Lamborghini just as someone passed by quickly and ripped off the front left side of his car.

If none of you know what a Lamborghini looks like, here. Well, a beat up one to go with the story. 

He drives us to his house in his beat-up car and parks it. I get out and grab everything I have, including my phone, but I do not know why I do. We walk inside this warm, cozy home with pictures and little paintings that he did. It was all just so beautiful.

"Thanks for letting me stay here for a night. I promise I will rent an apartment or something from the money in my bank account." I say, finally.

"No, it's alright. you can stay as long as you would like to."

"Really?" I ask, surprised, but also a tad bit relieved.

"Yes, I would not dare kick you out after what happened to you. I am not a monster," he says softly. 

I look at him for a moment and then drop everything. It takes all of my strength not to throw myself in his arms. 

"If it's anything, you're my guardian angel; you took me out of hell and brought me straight into heaven."

Ash looks at me, smiling weakly.  He walks up to me and wipes a stray tear off my face. Ash interlaces his fingers with mine as his blue eyes meet mine.

"Kat, I want to say this now, it's my job to protect you and if anything happens, it will be my fault that I wasn't there."

I start to cry uncontrollably. I just can't take the pain anymore. I put my arms around Ash and hold onto him tightly. I feel like if I let go, I will wake up and it will all have just been a dream and I'll still be in that hellhole of a house.

"Ash, do you hate me?"

He answers my question with a little laugh.

"Hate is a strong word. But no, if I would dislike anyone, it's your mother. Come on, we need some sleep."

Sorry for such a short chapter, guys. I wanted to cut off there to make another chapter. If I can, I'll come back to it and try to add some things to make it a little more interesting. Again, sorry! Thank you!

          -Lots of love and pandas, Kikikat14