EVERYTHING MATTERS

CHAPTER 5

                                                                                    HE FOLLOWED

As I cycled away trying to hold in my dismal cries, a panting breath approached me along with the sound of heavy shoes hitting the concrete road blisteringly. It appeared to be Ash catching up to me. His black doc martens were slowing his pace down and his hair kept falling into his eyes, constraining him to continually break the rhythm he had going on to push those bothersome strands of hair out of the way. There was something peculiar about the way he ran, it may be because of his hefty shoes or that he just can't run correctly, but his body responds weirdly to the activity as if he wasn't supposed to be doing this. I begin to cycle at a greater speed to avoid him from stopping me to talk about the preposterous event that he had witnessed taking place at Echoes. But as soon as I speed up, so does he. It antagonized me how desperate he was to discuss what happened when it was very manifestable that I wanted to be left alone.                                                                                                                                                                                   "Lily!" he cries out of breath.

"Leave me alone," I answer back, again making it excessively clear for him to withdraw from attempting to talk about a sensitive occurrence. 

"This is important."

I hit the brakes on my bicycle which results in the deafening sound of my tires squealing and an awkward silence between the two of us. I let my bike drop to the floor and make my way towards Ash, restraining myself from shouting and getting aggressive at him for not accepting my need to be left alone. Instead I look at him straight in the face and composedly say,

"Ash this is the last thing I want to talk about at the moment, so please can you stop running after me to start a conversation that will not take place."

He stares at me for a moment still trying to get his breath back, he then looks down and discretely mumbles to himself as if he's trying to find the right-minded response. But all that escapes his mouth is just one word,

"Alright".

He then turns around and walks away with his hands in his pockets, looking disappointed. He ran all this way expecting me to open up and share with him my views and opinions on Derek, but from the way I spoke to our abominable king, wouldn't it be obvious that I despise that despicable man? Even though I wanted Ash to stop imposing on me, I wish he could have reacted differently compared to how he actually did. The right way was to elaborate a bit after his single word "alright", for example, "Alright, but then whenever you feel ready to talk about it feel free to come see me." This was the answer I was looking for, that was what I expected, but maybe it's not in his nature to extend his short worded answers. This was questionable because when I met Ash for the first time the essence that he gave off was confidence, and when one has an assertive personality it is predicted that they can go on talking for a long time. Perhaps I am over thinking the situation as that is what I do best. I will aim to look at it this way, Ash was definitely despondent as he was so eager to find out more about why my encounter with Derek Salvatore was so sinister  and when I pushed him away - figuratively -  he was presumably saddened by my rejection and did not know what else to say. Yes, this version of the story satisfies me more so I will consider it as it is most probably the truth.

To end off this authentic day on a good note I decide not to head home, but to alternatively go to my favorite place in this degenerate town. I call this special place "my spot", surrounded by tall trees next to a steady stream is a patch of grass where I come for peace and quite. its a place where I can let out all my unspoken thoughts and only the nature and birds will hear them. I come here often as this is one of the only places that has been left untouched by the changing world. "My spot" is sacred to me because this is the only thing that I have left of the beautiful past.