Fire and Ice

Chapter 11- An Old Enemy

Chapter 11: An Old Enemy

  I wake up to see the wall across from me and to find out I have a very stiff neck. I sit up and try and move my neck.

  “Ah!” I screech through gritted teeth. Turning my neck hurts.

  “Ash!” Seth was at my door in an instant with concern and worry all over his face.

  I smile at him with my neck in the exact same position I woke up like. “It’s okay Seth. I just can’t move my neck that’s all. It’s stiff.” I try moving again and grimance.

  He chuckles deeply and sexily. “Well I’m glad that’s all. Go and have a shower it might loosen up a bit.” He points towards the bathroom.

  I get up awkwardly and walk with my head still turned to the side. I could hear Seth laughing even when he disappeared into the kitchen.

  He was right. The warm water loosens up my muscles. The main reason being I’m half water element. Water elements love water and it is one of fastest ways to heal oneself.

  I feel extra happy today so I manipulate the water to swirl around me instead of just down. Even when I have turned the tap off I let the water swirl around me. It calms me and makes me smile and dare I say it laugh with glee.

  I quickly throw on a pair of jeans and a tank top before twirling into the kitchen with the water following my movements.

  “Morning,” I say and kiss Seth gently on the cheek before going back to twirling with the water.

  “Morning. I see you’re awfully happy today.” He smiles at me.

  “Who wouldn’t after finding out that they have a soul mate that will look after them? Especially when your soul mate seems perfectly capable of the job.” I stop twirling but the water doesn’t.

  “True. Would you please stop swirling the water to close to me? I’m a fire element remember?”

  “Oh right sorry.” The water gently returns to the sink.

  “Thank you. Oh and I think it’s much cooler to have a super hot and sexy soul mate who is your complete opposite and tempts you beyond anything you have ever experienced before.” He says with a wink in my direction before turning back to making pancakes. Wait pancakes!?

  My eyes bulge out of my skull at the food. Seth laughs at my face and tosses me one. “Do you really think I would let my soul mate not have her favourite breakfast after a horrible night of realisation?” He has on a smirk but I ignore it as I gobble up the pancake so fast that it was gone in the blink of an eye.

  Once I had swallowed I asked “Are we just soul mates?” He knew what I was implying. Were we going to say we were boyfriend and girlfriend around others or stay friends?

  “Whatever you want sweetheart.” He gently takes me in his arms and kisses me upon the lips even softer.

  “Well I think Casey won’t be able to keep her mouth shut much longer” I joke.

  “True.” He releases me and goes back to cooking. He runs a shaky hand through his hair.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah I’m fine. I just don’t know how to face my mother.”

  “Well I can always go with you.”

  “No.” He said it too fast. He said it too harsh.

  I pull myself up onto the counter and sit there staring at the ground.

  “Ash I didn’t mean it that way. I just don’t want you to face my mother’s fury. Sure she isn’t a demon but she is still a fire element. I couldn’t bear it if you got hurt.” He takes my hands in his. “Anyway back to the subject we were talking about before. Will you, Ashley Barker, be my girlfriend?”

  I smile and look into his gorgeous eyes. “Of course I will!” I kiss him and wrap my arms around his neck.

  “Do you like burnt pancakes?” He asks against my lips.

  “No.”

  “Then I must get back to cooking them.” He kisses me again then goes back to cooking and I watch him.

  At school it feels completely different. Mainly because I have a boyfriend and I just arrived in his car. Also I have no idea where Casey is and I’m here earlier than usual.

  Seth comes around to stand beside me. His arm then rests on my shoulder and I lean into him.

  We are leaning against the main building, where I saw Seth on his first day here.

  Cheerleaders walk past and giggle at Seth, but when they notice me, stop dead in their tracks to stare at both of us, together.

  One cheerleader even burst into tears. I tried really hard not to laugh and Seth was softly laughing into my ear.

  Then along came bouncy Casey. “Hey Ash! And Seth? Wow you guys are boyfriend and girlfriend now huh?”

  “Hey Case. Yeah I know pretty fast but hey it was going to happen sooner or later.” I reply shrugging.

  “True but you guys are so cute together! Father does not believe me so can I get a picture?” She holds up her phone.

  I laugh but Seth pales.

  “Don’t you like pictures?”

  “It’s not that. My friends are here.” He replies softly.

  We follow his gaze and they are both glaring at me. There is a third figure with them though and I recognise him immediately.

  “Case.” I whisper in fear. Seth’s grip tightens on me as they come closer. Casey stands on my other side and tries hard not to growl like she would if we weren’t at school.

  “Well, well. If it isn’t little Ashley Barker and the dog Casey Miller. How’s the box you call father doing Ash? Oh and Casey found any good places to bury your bones?” The third figure who is named Damian smirks at us.

  He has tormented us since we were kids. He is a paranormal like us but he is a mix breed and impossible to tell which paranormal spirits he possesses.

  “And cousin how are you doing? Seen uncle around? Or is aunty to upset about what he did last time?” Damian addresses Seth and Casey and I stare at him with shock.

  Seth is tense and his face is as cold and hard as stone. “What are you to care? You walked out on the home we had to offer, cousin.” He scoffed at the smirking Damian.

  “Haven’t changed a bit I see. And you have Ashley as one of your little lap dancers as well?”

  Now it’s my turn to tense. “You leave her alone. We both know I am more powerful than you so back off Damian, while you still have some dignity left.” Seth growls.

  Damian’s face also hardens. “Why do you care about some pretty little angel anyway? She’s nothing to you. A complete opposite.”

  “She’s my soul mate.” Seth growls back and the tension around us intensifies.

  Casey is standing strong next to me. I am tense at what Damian is saying. Seth is as tense as you could possible think possible. Damian is just as tense. And Seth’s two friends who are flanking Damian are tense too.

  I couldn’t take it. Too much tension. Too many scowls. Too much badness for my poor little angel soul to take.

  I bolted. I was not staying there another minute. I heard Seth and Casey call my name but it was distant because I had run too far for them to catch up.

  I ran to my sanctuary. I needed space. I needed time. I needed to lose myself in a book to get rid of this horrible feeling of being around too much darkness.