Relentless

Chapter 20

Jay

Safe is not a word I'm used to feeling. I'm used to feeling scared, pained, tortured, and alone. But I'm none of those things when I'm with Ashton. I feel secure in his arms and feel as if I'm finally worth something.

I open my eyes and look up to see Ashton with his eyes closed. I snuggle closer to him and feel his grip tighten.

I love it when he does that!

I can hear his heartbeat through his chest and smile to myself. I take in the four count beat, along with his scent. His cologne is one that isn't overwhelming, but sweet smelling.

I feel him stir and look up to see him glancing down at me.

"Were you smelling me?"

"Psh, what? Smelling you? No, that's weird." I say. He chuckles and then sticks his nose in my hair.

"Call me a weirdo." He says, smelling my coconut shampoo. I giggle to myself and hold onto him tighter. "Easy, Tiger, I'm not going anywhere."

"You know, people are going to start to wonder why we aren't in school so much."

"Then we'll give them an excuse. Frankly, I don't give a crap about what people think. Only you."

"Aww! Cheese ball!"

"Can the cheese ball ask for a favor?"

"Depends on what that favor is."

"Sing for me?"

"Ha! Are you sure you aren't sleeping because I think you're dreaming."

"Give me one good reason why you won't?"

"Because I'm horrible."

"Now I know that's a lie."

"I am! Really!"

"Why don't I be the judge of that?"

"Ashton,"

"Come on! You trust me, don't you?"

Do I actually trust him? I spend so much time with him and always think of him. But does that mean that I trust him?

"Jay?"

I sit up slowly and try to decipher whether or not I trust him enough to show him this side of me. The Juliet side. I can't think about it so much. I just have to open my mouth and sing. But I can't sing a song that Genevieve sang. I sing softer than normal so he doesn't get any ideas.

"What do you say

To taking chances?

What do you say

To jumping off the edge?

Never knowing if there's

Solid ground below.

Or a hand to hold.

Or hell to pay.

What do you say?"

I look behind me to see an astonished Ashton with his mouth wide open. I suddenly gain a boost of confidence and smile at him.

"Close your mouth, boy." I say, "You'll catch flies."

I stand up and walk out of my room to make breakfast when I hear Ashton yell to himself.

"What was that?!"

I hear him get out of bed and start running down the hall of Lisa's house. I hear him chasing after me as I laugh and then feel his arms around my waist, picking me up and swinging me around. As my laughing calms down, I look at him.