the kin to the blood

ii

“Hey!”

Kevin stood up and noticed how Diana was going to faint from the heavy intoxication. “Diana! H-Hey! Oops!” Luckily, he was able to catch her. Ashlin looked equally worried.

“U-Uh… bring her to our tent.” Kevin immediately carried the unconscious Diana bridal style. Ashlin sprinted through the sandy beach towards their big-enough tent. She zipped it open and entered first to fix minimal mess inside—just right to lay Diana in.

Kevin was waiting outside the with Diana in his arms. Ashlin used her left arm to keep the tent open for Kevin to carefully lay Diana inside. Once the wrecked one was flat on their thick blanket, Ashlin corrected her head’s position with a pillow underneath.

“Kevin…” Ashlin called Kevin’s attention and his eyes shifted from looking at the soundly sleeping Diana to Ashlin’s eyes. “Yeah?”

“You go take a rest in your tent. It’s also getting late.” She fixed her pillow beside Diana.

“Are you sure you don’t wanna talk about what you wanted to tell me earlier?” Ashlin’s eyes shook as if she feels like telling Kevin at that moment. The young man conversely raised his brows—suggesting for an answer. “You know, we can talk about it outside.” Kevin kneeled on the sand with the upper half of his body inside the tent, and slowly touched Ashlin’s hand that was supporting her body weight as she was leaning, unintentionally, forward to Kevin—body language it is.

Ashlin’s eyes continued to shake with her unsettling blinks while looking at Kevin and her hand being below his almost simultaneously. She gulped. “I—” Ashlin glanced at the sleeping Diana.

She looked at her hand and pulled it away. Ashlin was crawling out of the tent and Kevin moved to the side for her to get out.

She walked, almost stomping away from the tent. Kevin followed her. “A-Ashlin.”
He was able to catch up to her that he held on her right arm to pull her from walking even farther. Ashlin turned towards him with an apprehensive and baffled expression. “Are you okay?” He asked, concerned.

Ashlin’s lips were shaking open as if she wanted to say something but can’t. She harshly pulled her arm away from his grasp. “Y-You.” Ashlin subtly pointed her index finger at Kevin while looking agitatedly moving around.

“What?” Kevin raised both his hands to his torso, still looking clueless.

“You. W-What are you doing?” Ashlin’s brows furrowed at him.

Kevin, still not understanding what she wants to hear from him, shrugged his shoulders. “Ash, I’m still not understanding.”

“Suddenly wanting to hang out with me? Always seeking the chance of ruining my alone time? Holding me like that—what—what are you doing? W-Why are you doing that? Y-You—You’re confusing me.” Ashlin continued to voice out her concerns and sentiments.

Kevin’s perplexed expression slowly transitioned to a seemingly fulfilled one, while Ashlin was still looking anxious—pacing left to right with her right hand on her forehead and her left on her waist. Kevin grabbed her shoulders and propped her in a position facing him. “I-I’m making you confuse?”

Ashlin’s eyes rounded at the sight of Kevin’s bright cornflower blue eyes staring straight into her winter grey eyes. She crooked her head to the side as she tries to conceal her beet red cheeks. “I-It’s just that…” Ashlin forced herself off Kevin’s grip. She bit her lower lip before speaking. “You’re doing those things to me even though y-you’re obviously in a relationship, worse, with my best friend.”

Kevin looked around before stepping closer to Ashlin. “But I like you more, Ash.” He gently caressed her right cheek; she closed her eyes—feeling the tender and unfamiliar touch.