I don't plan out my chapters or anything, and I think that's a good thing, because I sometimes surprise myself while writing. I never really planned for Malum or Nyshton/Ashtox (it's hard to put their names together) to happen, but they did, and I like that they did.
You guys seem to want a sequel, and I have one planned in my head. If I don't write a sequel, I'm guessing you'll be mad, but if I do, you'll most likely hate me for it. You have no idea what I have planned for the next book, if I write one.
If you still want a sequel, then fine. It's up to you. Comment what you want.
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[Nyx's POV]
Ashton clears his throat and steps away from me. I stay on the counter and look at my lap, not sure what to do or say.
"I used to have this friend," Ashton starts, and I look up at him. "He was a popular guy, and he was always off doing stuff with friends, but he made time for me. I felt special, because he could hang out with anyone from school, yet he chose me.
"One night, he invited me to a party. It was the biggest party of the year, and anyone who was cool and popular was going. So, of course I went with him. I was pretty popular, I guess, but I knew going to that party would get me in with the popular kids, and I had nothing better to do on a Friday night. There was a lot of drinking going on at the party, and I saw my friend go off with some girl, both of them stumbling down the road. I wanted to go after them, but then someone shoved a drink in my hand and I was pulled into a crowd of people dancing. Soon enough, I was too drunk and tired to think about my friend." He pauses to take a shaky breath, and he blinks rapidly a few times. "The next day, I woke up on a couch in the house the party was thrown at, and I had such a bad hangover, but I remembered my friend and left the house, going in search of him.
"When I couldn't find him, I decided to call him, but before I could, another friend of mine called me, telling me to turn on the news." He wipes his eyes, and I want to comfort him so badly, but I don't know what to do. "I wasn't far from home, so I ran there as quickly as I could, but my pounding headache wasn't helping the situation. When I got home I turned on the news. Two Guards were on the TV, both holding a limp and bloody body. And then this lady started talking about the punishments for touching, and I realized that the two bloody bodies were my friend and the girl he'd run off with."
Throughout his entire story my red had begun to fill with tears. I knew it was going to be a sad story.
I slide off of the counter and come to stand right in front of him. He's looking down, tears dripping of of his nose and to the ground.
"I'm scared to touch anyone, Nyx. I'm scared that I'll end up like my friend."
"Hey," I say softly. "Look at me." When he doesn't, I urge, "Ash, look at me."
He finally does, and when his eyes meet mine I see that his are bloodshot, making the hazel of his irises pop out more than usual.
"You won't end up like your friend. Xyla and Luke are fine, and so is Calum."
He shakes his head and let's out a sigh. "I don't want to risk getting hurt, and I don't want to risk you getting hurt, too."
I smile at his confirmation that I'm the girl he wants to touch.
"I'll be okay," I say. "Honestly, I'd risk anything to be able to touch you."
His eyes widen slightly, and the corners of his mouth lift into a small smile.
"Yeah?" he asks.
"Yeah." He lifts a hand then drops it back to his side and shakes his head, trying to get around me. "Hey." I grab his arm, stopping him from leaving. "Don't be scared, Ash."
"I don't even know what to do." He's turned away from me, and he doesn't seem to want to look at me. "I don't know where I'm supposed to touch you."
"I don't know how this works, either, but I'm willing to try."
He turns back to me and bites his bottom lip.
"I'll touch you first, if you want," I say, my hand already sliding down his arm to his sleeve.
"Okay, yeah," he replies, and I slowly push up one of the sleeves of his long sleeved shirt, revealing his tan arm. I don't understand how it isn't pale, since everyone usually wears long sleeves year round. It's not necessarily always cold here, but our shirts are usually thin, so we don't overheat in the long sleeves.
I tentatively reach towards his arm, and my fingers start to tremble.
"You don't have to touch me, if you don't want to," Ashton says, looking at my shaking hand.
I take a deep breath and try to stop the shaking. "I want to."
"How about we touch each other at the same time?"
I look from his arm to his eyes, and he pulls his sleeve back down.
"How?" I ask.
"Like this." He reaches for my hand, and I suddenly understand. I reach towards his hand, and within seconds, our fingers are laced together, and an amazing feeling is coursing through me. But the feeling soon turns to pain, and I yank my hand from his, clutching it to my chest.
"Fuck!" I say, fighting back tears.
"What happened?!" he asks, trying to look at my hand. It's closed in a fist, and I can see red marks where his fingers were against the back of my hand. I slowly open my fist to reveal red streaks where his fingers were, and splotchy red makes where his palm was pressed against mine.
"You... you burned me."
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Sorry for the short and shitty update, I'm just in a shitty mood right now because I'm thinking about this guy I used to be friends with, and how he hates me now for no freaking reason. But it doesn't matter.
Which ship name do you like better for Nyx and Ashton? (The names are in the author's note at the top of the chapter.)
And which do you like better for Xyla and Luke: Xyke or Lula?
