Breathless // lp

Chapter 2.

Ash's eyes snapped open suddenly in fear, jolting into life as she realised where she was. Only the sound of tires crunching over gravel was heard. A sick feeling of terror crashed down on her as the thought processed in her head. She was in the back of someone's car.

The vehicle pulled to a gentle stop, causing a soft whimper to come from the now confused, scared girl. Liam furrowed his eyebrows and glanced at her from his rear view mirror.  She was pressed up against the window, her forehead connected with the cool glass. Her hands were pressed on either side of her head and she gaped at the view outside the car.  

"Oui, you alright?" He said finally, breaking the deathly silence. Instead of words, Ash's breath hitched which seems to leave her cheeks scarlet. She whipped her head towards the unfamiliar voice, shrinking back further into her seat. She didn't reply, but instead just stared down at her lap, twiddling with her fingers. 

Liam unbuckled himself and crawled towards the backseat, earning a few protestant cries from Ash. He bit his lip. Why was she so frightened? He hadn't done anything to her, why should she be scared? 

"What are you going to do to me?" She whispered, her startled green eyes growing wide as Liam took his keys out of ignition. He froze momentarily as he processed what she had just said. What was he going to do to her?

Ash swallowed thickly, sniffling softly as she curled into a ball.

"Please don't hit me," She cried, "I promise I won't try anything!" 

Ash tried so hard to hold back the tears that burned in the back of her eyes. She tried so hard to pull herself together, showing her attempts with a wipe of the nose and a pat of the eye. Her strained, tired red eyes stared into Liam's, wincing at his shocked expression, his startled eyes wide and his mouth agape. 

"N-No! Babe, what made you think of something like that, I would never- Ash?" Liam stuttered, hiccuping suddenly at the shock that lingers in his tone. 

Still in shock, Liam sat frozen, gaping openly at the now crying girl.

Quickly, he reaches a trembling hand towards Ash, attempting to touch her shoulder but retreats just as fast, deciding against it. Ash is curled up into a ball next to him, trying to protect herself but Liam barely notices. He's still starstruck, still baffled, still - scared.  

"C'mon," Liam says suddenly, pouncing from the car. Ash snaps out of her good cry, sniffling as she watches Liam stride to the other side of the car. She watched as he pulled the keys out of his pocket and shoved them into the lock, turning them and yanking open her passenger door. 

Ash stares at the keys that jingled in his hand briefly before he shoved them into the pocket of his coat. Liam smiles shakily and takes a look around worriedly, as if he expected something to happen.

"Ash," Liam breathed, his minty breath fanning against her face. "Come on, love, let's go?"

She blinked and looked at him momentarily as he held his hand out to her. Slowly, she brushed her fingers against Liam's palm and squeezed.  

Why did she let herself go with this boy? Why didn't she just say no? Mentally slapping herself for her own stupidity, she let Liam lead her from the car. It's fine, Ash thought to herself. She'd just leave after a few minutes, tell Liam thanks for his hospitality, but she had to go now. 

Ash hopped with the cold, rubbing her arms up and down as goosebumps trailed up her body. Ash shuffled her feet, stepping from one foot to the other. She's intentionally looking everywhere but Liam, but she can feel his eyes practically burning into the back of her neck.