Eyes of Blue Flame

Chapter 13 - Your Very Likely Death

Chapter 13 - Your Very Likely Death

Let's get one thing straight: I'm a klutz. Do I really need to say more?

I tripped on the desk leg. Ash had reach out, but I slapped his hand away.

"Don't touch me," I snarled at fiercely and bravely as I could. Based off his expression, I think he thought I was going to bite off his hand. He retraced his hand and rubbed it as if it stung. 

During Art, I completely ignored him, even when he asked to borrow my smallest brush. Considering we sat in the back and were basically secluded, no one noticed, and Ash was forced to get up and search for someone who would let him borrow the brush he wanted. 

PE wasn't much different, except I was avoiding Coach as well. If he asked us to do something, I would do it, but I would do it as far away from Coach and Ash as possible, even if it meant sprinting away to escape them during our jogs around the fields. 

They got the message, and neither chased me. Coach stayed on his phone like usual. Only once did Ash slow down, but when I veered around him and ran faster, he went back to his spot in the front. If the other students noticed, they were being smart and not saying anything. 

It was dinner that my plan to shun them failed. Ash ended up in back of me in the line, and he grabbed my upper arm before I could leave the line. 

"People are starting to notice," Ash whispered to me. 

"Good," I hissed. "Then they'll know not to talk to me about you." I attempted to wrench my arm free, but Ash would have none of it. 

"Do you want them to start talking? Start rumors?" He challenged me in a way that someone who loves you would because they care about you and see how stupid you're being. Of course, I didn't realize that at the time. "Do you know how many demons listen to rumors to use as a tool to twist people into being evil?"  

Do you know how many crazy people there are out there? You're no different!

"Continue the tutoring," Ash whispered. 

"No," I whispered firmly back. 

"Do you want Ravus to come and to fail math?" 

We walked forward with Ash still gripping my arm as the line moved on. 

I glared at Ash. "I thought she was coming to kill all of us if you didn't go back. So why don't you do just that?" 

"You don't really believe this whole fiasco?" 

"And who's fault is it that it's a fiasco-a failure?" 

"At least I admit my faults." I could see the muscles in his jaw tense, and I thought I heard him grit his teeth. "Fine, don't believe me about Ravus and your very likely death, but at least get your D in math up. Remember, that crap stays with you, even while applying to college." 

"You're just saying that so you pass the class too," I pointed out.

Learning my tutor is the spawn of Satan isn't exactly what I had in mind for my junior year. I tried my best not to believe that he was the demon demon and Prince of Evil, which would make him the son of Lucifer. The only problem: There was an intriguing earnest sense that formed his voice and lit up his blue eyes whenever he talked about it. 

"A D is passing, and I have a C. I would like at least a B," he retorted. "And it's nowhere as bad as a D so you can help me help you, and no one will suspect something went wrong. So many have already quieted down about the whole...punching incident so why would you want to bring in something new for them to talk about-something about you again? So, it can be a win-win or lose-fail...as in I get a bad grade and you end up failing math." 

I scowled, seeing his point. I clenched my teeth. "Fine. Now let go." 

"Same time," Ash said as he let go of my arm. "Your dorm." 

"I got it," I grumbled and stalked off, having lost my appetite. It felt like I was agreeing to something that would just kill me in the end. 

~

Tutoring was any less awkward than usual or expected. I was unusually quiet, which was becoming more and more common during the lessons, and Ash acted as if nothing had happened the night before.

Getting easily distracted wasn't helping. Then my imagination made it worse. I ended up paying attention, but only after I imagined the Prince of Evil getting mad and slapping me.