A Dream, A Destiny 2

Time to let go

Ash POV

"Oh, no," Sere gasped, swishing her hands up to her gaped mouth. She stood shocked in the middle of her room, shivering. The fear on her face made my heart thump. What would Alain do to her when he found me in her room?

"Oh no," May whispered behind me as footsteps came down the hall to Sere's room getting louder by the second with each step it took. There was nowhere to go, no place to hide. It was time to be a man and defend the girls if I had to.

Then the door to Sere's room swung opened revealing a shadowy figure which I couldn't see who it was. So I clenched my fists as tight as I can getting ready to fight, not sure what was going to happen. Would Alain come in swinging or-

"Mom?" Sere's voice cracked with relief and she put a hand over her heart, almost sagging as a lady with a tired face poked her head around the door.

"Hi sweetie, how are you feeling?" Sere's mom asked, walking in to the room. She didn't seem to find it weird that May was fanning herself with one of Sere's binders, or that a stranger was standing almost directly in front of the door in a boxing stance. Then again, she hadn't noticed the fact that her daughter had bruises all over her body. I stared at her for a moment. She looked so normal. How could she be so blind?

"I'm better. My friends from school came to visit me. May bought me some Neosporin."

Sere's mom smiled at May, who smiled back. "I haven't seen you in a while. How are you?" she asked warmly.

"I'm good, Miss. Yvonne." May responded cheerfully.

"And this is my friend Ash," Sere continued without any stutters, pointing directly to me. "Ash, this is my mom." She smiled. "Or miss. Yvonne."

I stuck my hand out automatically by offering a handshake, fingers sticking out. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Yvonne."

Shaking my hand, Sere's mom gave me an evaluating look. "You too, Ash. I've heard quite a bit about you. I hope you're being a better friend to my daughter now?"

I shot Sere a quick glance but she had suddenly become very interested in staring at the threadbare carpet, looking away from my view. I slid my gaze away and continued. "Yes, miss. Yvonne. And she's a very good friend to me too." I said to her, but something was telling me inside my own head that she is more than just a friend.

When I said that. Sere's mom smiled and departs from the handshake, placing her hand on hip. "That's good. Do you guys want anything to eat or drink?"

"Oh, we were just leaving. Homework and- stuff to do," May suddenly put in. And people to avoid, namely Alain.

"Thanks for visiting Serena. I'll be in the kitchen." Sere's mom said and left the room as she steps out of sight leaving all three of us heaved a collective sigh of relief.

"I honestly thought I was going to have a heart attack," May admitted, still fanning herself.

"You guys should really go. If Alain finds you here..." Sere's voice trailed off as she bit her lip nervously.

"We're leaving. Stop biting your lip, though. It looks like it already hurts." May slung her bag over her shoulder and hugged Sere for a brief second then departs. "Call me and Dawn later?"

"Okay, I will. Thanks, May." She turned to me and wrapped her arms around me as well, her soft hands placed on my back pulling me closer with her head rested on my chest as if it were a pillow. "And you too, Ash. Thanks for following May. I really appreciate it." She said near to my ear as a smile formed on my lips and I closed my eyes, not wanting to let her go as I rubbed her back through her top. But I had to.