Relentless

Chapter 18

Ashton

The next morning I open my eyes to see sunlight beaming through the window. I smell the addicting scent of roses and vanilla and look down on my chest to see Jay sleeping.

I'm not used to this. I'm used to a one night stand and then bailing on the girl. But she's different. I'm attracted to her like a moth to a flame. She's so beautiful that I never want to take my eyes off of her. When she was walking into the cafeteria last night, it was like my world stopped spinning. She was radiant. She is radiant.

She shifts a little underneath me and glances up at me.

"Hi." I whisper.

"Hi." I kiss her forehead and look into her sparkling brown eyes.

"How'd you sleep?" I ask.

"Great, surprisingly. Thank you for staying with me. I thought you would leave in the middle of the night or when I fell asleep."

"You asked me to stay, so I did. I wouldn't leave you." She smiles and sits up. "Want to go somewhere? Maybe I could show you around town. You never really got a good look at it."

"Sure." She say, smiling. As she moves to stand, I catch a glimpse at a deep scar on her wrist. I feel my eyes widen and my stomach knot. She's hurting herself? Why? I'm not about to come out and ask her. I'll bring it up later. But, oh my God. Why is she doing this?

"Are you driving?" She asks, going into her closet and pulling out a pair of jean shorts and a tank top.

"Sure." I say. I stand and walk out of her room, shocked.

------

After a few minutes of driving, we arrive in Hollywood. We walk up and down the streets and I have an undying urge to hold her hand, but I resist. I show her the little shops and we go into some to look around. Every time I look at her my eyes dart to her wrist where I can imagine the blood pouring out of her. I shake off the thought and look around.

"I'm hungry. Want to get some food? I have money this time." She asks from behind me.

"Sure. But I'm paying."

"Ashton, I have mon..."

"I'm paying and that's the end of it!"

"You're an ass!"

"And you're a bitch!"

"I hate you!"

"I hate you too!"

"Good!"

"Good!"

"Fine!" She says, folding her arms. I look away from her but then impulsively look back. I start to laugh and she looks at me with a pissed off look, causing me to laugh harder. She playfully punches my shoulder as we step out of the shop. Before we enter the nearby restaurant. I pull her to the side and look her in the eyes.

"What?" Jay asks, seeing the concern on my face. "Ashton, spit it out."

"I don't want you to get angry at me. I'm just asking because I'm concerned and I want to help you with whatever you're going through." I say. She furrows her eyebrows in confusion so I try to make my point a little more clear before being totally blunt. "You don't have to resort to this, Jay." Her eyebrows are still scrunched together, but after a minute, she gasps and relaxes them, understanding what I'm getting at. I lift her wrist and show her what I've seen. She puts her left hand over her mouth and shakes her head.

"Jay, you don't have to do this. Lisa is here for you, I'm here for you. If you ever feel the need to hurt yourself you can come to us and..."

"No!" She yells, pulling her arm out of my grasp and holding it. "You're wrong! You don't understand!"