Ablaze

Four

Ashling's POV

"What are you doing out here?" A voice says.

I turn around and look up to find... Kaen?

"I... just needed some air. I'm not feeling that great so I was actually gonna head home. Akita was supposed to be our DD but then she got drunk... so now I'm calling a car."

This is the first time I've ever seen Kaen without an angry expression, and he looks so... different.

"I'll drive you home. Let's go." He walks past me and down the stairs.

"What?"

"I'm not gonna offer again." He continues walking down the stairs, so I follow him.

What the hell...

He drives a really nice car, it's all black and the interior has red leather seats. It smells like his cologne... and the scent is intoxicating.

I tell him where I live but he doesn't even put it in the GPS, and just takes off.

I finally decide to break the awkward silence. "Don't take this the wrong way... but why did you offer to drive me home? Don't you hate me?"

He drives with his seat reclined back a bit, with one hand on the steering wheel. Something about boys driving really is just... so hot.

"I don't hate you." He says without looking at me.

"Sure as hell seems like it."

"Well, I don't. So you can stop thinking that I do."

And there's that classic Kaen attitude.

I'm intently staring at him through the corner of my eye, trying to read his expression... but I can't figure it out.

It's silent for a bit, but then he speaks up."I'm... sorry, by the way... for hurting you so badly that day. I didn't realize how much damage I actually did to you until Del told me about all of your injuries. I felt like such a piece of shit afterwards. That's why I broke a bunch of shit at school, and got myself suspended. I was so angry with myself."

Hearing his voice so calm... is almost relaxing. It still held raspiness in it, but it was also sultry. And hearing him apologize is the last thing I thought would happen.

"Oh... it's... it's okay. The worst were the burns, those hurt pretty badly while they were being healed. My head got a little banged up, too. And there were some cuts and bruises... but those were nothing. You didn't hurt me that bad. I've been through way worse before, believe me."

I notice him staring at me from the corner of my eye, and it's the first time he's looked at me since we've been in the car. Something about him staring at me made me blush... so it's good that it's dark and you can't tell.

"You just... pissed me off and I was already having a shitty day, and ended up taking it out on you. You didn't deserve that. My affinity— sometimes I can't control it. And if it gets to the point of me being too angry or whatever, it's like another force entirely takes over my body... and I can't stop. I didn't mean to make you my punching bag. So, again... I'm sorry."

He looks almost... sad?

"Kaen... it's okay. I'm not mad at you... I get it."

The rest of the drive is silent, until we finally reach my house.

"How did you know where I live without the GPS?"

"I live a street over. I saw you coming home one day."