Avril stared.
He was standing right in front of his eyes, real, all-humanlike. Ashton.
He was Alive.
She met his misty blue eyes. They were intensely swollen. His hair was so tangled, so rough. She wondered if he ever got to bath.
He wore a blue shirt.
The same he wore on the cruise. Poor Ashy. Poor Ashy Mashy Dashy Crashy!
He was staring right at her too.
She was acting weird.
Someone patted on her shoulder.
Then she heard a shriek.
It took her a second to realise it was her voice.
"Hey, I didn't mean to scare you!" Ariana stood beside her, looking pale.
"I,I'm sorry." Avril stuttered.
She glanced back at the house.
Ashton was waving them to get inside. She tried to walk, but her body was stiff.
"Avril, you alright?" Madeline asked.
"Uh. Yeah."
Once the girls came inside, Ashton locked the door immediately.
Avril glanced at the room.
It was a small one, with yellow walls, the paint drying off. The place smelt like rats. There was a mattress laid in a corner and a couch in the other. Above the couch hung a small, broken mirror.
How did Ashton manage to live in this crap?
"Hey."
The familiar voice banged in Avril's ears.
How many times she had heard this voice speak over the speakers during classes, how many times this voice had scolded her for touching his things, or for forgetting my drama lines. How many times this same voice had soothed her, when she felt so alone.
And she had feared she'd lose this voice some day.
Now Ashton stood right in front of her, his expression worried.
"Sit anywhere. I know there's not much space, haha." He said.
Was he actually trying to be funny?
Ariana came forward.
"Ashton, can you please tell us what actually happened. We are in a condition of severe anxiety."
Ashton breathed heavily.
"Guys...listen, listen to every word I say carefully. Every single word I tell you. And try to understand my feelings. Imagine yourself at my place. Consider my feelings. And please don't get angry at me. Please. Avril, I swear whatever I did was self-defence."
Avril stared at her brother. He looked so fragile, a boy who would fall down by a swoosh of the wind or the hit of a bat.
His eyes were so earnest, a glint of mere hope in there. Of course, he must have been through so much.
And Avril couldn't wait to hear what he had to tell her.
He cleared his throat and took a deep breathe.
YOU ARE READING
Blame for Blame ✔
Mystery / Thriller"One body: A death, a suicide, and now a murder. Lunacy is settling over, leaving its fingerprints on them, while breathing down their necks. The warm kiss of air is mistaken for nothing but a midnight breeze, and finger prints not much more th...
