Watch Over Me ☆ a.i. [complete]

◌ t w o ◌

I was reluctant to agree, but I did, because I needed answers and I needed a decent reason as to why I didn't come in on my third day of work.

Ashton stepped onto the street, making sure no cars were coming before ushering me across.

"You know, I can cross the street myself," I snapped at him. "I've been doing so my whole life. Grew up in this city."

"Yeah, I know."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "How would you know?"

"Just... Come along."

I grumbled but followed him into the cafe, thanking him for holding the door open. I was about to take a seat near the window when he took me by the arm - much more gently this time - and lead me towards the back of the cafe, right next to the tv screen mounted to the wall.

"Why next to the tv?" I asked. "We'll have the news droning on and on next to us."

"Good."

We sat in awkward silence for three minutes: him looking everywhere but at me, and me staring at him with my arms crossed.

"So?" I finally prompted him. "Are you going to answer me?"

"No," he answered. "Because your answers will be on that screen in about... Half an hour? Give or take."

"How wo-"

"Are you guys ready to order?"

I looked up at the waiter - some teenager who really couldn't be bothered about his job to dress properly - and was about to give him my order, when Ashton cut me off.

"She'll have a caramel iced coffee with extra whipped cream, and I'll just have an iced tea."

The teenager nodded and gave a forced smile before trudging away.

I glared at Ashton for what seemed like the fiftieth time today, and he just shrugged. "Okay, you know my order off by heart. That isn't normal. How long have you been stalking me?"

"Long enough," he nodded.

"So you have been stalking me!" I practically yelled, earning annoyed glares from customers around us.

"Keep it down!" he muttered. "I haven't exactly been stalking you. Stalking isn't the right word."

"Oh, what, is 'observing from afar' right, then? Because to overhear my order, you must have been pretty damn close!"

"Look. I promise I'll explain everything to you."

"You said that a good ten minutes ago," I pointed out.

"Yeah, and I also told you to wait half an hour," he answered, shaking his head. "Jeez, no patience."

"Shouldn't you know that? Look, if I don't have answers within the next half hour, I'm leaving. And calling the cops."

"Fine. I promise you. You'll have answers within the half hour."

-

I was watching the clock the whole time, hoping and pleading that he would run over time and that I would get to call the cops, because frankly, I've had enough for one morning. But just as the 27th minute struck to a start, the tv screen suddenly changed to Breaking News, and Ashton grabbed my arm, turning me to face it.

"This just in: a high-rise building in the Financial District, located on 25 Broad Street, almost burned to the ground this morning due to faulty wiring in one of the offices on the 15th floor. Luckily since the fire was in one of the higher floors of the building, the casualties were much less than they could have been. People are being evacuated as we speak, and there is no exact number of deaths yet. You can call the number below to inquire about family and loved ones."

A number flashed on the screen, and shots of firefighters and flames were displayed, and the breath was ripped out of my chest. I was feeling faint.

"I need air."

And with that, I pushed past the crowd of people that had formed around the tv screen and made my way out of the cafe, practically stumbling over my own feet as I stumbled to catch my breath.

25 Broad Street... The 15th floor... All these numbers swam around my head. It was impossible. It was luck, it was pure dumb luck. How could he have known? Unless...

"Did you do this?" I hissed at the man beside me. Of course he had followed me out, I really hadn't expected anything else. "Did you fucking set fire to my office just to get me alone with you?!"

He looked completely taken aback. "What? No! That's insane! That's completely mental, why the hell would I do that?!"

"I don't know! How did you know, then?! How could anyone know, unless they were the ones who started it?!"

I was frustrated and I was angry. My head was pounding and people were staring but I really couldn't care less. I needed an explanation, and I was not going to stop until I got a coherent one.

I felt him take a hold of my arm in what was supposed to be a comforting manner, but I wasn't having it. I pulled my arm out of his grip for the third time today and snapped, "I don't want your sympathy! I just want honesty."

"Do you want me to tell you the truth?" he asked, eyes wide.

"Of course I want you to tell me the fucking truth! That's all I've wanted from the beginning!"

"So just say so."

"I have been saying so!" I yelled. "I have been saying that I want goddamned explanations and ans-"

"No, Y/N, calm down and listen to me," he urged, grabbing both my arms and making me face him. I noticed that he had my bag slung across one of his shoulders, and made a mental note to make sure I didn't leave it in his possession. "You need to say that you want me to tell you the truth."

There was a sense of urgency in his voice that I couldn't help picking up.

I took a deep breath, trying to focus my thoughts as I looked into his encouraging hazel eyes. "Ashton, I want you to tell me the truth."

As I said those words, it looked as though a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, quite literally. He stood a bit straighter and softened his expression.

"Sit down, please," he asked softly, leading me to the bench in front of the shop. "You can't faint in the middle of the sidewalk."

"Please tell me," I begged as I sat down, the pain in my head and my throat finally starting to register.

"Okay, look. I couldn't tell you before, but now that you've explicitly asked me to-"

"Cut to the chase, please. I've had it with the wait and the answers that aren't quite answers."

He took a deep breath, looking away from me for a second before connecting our gazes again, his expression much harsher than it had been before. "Y/N, the truth is that... I'm your guardian angel."