Against All Odds (Completed)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Ashton Anderson stood on the quiet veranda with his head hang and his shoulders slouched; exhausted and lost in thoughts. It was almost nine pm and surprisingly almost everyone on the third floor was asleep. With a sigh, Ashton brushed his left hand over his sleepy face and furrowed his brows.

He was glad Lily was resting. And wished he could do more to make her quit brooding and overthinking. She was hurting and he was ready to help her ease the pain. Her mother would be fine and he hoped she'd believe that.

And unfortunately he couldn't get the disturbed image of Celine Mensah from his mind. Was she suffering from a paranoia of some kind as Andy had claimed or she was indeed in trouble?

The beautiful, young 66kg Celine Mensah he knew could now pass for an anorexic. She was slim to the bones;  her sparkling chocolate skin tone was horribly emaciated, her lips were dark and dry and her black eyes looked puffed with noticeable dark circles. She needed serious medical care. Ashton feared for what she might end up like,  after a couple of days if her condition didn't improve.

He took out his room key from the back pocket of his cut off jeans and plunged it inside the keyhole. Unlocking the door and turning it open, he slowly slipped inside. His hand flew to cup and caress his nape as he walked towards the sofa.

Elorm was awake and engrossed in a sport highlight on the small LED TV hang on the wall. His eyes darted around, Bobby and Matt were sound asleep in their beds.

"You're back from your date, Mr. Loverboy. How did it go?" Elorm asked, looking over his shoulder. He shoved a handful of popcorn in his mouth and began munching on it. 

"When are you going to stop being annoying?" Ashton grunted and flung himself beside Elorm in the sofa.

"Then where have you been?" He reached for another handful of popcorn from the bowl on the armrest and lifted his brows to look at Ashton.

"I only escorted Lillian to the hospital." Ashton scooped himself some popcorn and groaned, "You can't believe who I bumped into."

"Who?" Elorm raised his chin and stared at him.

"Celine. Your Celine."

Elorm frowned and looked away. "What makes you think I'll be interested in hearing that?"

"She looks sick. There's something bothering her." Ashton grimly revealed.

Elorm tensed, his jaws clenched for a while and then turned his focus from the TV to Ashton. "What's wrong with her?"

Ashton shrugged. "I've got no idea. But she needs help. She keeps talking about someone trying to hurt her."

Elorm's expression grew fierce, his eyes blazing with fury, "Is her boyfriend abusing her? That idiot!"

"No... Nothing like that, I'm sure. She complains about an anonymous person, actually."

Elorm was quiet and looked away again.

"They broke up because he thinks she's going crazy. And I hate to admit, but she doesn't look fine."

"That's bad. Sorry for her." Elorm said with nonchalance. He cracked his knuckles and sighed.

"Is that all you can say?" Ashton frowned. "Sorry?"

"What do you want me to do? Rush to her and offer her comfort? Hell, no! Not when she practically shoved me aside for her new fling."

"C'mon, El. You need to be reasonable. The girl's got a problem."

"And she'll have to fix it herself. There's no need to meddle." Elorm shot Ashton a cold glare. "Leave me alone, Ashton. You can help her if you want to." He turned off the TV and jumped out of the sofa.

"Where are you going?" Ashton asked, furrowing his brows.

"What does it look like I'm doing? Going to bed of course!" He grabbed his smartphone from the sofa and headed to his bed.

Ashton watched him lay on the bed and turn to the face the wall. "So arrogant!" He groaned and leaned in the sofa. He stared at the still TV with blurry eyes, and within some minutes he could feel himself dozing off. He shifted into a comfortable position; resting his head on the armrest and his feet on the other and soon fell asleep.