Chapter 17 #2
He crosses his arms tightly over his chest and leans back against the edge of the table.
“Look, I get that this is new and exciting for you, and I appreciate your enthusiasm to help. But I’ve been dealing with this my entire life.
So please, trust me when I tell you that this power isn’t a gift—it’s a fucking curse.
All it’s ever done is hurt the people I love, and no matter what those pages say, I want nothing to do with it. Okay?”
I clutch the folder of research, unspoken questions filling my head. Picturing the lifeless woman in the bed from Ash’s vision, I tamp them down. “Okay.”
Ash is right—he’s the one who’s been living with this ability, not me.
It’s not my place to dredge up his traumatic past. Still, I can’t help but think that ignoring his power is shortsighted at best. Like it or not, he can influence other people’s dreams, and pretending it doesn’t exist won’t just magically make it go away.
Saturday night offers prove enough of that.
I hold out the folder to him. “At least, promise me you’ll read through all this. Even if you have no intention of using your power, it can’t hurt to know more about it.”
Ash stiffens before releasing a heavy sigh. I beam at him when he reluctantly grabs the folder and shoves it in his backpack. “Fine, whatever. If it’ll make you feel better, I’ll do it.”
We settle back onto the picnic table and dig into our lunches.
Ash pulls out his sketchbook to start drawing the building across the street while he eats.
I snuggle against his side and prop my head on his shoulder, watching him work.
It feels just like the way things used to be between us…
with the addition of considerably more physical contact.
I’m so engrossed in Ash’s sketch that I don’t notice the approaching group until they’re practically on top of us. A cracking twig alerts me, and I look up, my eyes widening.
“You seem surprised to see us,” Cat says, wearing a sharp smile that reminds me of the screaming band logo on her t-shirt. “Though I can’t imagine why. As if we wouldn’t come to check out our friend’s new boyfriend.”
Ash tenses beside me. I reach over without thinking and rest a reassuring hand on his leg. That seems to mollify him somewhat, and he relaxes a hair.
Behind Cat, Alexis shoots me an apologetic look. “Sorry for just dropping in like this. We can come back if you two would rather be alone.”
I glance at Ash, who shrugs. So, I guess this is happening, then. I should’ve expected as much after the very public spectacle Ash and I had made in the hall. Better to do this now in person instead of being interrogated later via text…though I’m sure there’ll be plenty of that too regardless.
Swallowing, I gesture between them. “Ash, these are my friends Cat, Alexis, and Robbie. Everyone, this is Ash.”
A chorus of greetings follows my pronouncement as my friends settle in on the other side of the picnic table.
“What’s that you’re drawing?” Alexis asks politely.
“A building,” Ash grunts. I nudge him, and he adds, “I like to sketch what I see around me. It helps keep me grounded.”
Alexis smiles. “That’s exactly how volunteering is for me. It’s nice to feel more connected to other people and to the world around you.”
“Screw that,” Cat says, shaking her head. “I’ll take a concert any day. Screaming guitars and pounding drums are the ultimate connector.”
Ash nods toward Cat’s shirt. “You been to a Death Puppy show before?”
Cat’s eyes go wide as saucers. Internally, I groan. Here we go.
“You know Death Puppy?” she exclaims excitedly.
He shrugs. “Saw a show of theirs once back in Bridgeport. I like a few of their songs like ‘Hounds of War’ and ‘Hell Knell.’ But I usually prefer more symphonic metal. You know, bands like the Brigade or Aeterniax.”
“Oh, come on!” Cat scoffs. “How can you like Aeterniax more than Death Puppy? All their songs sound exactly alike with the same four chords on repeat. And don’t even get me started on their lyrics! Even I could write a better chorus than ‘Dragonrider Rising.’”
“Most dragonriders are Welsh,” Robbie offers out of the blue.
Ash blinks, his eyebrows shooting up. He glances at me, and I shrug. As usual, I have no idea what Robbie is talking about. After a moment’s consideration, Ash turns toward Robbie.
“That makes sense. Seeing as Wales has a dragon on their flag.”
Robbie nods sagely while I look between them, astonished. Ash has barely met Robbie, and he’s already better at interpreting him than I am. Go figure.
The rest of lunch passes in a halting stream of conversation. I can tell Ash remains on edge, but he does a decent job holding his own. Gradually, I relax. It’s still surreal seeing Ash interacting with my friends, but at least it’s not the unmitigated disaster I’d feared it might be.
“Oh, one last thing,” Cat says as we gather our stuff to head back inside. She narrows her eyes at Ash, jabbing a finger his direction. “Hurt Dylan again, and we’ll hurt you.”
“Cat!” Alexis exclaims, aghast. “No one is hurting anyone! Violence is never the answer.”
“Except in horseshoes and hand grenades,” Robbie says. He pauses. “And taxes.”
“It’s all right,” Ash tells a sputtering Alexis. He meets Cat’s eyes, his gaze steady and his expression determined. “I swear I won’t do anything to hurt Dylan. Ever.”
Cat studies his face a few seconds longer. Then, she breaks out in a fierce grin. “Good. In that case, see you around, Tall-Dark-and-Moody.”
His lips quirk as he nods his head at her. “Later, Tiny Dragonrider.”
My eyes widen at the nickname, but Cat only broadens her smile. Robbie trails after her while Alexis offers her own polite goodbye. Soon enough, it’s just me and Ash.
“Sorry about that,” I say with a wince.
Ash shrugs. “I don’t blame them for wanting to look out for you. It’s nice to have people that care about you like that.”
The wistfulness in his voice sends a dull ache rippling through my chest. I reach out, snagging his hand. “I don’t know exactly what happened to you in the past or what went down with your grandparents. But I care about you. And I’m pretty sure your aunt does, too.”
The hard planes of Ash’s face soften. He leans in and kisses me, our noses rubbing lightly together. “Thank you,” he whispers when we part.
“Of course.” I give him a mischievous grin. “After all, what are boyfriends for?”
He groans and lengthens his stride, tugging me toward the school.
But my heart skips a beat when he doesn’t correct my use of the term.
My thoughts return to the folder now tucked away in his bag, and I tighten my grip on his hand.
There will be plenty of time to convince Ash to reconsider how to handle his superpower later.
For now, we’re together, and that feels like more than enough.