I know this one is short, probably the shortest of all the chapters on this so far, but it's what's needed to progress.
Enjoy!
A backfire lash against the paradigm
The air was tense as the anger of both people in the room reached dangerous heights. It was silent for a few moments, neither one of them trusting themselves to speak.
“What did you get me into?” Nick said finally, sitting on his bed and burying his hands in his head. He’d known she was dangerous when he first saw her, but now that he knew the reality of the situation he didn’t know what to think.
“What did I get you into?” Ashley asked incredulously. “I didn’t get you into anything you didn’t want to be involved in. I believe it was you who got in the car, and you who agreed to come with me. I didn’t force you to do anything.”
“But you weren’t honest!”
“I didn’t have to be!” Ashley shouted. Anger and frustration was clearly shown on both faces, but now Ashley looked like she was about to cry. “Maybe once I wanted to get away from it all, okay?”
He was confused at the multitude of emotions flowing through them both. He didn’t understand her at all, yet she could read him like a book. But he knew she was hurting, and while there could be potential trouble from his involvement with her, he didn’t care.
“I’m sorry.” He said, walking over to her. “But just tell me how it got started.” She nodded, getting ready to bare her soul to the first person besides her little sister. She told him the entire story, and he listened attentively, drying her tears when she needed it.
When she was finished, she looked at him with fear in her eyes. “Everything you just heard could get me and my family in serious trouble. As messed up as we are, I love them. Please don’t tell anyone, Ren needs me.”
“Your secret’s safe with me.” He assured her. “But did you ever think before that you didn’t have to follow in your dad’s footsteps? That you didn’t have to sell?” They were sitting on his bed now, his arm around her in a comforting manner, and her green eyes met his.
“Of course I thought about it. I knew I didn’t have to, it was a choice. It was such an adrenaline rush, knowing I could get caught at any second. It was the same thing with you. I saw right through you when you were at that party; you do the same thing, only not as dangerous as I do.”
Nick played with her hair, the curls as soft as his own. He didn’t know what he was doing. He should be running the other way, away from her, but he didn’t want to. The hard shell she had to protect herself was cracked, he’d cracked it, and he wanted to be there for her.
She turned to him, their faces inches apart. He could see the freckles dusted lightly across her nose and his heart started pounding in anticipation. Memories of the kiss they shared ran through his mind as she drew ever closer, and he imagined her heart was doing the same.
Their lips met, and an explosion of emotion ran through them both. It wasn’t like the kiss at the club at all; this was real, this was pure need and want. Their lips crashed together hungrily, expressing how they felt without words. It was an adrenaline rush unlike any Nick had ever experienced as he ran his hands through her hair, her hands twined in his.
Any thoughts of escaping the danger he was in left his mind as they kissed. It was dangerous, it was deadly, it would more than likely backfire on them both; but they didn’t care. They were doing what they both wanted for the first time in their lives.
And it felt great.
