by Abby Gale
“At least someone had fun!” I get up abruptly from the stool and walk back towards the dishwasher to see if it’s finished just too busy myself.
“What’s up with you? How did it go with the drunken Hulk last night?”
“Oh, you remember, then!” I turn to look at Toby, his eyes raise in a ‘what the fuck have I done’ look. “Don’t look at me like that, you do remember leaving me here don’t you… also, I sat up all night watching him sleep because I was scared he was gonna puke everywhere. Then I watched him having bad dreams and heard him calling out to someone named April. Then this morning we argued so I dropped him off at his place and I came straight here.”
“Did you say you watched him sleep?” he asks, wiggling his eyebrows at me with a smirk on his face.
I feel my cheeks heat up, but instead, I roll my eyes, “I’m not in the mood for this shit today, Toby. Also, I’m not done yet. Our dick of a boss has already been in to tell me he’s taking someone else on - finally. I just hope that will be someone who knows what to do here. Oh, and I have news…”
“What?” Toby asks cautiously. I can’t blame him, I’ve never been this on edge.
“He’s given me a promotion, to bar manager.”
“That’s great, babe. You deserved that long ago.” Toby walks toward me excitedly and wraps me in his arms, hugging me tightly. “Congratulations, Sia.”
I lean back to look at him and narrow my eyes. “No messing about now Toby, I need you with me, no going early just to get your dick wet...I mean it. You are the only one I can count on.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He salutes me as l laugh at him. I shake my head and get free from his hold and go back behind the bar.
“Come on, boss. Let’s get ready to open up,” he smacks my ass, making me shriek.
Taking a few steps away, the guilt washes over me, I wonder if I was too harsh on him. “Toby, I didn’t mean to sound like a bitch,” I murmur.
“Hey you’re not, and… in all honesty I shouldn’t have left you on your own with the Hulk; I’m sorry, it won’t happen again.” he smiles and opens his arms to me.
This is why I love him.
I walked the short distance between us and wrapped my arms around his waist, placing my cheek against his chest. His hug helps me with my foul mood, gives me the comfort I need so I stay in his arms longer than I should. I give him a kiss on his cheek, and let him go and get to work on opening up this bar.
~*~
The day has flown by, it is the busiest day we’ve ever had, and I haven’t a clue why, but I’m happy people are loving the place even though I’m dead on my feet and really in need of sleep. Toby and I got the lunch and dinner rush done without taking a break, and it was still busy. Resting anytime soon looked like a dream. Until of course, the front door swings open and a young girl, maybe a little younger than me, walks in. She walks right up towards the bar and tells me she’s due to start work here.
Poor girl! She comes on the busiest day we’ve had.
I walk from behind the bar to meet her.
“Hi there, I’m Acacia, and that’s Toby.”
“I’m Lily. Nice to meet you both.”
“Come on, I’ll show you around, and then we’ll see how you can pour a beer. We are really busy, so I may not get much done with you today, but if you can be back for opening tomorrow, I can show you more then. Does that sound okay?” She nods with a smile, so I get started on showing her the ropes straight away.
~*~
By the time 9pm rolled around, I was beat and kind of relieved that it was just the regular local crowd in now. I see Landon walk in as he casually struts up to the bar.
“Hey Landon, how are you?”
“I’m good thanks, beautiful.” He winks at me before turning his eyes at Toby.
“Beer?” I ask, but he can’t take his eyes off Toby, watching his every move. I wave a beer in front of his face to get his attention.
“Oh yeah, thanks.”
I pop the cap off and place it in front of him. My shoulders are aching, I roll them to get some relief. At the mirror behind the shelves I see the reflection of myself, I’m a mess. Taking my hair down I try to tame the mess and smooth it down, but the case is impossible. I bunch it back up and put it up in a tie.
“Sia, why don’t you go home?”
“I can’t leave you. It’s not fair, especially for a newbie.”
“She seems to be doing okay and Landon’s here, I’m sure he’ll help me close up.” I look across at my best friend as he smiles. Landon shouts across that he’s not going anywhere tonight.
After being convinced I grab my coat and bag, hugging Toby, and Landon on the way out. Before I leave, I turn to Lily to tell her that I’ll meet her back here at ten in the morning to open up and go over everything else. When I head out of the bar and start to walk down the alley, which I hate, I hear a bottle rolling across the ground behind me. Now I hate this alley - it’s dark, I don’t usually walk down here on my own, but I’m too tired to take the long way ‘round to my car.
I look back but can’t see anything. I walk a little faster when I heard heavy footsteps coming up fast. I began to speed up, I reach into my bag for my phone either to provide some light or call someone for help if I need it, but before I could get my phone out an arm grabs me around my neck from behind. I tried to scream, but his other hand went over my mouth, muffling my cries as I struggled to get him off of me. The stench coming from him was so bad it burned my nose every time I tried to take a breath. The alcohol on his breath was making me gag as the smell of stale smoke is permeating through me, wafting up my nose.
I kick, and I punch without seeing, but my effort doesn’t make contact with him. Before I know what’s happening, I’m being slammed up against the wall; the back of my head smashes against it. I try to hit out at him, but my vision isn’t clear; I’m seeing stars. I can feel myself drifting as my legs turn to jelly and I’m falling as if in slow motion - lying on the cold, damp ground, just floating on the edge of consciousness.
I hate being weak. I feel him tugging at my clothes and try to lift my hand to stop him, but it’s so heavy. I fight it, I do… but I can’t do anything to stop him as the sleepy feeling takes over my body. Before everything goes black, I hear footsteps and someone shouts, and I send a little prayer for it to be my savior as If finally let the darkness takes me.
CHAPTER SEVEN
ASHTON
Pulling into the parking lot at the back of the bar, I turn off the engine and think for a second. I need to get my emotions under control, it wasn’t fair on Acacia this morning for me to sound off at her like that, she helped me, she made sure I didn’t choke on my own vomit and how did I repay her - by shouting at her. I shake my head at myself in disgust I get out of the car and look around the lot, I know Acacia is here at least, I can see her car. I need to speak to her, I need to apologise for the way I acted. It seems being a bastard is standard for me these days. I hope she listens to me and accepts my apology.
There’s an alley that leads from the lot to the front of the bar, it’s like a shortcut. I begin to walk past the alleyway but something pulls at me to walk that way, like I have to. As I’m halfway up the alley when I can hear scuffling. I try to ignore it, thinking it’s probably druggies getting their fix, so I carry on walking with my head down. I lift my head at the sound of a muffled squeal. It sounds like a girl, but I can’t be sure. I walk a little faster until I get closer. When I realise what’s happening I shout out.
“Hey!” I run towards the asshole and drag him from the girl on the floor. Spinning him around I pull my fist back and punch him in the face. Both of his hands go to his nose as I lift his head and punch him again. As he falls to the floor, I straddle the bastard and hit him till his blood covers my knuckles. When I’m convinced he won’t wake up anytime soon, I go to the girl.
Picking her up in my arms and carry her back down the alley. As I hit a slither of light, I look down at the girl… fuck!
She murmurs something without opening her eyes. I run to my truck as fast as I can with her in my arms. Placing her in the front seat, I walk around to my side and get in. In the interior light, I check the damage he’s done. I can see some of her clothes are ripped, her jeans are half undone - I must’ve got there just in time. Rage is boiling inside of me I move the hair from her face and stroke her cheek softly.
~*~
Nothing else on my mind but to take her somewhere safe, somewhere no one can touch her. I drove as carefully as I can, all the way to my Cabin and carried her in. Laying her down on the couch, I covered her up with a blanket and started a fire to warm the place up. I took off her boots and covered her feet back up. I wait for her to wake up, come to her senses, but the minute’s turn into hours and she haven't come back to consciousness. I check her pulse and feel her temperature just to reassure myself that she’s still alive.
I should have taken her to a doctor, why didn’t I take her to a hospital? What if something happens to her? I don’t know how I’d deal with that.
“Acacia,” I whisper, hoping she will wake up. She is cold now.
I add another log into the fireplace and turn back to her side and pull the blanket up a little higher up her neck. She stirs as I push her wild hair out of her temple, but she doesn’t open her eyes. I look at her carefully she is beautiful, but her beauty is so much more different than April. April… her beauty was innocent with something that shines brightly underneath. The image of April haunts me as I look at Acacia laying in front of me unconscious. Something blocks my air, and I can’t have that again. I can’t see one more person leave the world like this.
“Please, Acacia...wake up,” I whisper, closing my eyes. I want to see April’s smiling eyes instead of hearing her painful moans.
She stirs again, and this time she opens her eyes. I let out the breath I was holding, relieved.
“Ashton?” Her voice is raspy, and she coughs as she looks around her surroundings in panic, terrified.
“Shh, you’re safe,” I say, lifting my hands to somewhere she can see in the hope of giving her some relief, some security.
“What happened?”
“What do you remember?”
“I was in the alley. There was a guy…” she trails off on a sob, shaking and hugging the blanket tighter around herself.
“Don’t worry, you’re safe now. I heard the voices and stopped him before something happened. I brought you to my house. You were unconscious for hours.”
“Thank you…” she whispers.
I frown.
Why would she thank me?
“For what?”
“For saving me and bringing me here, taking care of me,” she explains like I’m just a kid who doesn’t understand what she’s saying.
“No problem,” I shrug before adding, “I’m sorry I didn’t think of taking you to a hospital.”
“I hate hospitals. I’m glad you didn’t take me there,” she smiles. Her face brightens up a little with her smile. Her eyes are glassy with unshed tears tugging at something inside of me.
I stand up, feeling the need to be alone and away from her grateful eyes. “I’ll bring you hot cocoa,” I say and leave her without giving her a chance to answer.
Hope she likes hot cocoa!
CHAPTER EIGHT
ACACIA
Shaking, I pulled the blanket tighter around myself; I’m cold, but I can’t seem to get warm, so I pull my knees up to my chest and wrap my arms around them. Tears start to form in the wells of my eyes, but before I can’t stop them, they fall. I wipe them with the blanket but more follow. I began to gulp big hiccups and sob.
“Acacia,” I watch Ashton put the cups on the side table and kneel in front of me. He smoothes my hair from my face, my cheeks were wet from the amount of tears I’ve cried.
“Hey, hey it’s okay, you’re safe now I promise.” Ashton talks to me softly, he kneads my arm in a gentle, massaging motion. He warms me at the same time as he soothes me.
“I’m sorry.”
“What are you sorry for? It was a horrific experience, I’m just glad I chose that time to come to the bar and was there to stop him, otherwise, shit…I don’t know what I would’ve done.”
I look at the confused and sad look on his face. “Why were you coming to the bar?” I ask him curiously.
“I was coming to see you about this morning, to apologize.”
“Oh…” I’m not expecting this answer.
“Sorry for crossing the line about your parents and… well, about the way I acted when you opened your house to me,” he murmurs. I feel like apologizing isn’t something he is familiar to, but he manages to not fuck it up...for once.
“Apology accepted,” I give him a small smile.
He hands me the mug; the sweet smell of cocoa fills my senses and calms my nerves. We took little sips from our cups in silence, there was only the crackling sound of wood burning in the fireplace. I look around my surroundings. This is a good place, it has a soul - like the house is alive itself.
I bend my knees in front of me, becoming as small as I can be. My body is still shaking, and tears are still threatening to fall from my eyes. Taking a deep calming breath, I smell the cocoa, devouring the taste of the comfort it gives.
“Are you cold? Do you need anything?” Ashton fusses. His voice is soft and caring that it touches something inside me.
“No. I’m okay… thanks to you,” I murmur, but the tears fall down before I can stop them.
“Shit, Acacia. Don’t cry. Tell me what you need… what can I do?” His rude side is nowhere to be seen.
“I… do you mind… whatever forget it.”
“No, tell me. Whatever you need to feel better, to forget.”
“Can you hold me?” I whisper. I need his strong arms around me, reminding me that I’m safe not with that cold alley. I shake again. “Please?”
“Like a hug? I mean, yeah, sure…” He rubs his neck troubled, but he comes to sit next to me on the couch.
At first, the hug is awkward, our arms and legs are all over, but finally after we relax into each other, it turns into the most comforting thing I’ve had for years. I place my head on his chest as his arms wrapped around me tighter.
“Better?” he whispers through my hair.
I lift my head a little, so I can see his face and nod, I didn’t think we would end up this close. I immediately move my head back to the place. He clears his throat but doesn’t stop holding me. I move closer to his chest, closing my eyes I yawn as the sleep shows its face to me.
“You can take my room if it makes you feel better,” he whispers.
I take that as a cue for the end of our hugging session, I sit up. “No, I’m good here, thank you. It’s warm,” I say.
“Okay, I’ll bring you one more pillow,” he murmurs and leaves the room.
When I’m with him the room felt warm and homey, but when I’m alone it is cold and too dark; the shadows from the fire are creating fake monsters on the walls of the room.
I jump when I hear his footsteps behind me. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” Ashton whispers carefully.
“No, it’s okay. I’m a little bit jumpy. Sorry.”
He places the pillow on the couch and touches my back comforting me. “Don’t worry, you’re safe here. You get some rest, I’ll be around,” he assures me.
That must sound creepy, but instead, it gives me peace of mind. I nod my head and close my eyes.
“Goodnight, Ashton,” I whisper. Before catching his answer, I let myself fall into the comfortable arms of sleep.
CHAPTER NINE
ASHTON
The rain didn’t stop all night, it constantly made Acacia jump in her sleep. I couldn’t help but keep checking on her. I wanted to leave her side, go back to my room, and even forget about her presence in my house, but it was impossible. I don’t even know the girl, but I can’t shake the worry about her well-being. S
he is a strange girl. With her blue-gray hair, daring eyes, and her ripped clothes she looks like a rebel. A badass. Like no-one or nothing can scare her.
Yet here she is - on my couch, wrapped up in a blanket like it’s some kind of armor. The most vulnerable thing I have ever seen. And I can’t take my eyes away from her, probably because she keeps jumping with each clap of thunder, every flash of light. It shines over her face in sunder, like it’s her glow. If I have, to be honest with myself it’s not the only reason my eyes keep turning back to her; there’s something about her that fascinates me more.
Whenever I’m alone, I feel cold, literally, like the temperature of the place suddenly drops. I even feel it like a touch, a caress. That coldness starts to give me a comfort, but whenever I’m close to Acacia that doesn’t happen, it’s like the strange comfort of the coldness leaves me somehow. I know it sounds silly, I know it’s almost laughable, but I like to think that cold sensation is April. She loved the cold, and it would only suit her to reappear like that. And it feels like this girl is taking April away from me… just by being close to me.
I want her to be gone from my house, but I also like it when she’s close, I want her to be okay. I don’t want to care about her, but I keep checking if she wakes up or if she’s cold like there’s a magnet on her body and it’s drawing me in. Huffing in annoyance at my reaction to her I walk toward my kitchen to make a coffee, she probably likes her coffee with milk and sugar, opposite of mine, opposite of April.
I shake my head.
Stop comparing April to her! They are like day and night.
April was the girl who had my heart in her fragile hands even from afar. And she gave me a memory of a lifetime. This girl, Acacia… is not someone I can compare April to, I don’t understand the ties that are binding us together.
Why the hell do I keep thinking of both of them in the same train of thought? Why the hell do I keep noticing little details about Acacia, like the little mole behind her left ear and the faint freckles over her nose. I should stay away from this girl. My mind becomes a mess when I’m near her.
