chapter 4

Chapter 4

Ethan's POV

Jessica was a little hesitant on me picking her up when I texted her, now I see why.

She doesn't belong here. This area is full of homeless people, drugs, and probably black mold. I watch as two men discreetly exchange money for drugs, making my skin crawl.

She deserves better.

I pull a cigarette out of my pack and light it. The burn of the menthol travels through my throat, calming my anger from the fact that this beautiful woman is living somewhere so dangerous.

Her dirty black hair bounces as she turns to close the door. She checks the time on her phone, looking around to see that it's the time we agreed I'd pick her up at.

Flicking my cigarette out the window, I step out of the car. The smile that reaches her eyes when she finally notices me makes me want to just never bring her back to this place.

I survey the area as she walks up to me, seemingly not understanding the danger all around her.

Once she makes it to my car, she shyly waves.

"Hi. Where are we going? ‘city Laundry’ is the only place around here that I know of." She suggests.

Oh, she's still thinking about my shirt.

"No need. I'm taking you to get some snacks ." I close her door for her, leaving her with more questions than answers.

Once I make it into the driver's seat, I feel her jumping nerves.

"What's wrong?” My head turns to her.

Her eyes looked around the car, "nothing I think it stupid.” She laughs to herself.

I lean forward, searching for her eyes until they meet mine. "Nothing about you is stupid, girl . What's on your mind?" Her cheeks slightly flush as the smile grows on her face.

"Why are we getting snacks?" She answers my question with another question.

Humans like to eat them.

"I'd like to get to know you better, if that's alright." I tell her and spot her hand rubbing into her skin again.

Anxiety, a human's cruelest punishment.

"Shouldn't you be angry with me? I ruined your shirt.”

I shake my head! pull out of the parking lot. If I had it my way, shirts would have never been invented.

The drive to the snacks shop was quiet. I'm not much of a talker, but hopefully she hasn't been uncomfortable this whole time.

Her face lights up as we walk inside. She inhales the smell of the fresh cookies and brownies they bake .

Cute.

"Get anything you want." I place my hand on her back, leading her towards the snacks options.

Her body shivers at my contact which gives me a huge ego boost, not that I needed one.

" I was fifteen when I start eating dessert"

"Fifteen? Most toddlers eat it regularly.” I state. Toddlers really shouldn't be eating such sweet things, driving them to annoyingly bounce off the walls.

She turns, giving me a sad smile. "I know."

Before I can push for more information, a worker comes to the counter and asks what we want.

Her big blue eyes look up to me, I assume she wants me to order first.

"I'll have any she chooses.” I tell the worker who then turns to Jessica

Her fingers dig into her skin, "may I have a small mint chocolate chip cup?” Her voice is small, fragile.

"Give her a large.”

With enlarged eyes and a slacked mouth, she looks at me. My lips pull into a smirk, causing her to look away.

"I can't afford that, a small one will be fine.” She tells the worker.

“Anything else?” The worker asks. "Yeah, a large mint chocolate chip cup. I'm paying.” I look down at her silly grin.

Most women I meet don't appreciate a man who pays, she does.

As our order is prepared, I usher her to a seat near the window. I ve heard humans with anxiety feel better when they're in the light.

She sits across from me, my back towards the window. The light causes her blue eyes to have this desirable sparkle, a beautiful gentleness.

I can't help but watch her dig into her ice cream once it comes. The smile and tiny dimples on her cheeks draw me into this cloud of needing to protect her. I should've been able to tell from the start. She's too innocent for this world.

"Thank you." Her voice of angels hit my ears.

"Tell me about you." I ignore her thanks, feeling like I should just buy her the whole damn shop.

“Well, what would you like to know?" She says as she chews into the chocolate chips from her ice cream.

Manners, girl

"Start with what you love.” I smile.

She hums while she brainstorms.

"I upcycle things. My most recent project was a vintage chair from the nineteen thirties. I painted the old wood red and took the seat off and replaced it with a flowerpot. I don't have a garden, but the person I sold it to thinks it looks beautiful in theirs." She cheers.

"What else have you upcycled?" I ask, loving the bubbly attitude she has while talking about her hobby.

"A tire from a truck. The truck was in the scrap yard, ready to be demolished. I had my friend Bambi help me figure out how to get one of the wheels off and I turned it into a table."

My eyebrows lift in surprise at her craftiness.

"How'd you do that?”

"I wrapped rope around it and used a strong glue to hold it all together."

“What do you love?" She returns the question.

I notice the rubbing of her arm has now stopped, she's comfortable.

"I like to read, and carve." I said as I finish my ice cream while hers is still basically full with a small dent.

Carving?" Her head cutely tilts.

"Yeah," I smile, "it's wood carving basically.”

Her smile reaches her eyes as she learns this about me. Perhaps, she feels the same way we do.

“What about your family?" I ask, wondering what her parents are like and how they raised such a beautiful soul.

"I only have Bambi. We met recently, but it feels like we're sisters." Her eyes shift to the floor.

"What about your parents?" My eyebrows furrow.

"They died when I was young. I don't know what happened to them.

All I know is one day, I came back home from playing outside and I couldn't find them, I searched the house and started getting scared by the fact I couldn't find them. I went to my neighbors to ask for help,” her eyes begin to water, "when she went into my house to help me look, she found them, I guess. Ever since then, I have lived in a group home.”

Her somber eyes never reach mine until I lift her chin, forcing her to look at me.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that." I try to comfort myself, probably failing.

I don't know how to comfort humans.

"It's okay," she wipes a stray tear, "wherever they are, I just hope they're proud of me."

They have to be. "I'm sure they are, girl.” I notice she hasn't taken another bite of her ice cream. She hasn't even eaten half!

“You're beautiful. I say as I rub her knuckles with my thumb.

Her cheeks reddened, "you're beautiful too. Handsome! I mean..."

I chuckle listening to her slightly panic at my small compliment.

When was the last time you've had a compliment?

We walk quietly together, hand in hand for a while until I drive her back to her place.

As soon as we pulled up, I was reluctant to let her return to this place. I don't even know if she knows self defense.

"I had fun with you. Thank you.” She opens my car door, ready to leave.

"I want to see you again.” I told her.

Even with the soft orange light from the sun setting, I find the blush staining her cheeks.

"I'd like that too.”

A dumb boyish grin rests on my face as she closes my door.

I watch her go inside and wait a few more moments to make sure nobody is going to try something that'll get them killed before driving back home.

After pulling up to the home that's been in my family's name for centuries, Jordan runs out the door.

“How was it? What do you think?" He asks as I step out of the car.

I sigh, knowing they will throw my admittance in my face. "She's more than a one night escapade." I tell him as my phone begins to ring inside my pocket.