Page 78 of Forgotten Prejudice

It was rather surprising hearing him speak so much as Aiden was normally a man of few words, but the longer he talked, the harder it was for me to stand and listen because although Soren had placed me in the middle of a dilemma, there wasn’t really a question.

“Ash is a big kid, Aiden,” I said with a heavy heart while avoiding both of their eyes. “He can make his own decisions.”

“Kai.” Mel said my name while getting up. “I know you still care for him, and just like Aiden, I also think Ash still cares for you. So talk to him, please. For us.”

Guilt tightened my chest, and I fought hard to resist it. Sealing my lips together, I unwillingly shook my head. “I’m really sorry, guys.” I want to talk to him, too. “But I can’t do it.” Not staying to watch the disappointment on their faces, I turned around and walked up to my room. Slumping back on my bed, I covered my face with my palms and squeezed my eyes shut.

One way or another, I’d have to find a way to get over Ash Sage, or I was afraid it would drag me down. Again.

Kai

2 Years Later

I hadn’t heard a single word from him for over two years.

Not. A. Single. Word.

But then, one evening, without any warning, Ash was there, sitting in our living room with a dead expression on his face—an expression of a person who’d lost everything in his life. He looked so lost that I couldn’t even bring myself to be happy about his return. Quite shocked and mostly worried, all I did that evening was exchange confused glances with Aiden.

That was another matter—Aiden and me.

Things had gotten awkward between us a while back, and now, with Ash’s mysterious return, they had only gotten worse. I couldn’t blame the old man for feeling weird around me, but now definitely wasn’t the time to open that coffin. We decided never to talk about it again, and I wasn’t about to break our promise. Not when our full attention was on Ash, who was in the worst state I had ever seen him.

It took Ash about five days to finally speak to Mel, who told us that he and Soren had broken up. Why? When? How? All those questions remained unanswered, and I doubted Mel intended to push her son to tell us more, considering how Ash was in no state to speak.

We all hoped Ash would one day leave that asshole, but at what price? At the cost of him being so sad that he couldn’t get out of his room? At the expense of him crying until losing his voice? Or for him to look like a shell of his old self?

Since Mel’s house was going through a renovation, Ash ended up staying with Aiden and me, and for the last two weeks, I’d been walking around the house feeling like a sack of stones was weighing on my shoulders. Seeing Ash in so much pain was brutal, but I also understood my place, which was to stay out of the way. I tried being around the house as little as possible, giving Mel and Aiden the space to help him. Today was the first time I stayed home, alone, with Ash. Mel had a shift at the hospital, and Aiden had to run some errands, so I said I’d stay to keep an eye on him.

I doubted we’d run into each other because Ash spent most of his days in bed, but just in case, I decided to watch TV in the living room instead of my own room. An hour into a boring movie, Ash showed up.

Dressed in some baggy sweats that seemed too big for him, he stopped at the entrance to the kitchen. Despite it being the middle of summer and the AC not working, Ash stood with his arms wrapped around himself as if he was cold.

“Eh… Where’s my mom?” he asked, voice weak.

It was actually the first time he’d acknowledged me since returning. Until today, he hadn’t even looked my way, let alone spoke to me.

Shutting off the TV, I jumped to my feet. “She’s at work, and Aiden is out for some errands. Do you need anything?”

Averting his gaze from mine, he shook his head. “No.” He bit the tip of his nail. “I’ll go back to my room—”

“Maybe I’ll cook you something?” My question made him shake his head harder, and I moved from around the couch to get closer to him. “A drink, then? Coffee? Hot cocoa?”

He looked at me, and my stomach rolled at the sight of the sorrow in his eyes. Swallowing hard, I cleared my throat before smiling at him. “Paris says my hot cocoa should win awards.”

The mention of Paris probably shifted something inside Ash because, to my surprise, he agreed. I told him he could sit on the couch and wait while I went to make him the drink. Suddenly, I felt nervous. It wasn’t just nerves twisting my guts but also excitement that finally, I had a chance to speak to him. And maybe, just maybe, I’d be able to make him feel a little bit better, even just for a moment.

“Here you go,” I said, handing him the mug.

“Thank you.”

Taking it from me with two hands, he brought the mug close to his chest before cuddling into himself on the far side of the couch. Not wanting to make him uncomfortable, I sat down far enough so that a full seat was separating us.

“It’s a bit hot, so be careful.”

He hummed in response, his eyes fixated on the black screen of the TV.

Silence continued to linger between us, and each time I took a small gulp from my drink, I glanced at Ash. So far, he hadn’t even taken a tiny sip. Disappointed, I frowned.