the rain was still pouring down as seraphina rode down the street, shaking from the cold. or maybe she was shaking from what had just happened.

her thoughts were all over the place as she turned into her street.

a sigh left her throat as she jumped off her bike, quickly running to her porch. but to her dismay, her front door was locked.

knocking a couple of times, she finally realised her uncle wasn't in, and groaned loudly. he wasn't answering his phone, so she decided to just get back on her bike and try and find shelter.

rue was a huge no, and all of the other people she vaguely knew probably wouldn't help her. the only other option was ashtray.

+

she didn't go ashtray's.

instead, she found herself relaxing in a diner's seat, eyes roaming the menu as her belly rumbled.

"hi, what can i get for you?" the woman asked, pad held out in front of her as she eyes seraphina. "umm, can i just have the cheeseburger with fries and a strawberry milkshake, please?"

the woman nodded and walked away, leaving seraphina to think about everything that had happened recently.

her mother, her uncle, ash, rue.

everything just seemed to be- too much.

the bell ring above the door, signalling someone had entered. slowly, seraphina looked up and felt her throat tighten when she saw who it was.

ashtray, who was alone, and a sad look on his face when he realised seraphina was there as well.

"this seat taken?" he asked, voice hoarse like he had been crying. it hurt her to see him like this, but it hurt her even more to think that she was the one who caused it.

"no."

ashtray examined her for a moment before sliding into the seat, hands running over the menu. "why did you run off?"

seraphina thought about it for a moment. she didn't even know herself. but as ashtray looked at her expectantly, she opened her mouth.

"i don't know."

"i think you do know, phina."

"have you come to just cause shit ash? cause if you have, i'm really not in the mood?"

the waitress placed her food in front of her, and stared over at ash, asking what he wanted. "i'll have the same as my friend here," he told, emphasising the word 'friend.'

a frown formed on her face at his words, quaint for the waitress to go before she muttered, "you know what, this is fucked."

"can i have this to go, please?" she shouted out, another waitress coming over and taking it away, presumably to put into a box.

"calm the fuck down, aight'?" his hand reached out to her own which was resting on the table, but she snatched it away.

"don't bother," she hissed, standing from the seat and glaring at him. he slanted his eyes and shook his head, pulling his phone out.

as seraphina grabbed her food and walked out, she didn't notice ashtray looking back at her. he tried to act like it didn't bother him, but it really did.

+

her uncle was back by the time she returned home, slouched on the couch with a bunch of beer bottles surrounding him.

seraphina shook her head at him and headed upstairs, slowly eating her food on her bed. her mind kept going back to her encounter with ash.

had she ruined what they had?

to be honest, apart from rue, he was her only true friend around here. and he was a god damn good friend.

maybe more.

the thought of her and ashtray was coming back to her more and more until it finally became too much to bare.

'fuck it'  she thought, hopping off her bed. grabbing her car keys, she could barely think straight as she bundled out of the house, and jumping into her car.

ashtray was on his phone, sliding through photos off him and seraphina with a sad look on his face. before he knew it, bangs on the door caught him off guard.

eyes flickering over to the cctv, a smile on his face came to be as he saw who was there. opening the door, he barely had anytime to say anything.

her lips immediately met with his, and a small 'sorry,' was leaving them whilst doing so. he pulled back and rested his hands on the sides of her face, head resting on her own.

"it's okay, phina. it's okay."

+

authors note.

sorry this took so long, i've had some very hard news and have been processing it badly. but i have finally returned with a brand new chapter to mark valentine's day! and i'm sorry it's short, i haven't had any motivation lately.