The Nerd Who Rules The School

Chapter 38

Turning off my phone, I looked up, "Wait! Asher!" I shouted just as he had began to descend the pouch.

He turned around and looked at me questioningly. I also began questioning myself.

"Will you mind staying here with me? Like for tonight?" I tried to sound as casually as possible while my heart rate accelerated.

I could have not asked him and my parents would never know, or I could have told them he didn't agree to it. So why am I still asking him? Maybe I don't want to lie to my parents, I was never comfortable with lying to them. They had never lied to me, no matter how harsh the truth was, so I would never break their trust like that.

And maybe I didn't mind him staying.

"Yeah, okay uh sure no problem." Shock plastered all over his face, he walked back up and we went in once again, right back to where we started.

I didn't want the weird tension to rest between us so I randomly stated, "My parents asked you to stay with me because they wouldn't come back tonight and they didn't want me to be alone right now."

"Oh." His tone was unreadable but there was the slightest hint of disappointment.

Once again, we stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to do.

I faked a yawn, "I'm kind of tired so I guess I will just go to sleep."

"Okay."

I started to go upstairs to shower when he suddenly said, "Where am I suppose to sleep tonight?"

Oh shoot, I wanted to smack myself, why didn't I think of that before I invited him to stay for the night. How clever of you.

"You can sleep in my room, I will sleep in my parents' room." I said in a split-second decision.

"Okay, but I uh also need to shower?"

Gods, could this be more awkward.

"Yeah! Of course uh, I will borrow you some of my dad's clothes. You can take the bathroom right there." I pointed at the bathroom next to the kitchen, "There are some spare toothbrush in the cabinets so feel free to use them."

"Okay thanks."

He went to the bathroom and I hurriedly went to grab him some of my dad's clothes. I borrowed him a sweater and sweatpants that were straight out of the dryer. Then I went upstairs to my bathroom and finally showered.

After my night routine, feeling refreshed but drowsy, I went back into my room, ready to sleep like a rock. I flopped onto my bed and the mattress dipped from my weight.

Surrounded by the heavenly, fluffy pillows, I closed my eyes. For the first time, I could feel sleep coming easily for me, my demons and monsters thankfully locked away for tonight.

Just as I was welcoming the sweet sleep, I felt a presence hovering above me. With difficulty, I cracked an eye open and I could see the blurry figure of someone in my dad's clothes.

It's probably just my dad checking on me.

I closed my eyes and willed myself to fall back into the arms of sleep, but the presence didn't leave. I could feel sleep withdrawing from me as I desperately tried to cling onto it.

It was like trying to hold onto fog, it vaporized and had left me once again. Annoyed, I finally opened both eyes and was greeted by the sight of Asher - in my dad's cloths which cling to his body tightly, outlining his muscles clearly- hovering above me uncertainly.

I had a really hard time trying to focus on rebooting my mind rather than him. After what seemed like hours but had only been seconds,  I remembered. Now I really, really wanted to smack myself.

"I am so sorry, I completely forgot." I apologized frankly, struggling to get of my piles my pillows and blankets, averting my eyes.

"No it's fine it's your room, you should sleep here I can sleep on the couch." He said quickly.

"No no no, I asked you to stay I can't have you sleeping on the couch. I will go back to my parents' room." I got off, but my eyes couldn't help but lingered on my bed longingly.

He didn't missed my yearning look, "No, I will take the couch, even if you sleep in your parents' room I won't take your bed." I almost forgot how stubborn he could be.

"Fine." I glared at him, but it was probably useless as I was too tired and judging from how unaffected he was.

I gave him a blanket and pillow, and then he went down, leaving me alone. All my sleepiness had left, my body was bone-tired but my mind was wide awake.

I groaned, great just when sleep had came easily to me for once, something had to ruin it.

I lay on my bed, staring at my ceiling, my mind running free with memories, made-up scenarios and what ifs. Most of it was about Maya.

Now when I think about her, it no longer was like opening a wound and pouring salt in it. There was still this heavy weight on my chest and demons in my mind, but it was surprisingly more bearable.

The same old demons had been running through my mind for weeks and it was getting pretty old. I pushed it aside and another long-buried thought sprang up. Asher.

If my mind was not occupied by Maya, it was occupied by Asher. Thinking about him was not much better than thinking about Maya. With Maya, at least I was familiar with it, but with him, it was dangerous, a hazardous risk.

I loved my mind, it kept me entertained when I was bored easily; but I hated it at the same time, it always overthinks and makes up scenarios that was so real, it kept me up most of the nights. Like right now, lying on my bed for hours, willing for my mind to shut up even for a second.

I wished I could turn off my mind, I wished I could sometimes stop thinking. For the last few weeks, I had prayed that my every thought and dream wouldn't be about Maya. I guessed I got my wish; but this thought was no less destructive. It was almost worse in its own ways, because it gave me hope; and hope was nothing but a false illusion that lure you in and then completely devour you, leaving you with nothing but a hollow body.