Asher ✓

58 | fix

JUNE 28, 2020 / QUEENS COMMUNITY HOUSE

If someone had asked Asher six years ago who, out of his trio of friends, was most likely to be successful, he would not have said Kerrish Soto.

But it was funny how life turned out.

In high school, Asher had been quiet and unsure of his future, and now he was an established motocross star. Ryanel had been both studious and outgoing — which is why Asher probably would have pegged him as the most likely to be successful — and, with little surprise, ended up CEO of a philanthropic enterprise.

And Kerrish?

He'd been a right nightmare in high school, but a nightmare that was absurd and charming enough to pass as an odd daydream. He was noncommittal and self-absorbed and so very short-sighted about anyone without breasts, and yet he'd made a larger turnaround than either Ryanel or Asher.

"Thanks for coming, Mrs. Sylvestri," Kerrish affectionately patted the shoulder of an old woman who was beaming up at him. "Do you need a ride home? Or is Zenith coming to pick you up?"

"He's waiting outside," the old woman reassured. "Such a good boy, Kerrish. I'll see you next month?"

"You bet."

This was the third monthly voting registration drive that Kerrish had organised for their borough, and turnout was steadily increasing each time. He was passionate about voters rights and democracy and other political movements that Asher probably should have bothered to read about, but never did.

Kerrish wore jeans, a crisp white-collared shirt and a navy blazer — fresh from work at the law practice. He shed the blazer and rolled up his sleeves as the last people filed out of the community center, beckoning Asher — who he had roped into filling out forms — over to him.

"We have to pack down all the tables and chairs," Kerrish said, getting to work on the first collapsible wooden table. "I only booked this place till nine."

"Mrs. Sylvestri sure does enjoy your company. I thought she registered at the first drive?"

"She did, but her children and grandkids can't make it round to see her as much as she'd like, which she understands, but it makes her afternoons quite lonely," Kerrish softly explained. "So she's always looking for things to do. She's actually been a great help in talking to the older demographics."

Asher grinned at the sheer goodness of the words that were falling from Kerrish's lips. Who would have guessed that Kerrish would have ended up in the suburbs organising voting drives and befriending little old women?

"You are so straight-laced these days. Maybe one day I'll be ticking your name on the voting form."

Kerrish scoffed, but didn't retort. And that was how Asher knew that this was something he was seriously considering.

"Congratulations on winning the East Coast heat, by the way," Kerrish diverted the conversation. "I'm sorry I couldn't be there."

Asher thought back to the week before, when the AMA Series East Coast heats had taken place in Florida. Only Vasily came to support him — though having even one person travel that far for him was a great honour.