(I think we all know which song fits this chapter)
Waking up with Lina snuggled up next to me and her face nestled in the crook of my neck is something I could get used to.
The music from downstairs has stopped and people left hours ago.
I'm not sure if any of our friends left other than Arya.
Speaking of Arya, I've never seen Xander act like that...like ever.
I slowly move so I don't wake Lina up and put on my boxers.
I don't care if people see me.
One time during freshman year, Jess, Xander, and I got dared to skinny dip in Madison's pool.
A video went around so at this point everyone at school has seen my dick.
I quietly go down the stairs and notice Xander passed out on the floor.
I almost fucking tripped over him.
"He needs help." Someone says, causing me to quickly turn around.
"Fuck Madi, you scared me." I laugh before following her into the kitchen.
"Oh my god! Did you and Lina-"
"Yes."
"You're fucking glowing Ash." She laughs before taking a sip from her water bottle.
"I told her I love her." I blurt.
She stares at me wide-eyed before she begins to choke.
"YOU WHAT?!" She whisper yells.
"What-"
"Are you insane?!"
"What do you mean?"
She looks at me with an "are you serious" face.
And then it hits me.
The fire.
SHIT!
"You have to tell her Ash." She says.
"I will Madison."
"I'm serious Asher!"
"I know!"
"How are you so calm about this?! How do you think she's gonna react knowing that the guy she loves is also the guy who almost killed her by starting a fire at the church!"
Suddenly there's a gasp and my fucking heart sinks.
Please don't be Lina!
PLEASE DON'T BE LINA!
Madison and I quickly whip our heads toward the entrance of the kitchen.
"LINA?!" We gasp.
She stands there wearing nothing but my t-shirt and panties with her hand over her mouth.
"Lina-"
"Is it true Asher?"
"Well-"
"IS IT TRUE ASHER?" She yells while walking toward me.
I look down at her, her eyes beginning to fill up with tears.
Fuck.
"Y-yes but-"
"Oh my god." She gasps before backing away from me as if she were scared of me.
I try to reach out to her but she starts walking back faster.
Madison and I quickly chase after her to the guest bedroom.
"Lina I'm so fucking sorry I didn't tell you."
"How could you! You fucking knew what I fucking went through and you still decided to hide it from me!" She yells as angry tears start streaming down her cheeks.
"I was gonna tell you, I swear."
"WHEN?! Before or after you told me you loved me? Oh my god, did you just say that because you fucking felt bad?"
"NO! Of course not! I do love you, Lina!"
"BULLSHIT!"
"Lina, he's not lying-"
"Shut the fuck up Madison! You knew too and you didn't tell me! I bet you only became friends with me because the fucking guilt was eating you alive! Am I wrong?" She asks Madison.
Madison stays quiet.
"In the beginning, yes but then I got to get to know you and you're such an amazing person-"
"Get out Madison," Lina says while only looking at me.
"But-"
"If you claim to like me as much as you say you do, then leave."
Madison looks at me before hesitantly leaving.
"Lina please let me explain."
"There's nothing to explain! I opened up to you about the most traumatic moment of my life and what did you do? You sympathized and you made me feel beautiful when in reality, you were the fucking monster who did this to me!" She yells before shoving me.
"I"
Shove
"Fucking"
Shove
"Hate"
Shove
"You"
Shove
"Asher"
Shove
"Phoenix"
Shove.
She continuously pounds her fists on my chest and I don't stop her.
I have no right to.
I fucked up and now the love of my life fucking hates me.
"I'm so fucking sorry Catalina," I mumble as my voice breaks.
She walks over and puts her clothes back on while I just stand there.
"You know, when you first told me about Alyssa running away, I thought she was wrong for leaving so fast and that all you were trying to do was protect her but I was wrong." She bitterly laughs.
"You Asher Phoenix are a fucking hypocrite, you're a fucking liar, and you were a fucking mistake." She spits.
"I hope Alyssa ends up nothing like you, she deserves so much better than you." She says before walking out of the door.
And I don't stop her.
I hear the front door open and close before sinking to the floor.
Madison quickly walks in and kneels down next to me.
"Asher-"
"I fucked up Madison...I should have listened to you." I mumble before tears start falling.
She pulls me in for a hug and holds me while I cry.
I'm a fucking hypocrite.
I'm a fucking liar.
And I'm a fucking mistake.
Those words keep repeating in my head while Madison and I sit on the floor.
A few hours later, Madison and I decided to go home.
I just can't be there when all our friends wake up.
When I walk into the house, I notice that my dad's office lights are on.
So I walked in.
"Why are you up?" I ask.
"I kicked Macy out." He says while holding up her giant diamond ring.
Holy shit.
"Finally," I mutter.
"Why do you smell like a bar?"
"It was Lina's birthday."
"Oh? That girl you've been seeing?"
"Yeah."
"She was interesting..."
"What does that mean?"
"I mean open your eyes, Asher! A pretty girl who wants to date a rich-"
"Oh my god, dad, not all girls are like Macy!"
"Asher, all the girls you've been with have been gold diggers!"
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"All the girls you've been with have also been idiots."
"Okay, now I'm confused."
"Why do you think Madison broke up with you?"
"She cheated on me."
"No, I paid her to cheat on you."
"YOU DID WHAT?"
"Madison was a fucking idiot. All she cared about was shoes and clothes. She was gonna hold you back. So, a simple check for $100,000 is all she needed to break up with you."
"You're lying."
"Ask her." He shrugs.
"I fucking hate you."
"No, you don't. I'm the only fucking person who's making surer you have a fucking future! I mean what have Jesse and Xander done for you. Jesse's a fucking loser who plays guitar and Xander's an idiotic dyslexic with the reading level of a third-grader!"
Does Xander have dyslexia?
No, no he would have told me.
Right?
"Fuck you! Unlike you, they've physically been there for me! And then there's you who thinks that giving me a check for 10 thousand dollars every month is a way of bonding!"
"Everything I've done is to help you and your sister!"
That causes me to laugh.
"Right, so sending pastor Ben to beat the shit out of our mother was to protect us?" I blurt.
He looks at me with wide eyes.
"How did you-"
"I know everything. So don't fucking bother hiding it from me."
He remains stunned.
"I also know about how you threatened Alyssa's father."
She told me after the lunch he stormed out on.
"You would do it too if you-"
"Shut up. Just stop talking. There's nothing you can do to defend yourself. Mom was right for wanting to divorce you but you were so obsessed with how you looked in front of others that you just wouldn't allow that to happen..." I start while walking to the other side of the desk, approaching him.
"You started drinking and cheating and when mom found out you were angry so you turned to abuse to shut her up. You took her fear of you and used it against her. During lunch, with Alyssa, you had a fake breakdown so Alyssa wouldn't leave because you knew it would look bad."
"You knew that people would start questioning you so you came up with a bullshit story about how sorry you were for treating her so poorly and how you actually wanted a daughter. If it were your choice, you would only have sons."
He looks stunned.
Jonathan Phoenix actually looks shocked.
"I'm an observant person Jonathan which means I know when you're bullshitting," I smirk.
And to my surprise, so does he.
He stands up so he's my height.
"And that right there would make you an amazing lawyer." He says while patting my shoulder.
What?
Is that really all he got out of all of this?
"So that's it? You're not even gonna deny it."
"There's no point. You caught me." He laughs.
"How are you my father?" I scoff.
He quickly turns me around so I'm facing the mirror.
"Look at us, we're more alike than you think."
I look in the mirror and all I say are two lying assholes holding a shit ton of secrets.
He smiles at his reflection while I refuse to even look at mine.
"I started the fire at the church," I mumble.
His smile immediately drops and he faces me.
"What did you just say?"
"I'm the one who almost killed pastor Ben in the fire."
"Asher-"
"AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"
"I NEVER TOLD YOU TO START THE FIRE!"
"NO, BUT YOU PAID SOMEONE HIM TO HURT MOM! I saw everything! The texts, the voicemail, the pictures! EVERYTHING!"
"Jesus Christ Asher! What have you done!" He says while running his hands through his hair.
I don't say anything.
"Does anyone know?" He asks.
I hesitate for a moment.
If I tell him about Madison and Lina, he'll do something...bad.
"No."
"Make sure no one ever finds out Asher or you can say goodbye to your future."
"My future is already fucked up," I mutter.
"What are you talking about?"
"I didn't get into Princeton."
Yes, I did.
"You fucking idiot-"
"Fuck you! I never wanted to be a fucking lawyer in the first place!"
"Why the fuck not? Do you-"
"BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO END UP LIKE YOU!" I yell before slamming his door shut and storming up the stairs.
I pause just before I pass Alyssa's room.
I slowly opened her door to see her passed out at her desk with a pencil stuck on the side of her face.
"Not again." I laugh.
I peel off the pencil and carry her to her bed.
She murmurs something incoherent before falling back asleep.
I sit on the edge of her bed and just watch her.
"I hope Alyssa ends up nothing like you, she deserves so much better than you."
I hope so too.
-----------Author's Note-----------
What an emotional chapter!
I mean poor Lina and honestly, poor Asher.
Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!
-Pradabagg
Word Count: 1677