"Nerdy Red is back," Brooke stated as she made her way to where Megan and I were sitting. She huffed as she put her tray down and sat. She wore a white crop top and a denim skirt. I wondered if she could even feel cold or not.
"What's up with you? Why are you sitting here and not at our usual table?" she asked as she looked where Kelsey and her posse were sitting.
I shrugged in response. After I had the talk with her in the morning today I decided she wasn't worthy of my friendship anymore.
"It's better like this anyway. I don't like her all that much," she continued.
Megan looked up in surprise. Another thing they both agree on.
"Why weren't you at school yesterday?" Brooke asked taking a bite from her sandwich.
"I wanted to ask the same thing," Megan piped up.
I started to answer when I saw someone come up behind Brooke and words died in my mouth.
"She was with me," Asher answered as he sat beside Brooke who gave him a dreamy look.
"Hey beautiful," Asher said to Brooke who was ready to swoon at his feet.
Megan faked a gag.
"Maureen," he said in acknowledgement to her.
She rolled her eyes but didn't correct him. I guessed she too knew the wrong name thing was intentional.
"Wait. She was with you?" Brooke broke from his spell and narrowed her eyes at me.
I shook my head. I better stop her before she gets any ideas.
"It wasn't-" Asher cut me off.
"Yes, she was with me yesterday. All day, all night," he said smirking.
Brooke dropped her sandwich and Megan's mouth was wide opened as she froze halfway to take a bite of her slice of pizza.
"What?! No! He is lying. We weren't together... like that," I finished lamely. I cursed myself for blushing.
"Pfft. Weren't you hanging out with me at the mall yesterday or not?" Asher said and his gorgeous blue eyes were crinkling with mirth. I chastised myself for thinking about his eyes when he was blatantly lying in front of my friends.
"You were hanging out with him?" Megan asked as if it was a ridiculous thing to even think about.
"No. I mean yes. B-but he forced me," I glared at Asher.
"How romantic," Brooke sighed dramatically.
Megan scoffed. "Romantic? It's far from it. Forcing someone to do something is not romantic at all. It's infuriating," she said.
"What do you even know about romance?" Brooke asked. "I bet you didn't even get your first kiss yet," she said smirking, knowing she was right.
Megan fumed in anger and Brooke returned her glare head on. It didn't look good. I had to do something before it got out of hand.
"Girls, girls you're both pretty," Asher interjected before I could. And it seemed to work because they stop their glaring match. I was mad at him but at the same time thankful.
"Here she comes," Megan muttered and looked down at her tray.
I looked up to see who and Brooke craned her neck back. But Asher was busy stealing my food, not caring. I slapped his hand away just as Kelsey and a few of her cronies reached our table.
Yeah come take this work of trouble with you, I thought. She put her manicured hand on the table in front of me.
Uh oh.
What did she want? I had made myself clear so why was she here?
Before she said anything to me she turned to Asher who had his elbows on the table and his chin rested on his hands as if he was waiting for a show to start. She smiled flirtatiously at him and wiggled her hand. He gave her a dazzling smile and the girls behind her broke out in giggles and squeals. I kicked him under the table and regretted my action the next moment. Perfect. Now he must think I was jealous or something. His knowing smirk gave me my answer.
But was I really?
My train of thoughts stopped as Kelsey spoke. She had her strawberry blonde hair in a high ponytail, showing off her long and slender neck.
"I want to talk to you," she said.
I gestured for her to go on.
"In private," she added.
I let out a chuckle. I couldn't help it. She wanted to talk in private yet she came with four other girls accompanying her.
I told her that and she scowled at me.
"Fine. Whatever. I just wanted to invite you to my party tonight. To show you what you are giving away for someone who doesn't deserve a second of your time," she said.
"That's for me to decide," I said with a straight face, but inside I was fuming. All I wanted to do that second was to punch her on the nose. How could she be such a bitch? She was so good at being a bitch that she would excel at bitchiness if it were a subject.
"And she has decided who are deserving of her time," Brooke spoke up.
I gave her a grateful smile and Megan stared at her in shock.
"Whatever. I'll see you tonight," she said then turned her attention to Asher. Did she not get the hint? I wanted nothing to do with her and her army of bullies.
Megan stood up and we all looked at her.
"I'm getting out of here or else I'll fly off with the number of fans present here," she said.
Nobody found that funny except me. I laughed and she waved at me before going out of the cafeteria. They stared at me as I laughed.
"What? It was funny," I said and caught a glimpse of Asher who was hiding his smile. Guess, I wasn't the only one who found it funny.
"That girl," Dana started, but shut up as Kelsey shot her a glare. So, she was doing as told. That pleased me. Now nobody would bother Megan.
Kelsey invited Asher to her party and then extended the invitation to Brooke. I was relieved when she was finished but what she did before sauntering off left a bitter taste in my mouth and a heavy feeling in my chest.
Asher wiped the lipstick stain from his cheek as I mulled over why it bothered me so much that she kissed him.
****
Asher didn't go to the party as I had suspected. Neither did I. But Ashton went and Brooke too. That girl couldn't say no to a party if her life depended on it.
I lay on my bed thinking about my newfound feelings for Asher that were increasing every passing second. Or how the thing with Ashton didn't hurt as much I had thought it would. It only hurt for sometime. The night it happened, I cried my eyes out. But as soon as I talked to him again it disappeared. It felt like nothing even happened and talking to him was just as comfortable as it was before. Nothing changed and no awkwardness seeped in. Well, one thing changed. I got over him. Which surprised me because I thought it was too soon. But really, was there even a thing to get over to begin with?
I knock on my door snapped me out of my thoughts. I looked at the clock. It was after midnight.
I knew before I opened the door that it was Asher.
He looked nervous as he rubbed the back of his neck. My heart stuttered at the sight of him. God, it was getting worse. He was wearing a white t-shirt and pajama bottoms. His hair was disheveled as if fingers were run though it numerous times.
"What do you want?" I asked not unkindly.
"I... Can I..." he dropped his hand and sighed deeply before he spoke those dreadful words.
"Can I sleep with you tonight?" he asked. Any other girl would melt at how adorable and innocent he looked when he asked that. As if he was afraid of a monster under his bed and couldn't sleep alone.
But I? Well, I nearly choked on air and screeched a what.
He entered the room without permission.
"Hey! I didn't say yes," I said.
"Nice shorts," he commented walking further into the room. I cursed myself for not bringing any other night dress.
"Seriously, what are you doing?" I demanded with my hands on my hips.
"I couldn't sleep alone," he said nonchalantly.
Then it dawned on me that he rarely slept at night. Was something bothering him? I was suddenly filled with worry for him. But I pushed it down.
"Sleep with Ashton," I said.
He looked at me with somber eyes.
"He isn't home," he stated.
"Oh right," I said. I forgot he was at the party. Party! That was what was bothering him. I remembered when they threw a party to celebrate their victory in the soccer match and how he wouldn't even attend his own party and how he reacted when called him out on it.
"Sleep with your mom then," I said.
I grumbled under his breath that sounded something along the lines of 'trust me, I would if my dad would let me.'
"That old man wants all her attention to himself," he spoke it louder and I let out a giggle. Linda and Tyler were the epitome of cuteness.
"Look, it isn't like we are sharing a bed for the first time. What's the big deal?" he asked.
"The big deal is we're not kids anymore. You're not seven and this isn't a slumber party," I said.
I didn't know what made me let him sleep on my bed but apparently something did because he was taking his shirt off. My breath caught in my throat as non descriptive thoughts started clouding my brain making me blush crimson.
"Put it back on," I said as I tried to look anywhere but at him.
"It's uncomfortable," he complained.
I willed my eyes not to stare at his bare chest. The light was dim, only coming from the table lamp but the way it made him look was breathtaking.
I had to swallow before I could speak again.
"Don't try anything," I warned.
He raised his eyebrows. "Don't worry I won't try anything," he said. I blushed as I got the meaning behind his words.
"I didn't mean it like that perv! I meant don't try to play any pranks," I explained.
He grinned.
"That means you have no problem if I try something else?" he asked suggestively.
I didn't think I could blush any harder. My face was on fire.
"No! Don't try anything! Just go to sleep," I blurted.
I could only pray that this wouldn't turn catastrophic for my heart.
📚📚📚📚
Hey awesome people!!!
How are y'all?
I am so sorry for not updating early.😞 I had guests over and couldn't get time but here is an update!😁
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Tell me what you think about Asher sleeping in Ellie's bed?😉😉
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Bye!
-K