"Which one would look better? I asked, showing a red crayon and a blue one.
Calla picked up the red crayon and gave it to me.
I smiled at her and went to finish my artwork.
We were sitting on the floor of the living room and were drawing. It was after dinnertime and Calla was too excited to sleep so I decided to spend some time with her. Calla was making stick figures while I was making... Well, at least it looked good whatever it was.
I had come to terms with it. With Asher being a dad. I had to someday. The sooner the better. It was still hard to believe, though. But not completely impossible. After all, my parents were teenagers too when they had me.
"You suck so seriously at drawing that even a two year old draws better than you," a voice came and I looked up, a scowl on my face.
"I do not," I said, offended. This was by far the best I had ever drawn. And he was making fun of it.
As soon as Calla noticed who was there she forgot all about drawing and reached her tiny hands up towards Asher.
Asher grinned adorably at her and picked her up.
"What's my little girl been doing?" he cooed.
Calla grinned widely and said, "Calla daw-ing."
I kept all the stuff back in a box and picked up the papers just as Ashton entered the room.
"What's my niece doing?" he asked with a sly grin on his face as he poked Calla's cheek.
Asher glared at him.
"Ashton which one do you think is better?" I showed him both drawings. He took them from my hand and seemed to inspect them. I made a face when he took longer than necessary to decide.
He bit his lip and looked up at me.
I glared at him and snatched the papers back.
Asher burst out laughing.
"See? I'm always right," he said smugly.
I shifted my glare to him.
"You talk senseless," I said and he looked at me like I was some peculiar insect.
"Why am I even asking to you both? You are no better than me-"
"I beg to differ," Ashton cut me off.
I continued ignoring him, "I would show them to someone who actually knows a thing about art."
"And who would that be?" Ashton mused loudly.
"I'll show them to Evan," I said and it was then I realized that I hadn't seen him for days or heard anything from him.
"You're friends with the loner?" Ashton asked.
I narrowed my eyes at him.
"What? It's the truth," he shrugged. Why was he acting like such a prick?
"Yes, I am. And he's not whatever you guys call him," I defended.
"A lonely wannabe emo who can't keep his eyes open for more than five seconds?" Asher piped up.
"Or a socially awkward guy who can't handle people. What do you call those?" Ashton asked Asher.
Before Asher could say something to insult Evan further I spoke.
"That's enough. Evan is a pretty cool guy and he's funny too," I said and noticed Calla had fallen asleep on Asher's arms.
"Go marry him then," Asher said out of nowhere.
I gaped at him. How could he say that...in front of Ashton?!
"That's none of your business," I spat.
"What? It seems like you really like him. Why make the guy wait? He's been following you around like a puppy for quite long," he said as if we were talking about the weather.
I glared at him.
"Am I missing something guys?" Ashton asked in confusion.
I tensed.
Did he know?
Was it possible to tell you kissed someone or rather that someone kissed you by just watching them talk?
Asher opened his mouth to say something, a glint in his eyes. I knew he was going to tell Ashton. I couldn't let that happen so I cut him off before he could utter a word.
"Nope. Nothing. Nothing happened," I said ending my words with a nervous laugh.
Ashton raised his eyebrows and nodded slowly. And I couldn't be more glad that he didn't say anything about it.
"Oh Calla's sleeping," I said in an attempt to change the topic from danger zone.
Asher looked down at her. He hadn't realized that she had fallen asleep.
Just then Linda entered the room. Her eyes went straight to the sleeping girl and a warm smile overtook her features.
"I'll put her to bed," she said coming over to Asher and taking Calla from him.
"Thanks mom," Asher said, sounding grateful.
"She's so beautiful," Linda said looking at her sleeping form. "When are they coming to take her back?"
"Tomorrow," Asher answered leaning on the back of the couch.
"Oh. I'll miss her," Linda said, her shoulders slumping just a little.
"Who's gonna come to take her?" I asked. I knew I was being nosy and all but I was a curious being.
"Her guardian," Linda answered.
I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.
"Why would she need a guardian when-"
"Ow! Mom!" Ashton spoke up suddenly and urgently, cutting me off. Linda and I looked at him.
"Yes?"
He looked pained and was standing weirdly on one foot, holding the other up as if it was hurt.
"Um... I need to show you something. Come with me," he took her arm and lead her out the room. But not before sending Asher a deadly look. Asher smirked.
"What was that about?" I asked.
"That was Ashton being needy," he said.
I didn't believe him but I didn't question it.
"You guys are weird," I said.
"Weird people are cool," he shrugged one shoulder.
It was silent then and I started getting uncomfortable under his intense stare. He was still leaning on the back of the couch and I was standing lamely in front of him, holding Calla's and my drawings.
"What?" I asked when I couldn't take it anymore.
"What?" he repeated, still studying me.
"Why are you staring at me?" I elaborated.
He didn't even have the decency to deny it. He just shrugged.
I rolled my eyes and made a move to leave.
"Anderson," his voice stopped me as I turned.
I waited for him to say something else. I was hoping this was the moment. The moment when he finally confided in me. But when I realized that was too good to be true I sighed and resumed to walk away.
I felt cold fingers wrap around my wrist and yank me back. I collided back into a hard chest. My breath hitched as Asher wrapped his arms around my waist, caging me. He rested his chin on my shoulder, his hot breath fanning the side of my face.
I was too shocked to even demand what he was doing. I just stood there, in his embrace, frozen. The only thing not frozen was my heart which was beating far too furiously to stay in my ribcage for long.
"Do you hate me?" Asher murmured, his breath making hairs stand on the back of my neck.
It took me more than a few moments to comprehend what he said, I furrowed my eyebrows but said,"I think you already know the answer to that." My voice sounded weird to my own ears.
He sighed and said, "I do."
I turned around to face him and realized my mistake too late. We were so close, my breath caught. His arms were still around me and I was pressed against him. I tried to put some distance between us but he didn't seem to like the idea.
"Why do you ask?" I asked, ignoring my heart that was going crazy.
His eyes dropped to my lips before meeting my eyes.
"Because."
"Because what?" It was getting harder and harder to keep this conversation up as I stared into his beautiful eyes. All I wanted to do was close the remaining distance between us and press my lips to his. But I wouldn't do that.
He exhaled a breath and leaned closer. My lips parted but I made no move. I wasn't planning on losing anytime soon. And I knew from experience he wasn't either. He would not lose in his own bet, no matter what.
He continued leaning in until his forehead touched mine.
"I don't want you to hate me," he said softly.
That was when I realized what this was about. Calla.
I leaned back so I could see him in the eyes.
"I don't hate you Asher. I never did. Sure you were annoying and mean. Still are. But I never hated you. And now more than ever," I said. I didn't tell him what I really felt about him. That would be suicide.
His face softened and my heart soared in my chest. He took the drawing sheets from my hands and dropped them on the couch before wrapping his arms around me again.
"I just wish you would tell me," I said, willing him to tell me.
"I can't," he said, his voice pained. I was right. Calla wasn't the only thing he was hiding.
"Why not?"
All the softness disappeared and the mean Asher was back. His arms slipped from my waist and he gently pushed me away. But I wasn't done yet, I grabbed his upper arms.
"I won't let you shut me out again," I said, my resolve clear in my voice.
"It's better that way, Anderson. Stop digging. You won't find anything," he said, his eyes heated.
"It pisses me off that you're always running away," I said, exasperated.
He stood up, making me take a step back and drop my hands.
"I'm not running away," he glared down at me.
"Yes, you are! You're always running away. You ran away two years ago," I said, my voice breaking at the end.
He tensed visibly.
"Go away Anderson." He turned his back on me.
I gripped his shirt and made him turn back, so he was facing me again.
"I gave you enough time to tell me. I waited patiently thinking you needed more time, but you never planned on telling me, did you?"
He let out a humorless chuckle.
"Finally! You caught up. Yes, I never planned on telling you anything. Why would I? Who are you? I shouldn't need to tell you anything. As I have told you already, you are just a girl who lives next door. Nothing more," he said.
It hurt the same the second time, if not more. I kept my face blank as I stared at him, his words slicing me more than a knife could.
Then a smirk overtook his face. Not a mischievous kind that graced his face every so often, but a malicious one.
"Or do you want to be more Anderson? Are you falling for me?" he asked sardonically.
It was hard to keep my face blank at this point. The worst thing was he was right.
"Did you get tired of my brother already? Or did him seeing you as a sister make you back down? Honestly Anderson, I thought you were more persistent than that, seeing as how hell bent you are on making me sprout all my little secrets," he sneered at me.
I had enough. I kept shut because I knew that's how his defense system worked. Whenever he felt threatened he retaliated with awful words that he knew would hurt whether he meant them or not. As sickly twisted it was, it worked.
"I won't take shit from you anymore. I've had enough. I was a fool to go after you even after all you did was make me feel like shit," I seethed. I got up to his face.
"Maybe you don't deserve it and I'm just wasting my time. I'm nothing more, right? Well, guess what? You are nothing more too," I said.
I was doing what he always did. Saying things that would hurt him, but guessing from his expression I didn't think it was working. He looked bored. I wanted to hurt him. I wanted to say something that would break him just like he always broke me, but I didn't think I could do it without it sounding fake.
"I'll leave here soon and then we'll go our own ways. I won't bother you. And after this year is over I won't have a reason to ever see your face. You will return to your life of fame and I'll enjoy mine without you. Just like I was doing for two years before you showed up," I said, my face void of any emotion just like his.
I turned my back on him and left, thinking how much I said was actually true.
📚📚📚📚
Hey awesome people!!!
Do you like it? Yes? 😁No? 😥
I'm sorry! I haven't updated in like a billion years, but life's getting so busy with school and stuff. Anyway, I planned on making this chapter bigger with more stuff going on😉, but I didn't know when I would get time to write again and I didn't want to make you guys wait any longer. I don't know when I'll update next. Let's hope it's soon.
Oh and an awesome friend, CHandwritten suggested a ship name for Asher and Ellie. It is *drumroll* #Eller! Thank you so much for suggesting it!❤❤ I love it! 😍😍
Also, I want to know who you guys picture as cast for this book. Comment below-
Asher/ Ashton McArdle
Ellie Anderson
Brooke Franco
Megan Chase
Evan Skriver
Kelsey Bates
Happy reading!
-K
P. S. - Thank you so much for making AH reach 1k votes! Seriously guys! I can't believe it reached 1k in just six months. I love you all so much! 😘😘😘😘😘