Evan was telling me something about an art competition he was participating in, but I was distracted, my mind wandering around a lot of things.
It was the week before Halloween and we were sitting at a diner, our food kept in front of us, but neither of us seemed to be hungry. I picked at my food, but Evan didn't even touch it.
"That's enough!" a hand slammed on the table. My eyes followed the hand and locked themselves with the deep blue eyes of its owner, my heart stuttered.
Evan grumbled from where he was sitting across from me. He started to get up, but when Asher shot him a glare thought better of it.
I looked at Asher questioningly, wondering why he was here.
"I'm taking you to her," he said and my breath caught in my throat. I knew exactly who he was talking about.
"No, you're not. She isn't ready," Evan argued. He knew too who he was talking about.
"Plus, we're on a date right now and I would very much appreciate if you would leave us alone," he said, smirking at the deadly look Asher gave him. Oh how much he loved to get under his skin.
Asher ignored him and gently pushed me further inside the booth, taking the seat I was occupying moments ago.
"This is the worst date I've ever witnessed," he said.
I couldn't believe he crashed our date. How did he even find us? Was he following us? I wouldn't be surprised if he did, though. He had been hanging out with me more and more these past weeks. After I had called him at that party, which I didn't remember much about because apparently I was piss drunk, I realized I didn't want to stay away from him. So we were trying to get along. You know, trying to be friends.
Some days were better than others. Some days we fought less including others things. Can't say Evan was happy about the whole thing though. Being my boyfriend meant he had to put up with being with Asher, who he still hated, but he agreed.
"And you are the worst stalker I have ever witnessed," Evan retorted.
"I was just craving grilled sandwiches when I saw you were torturing her with your boring personality," Asher said, shifting closer to me. I scooted away, almost pressed to the wall, to maintain the distance.
"Stop stalking my girlfriend," Evan gritted through his teeth.
"She is my girl friend too. I can visit her whenever I want," he said and my eyes widened.
"Maybe, but there is a space in between and it's called friendzoned," Evan said, putting up his thumb and index finger a bit apart.
Asher scowled, but then he noticed I hadn't spoken a single word.
He turned to me, worry clearly written in his eyes. He was wearing a hoodie, the hood up so no one would recognize him. But I think a group of girls, sitting a few tables away got an inkling because they were whispering and pointed excitedly.
"Umm I think those girls are seconds away from infiltrating this table," I said gesturing towards their table.
Both boys looked and Asher cursed under his breath.
He grabbed my hand and stood up. Evan did the same, glaring at our hands.
"Let's go," Asher said tugging me towards the entrance.
Evan watched us with a hurtful look.
I felt bad so I stood in front of him and gave him a small smile.
"I'll see you tomorrow," I said and with my free hand hugged him. It was a bit awkward as Asher was still holding my other hand and when I tried to free it, he didn't let go.
Evan wrapped both his arms around me anyway, squeezing me.
"You don't have to do this if you don't want to," he murmured.
"It's okay. I can't run forever," I said.
We pulled away and he cupped my face. He looked into my eyes. "I'll be here if you need me," he said softly, leaning in.
Asher's grip on my hand tightened painfully.
Just as Evan's lips were going to touch mine, Asher pulled me away.
The look on Evan's face was downright murderous.
"What the fuck is your problem?" he snapped.
"We're getting late so if you're done with your shit, let us go," Asher replied in a calm voice.
Evan lunged at him, but I got in between in time. This wasn't like him. Evan was the kind of person who would avoid a hand to hand fight at any cost. He preferred slaying with words.
I threw a glare at Asher, as I calmed Evan.
"Why are you even friends with him?" Evan asked.
Asher scoffed.
To stop this from going out of hand again, I stepped up and pecked him on the cheek.
"I'll be back," I said.
I could tell he hated the idea of me going with Asher, but he reluctantly let us go.
****
"Can't you be friendly with Evan? He is my boyfriend," I asked as he drove.
He muttered something under his breath which I couldn't hear.
"Why are you two at each other's throat all the time? I'm tired of it," I said.
This time he spoke aloud. "Well, other than the fact that he stole my girl I really don't like the guy," he said nonchalantly.
My head snapped to his, but he was staring straight ahead. He was acting as if he didn't just say something that was capable of rendering me speechless and then some.
When did he go from hating me to telling me he liked me I had no idea.
"You can't say that!" I said when I found me voice.
"What? That I don't like your boyfriend?" he said the word boyfriend with disgust.
"No. What you said before it," I said.
"That you're my girl?" he said, glancing at me for a moment before looking back at the road and I got a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach.
"Yes. You can't say that!" I said.
"Why not? It's true," he shrugged.
No, it isn't.
He sighed.
"Yes, it is. I like you, Anderson," he said with sincerity.
I think my heart stopped. I didn't realize how much I wanted to hear him say it until he said it.
"And I still regret that I didn't say it sooner," he added.
Okay, he was making me really uncomfortable right now. He was acting weird. Asher would never say anything even remotely close to that.
"Who are you?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.
He chuckled.
"Not the reaction I was expecting," he said.
"Seriously who are you?" I said, trying to laugh this whole conversation off. I didn't want this to be real even if I was dying for it to be real. Why was he saying that?
He shook his head, a smile gracing his lips.
"It's alright, Anderson. Take as much time as you want. I'm not going anywhere," he said, winking at me. He really needed to stop doing that if he wanted me alive. I don't think my heart could take it.
As we neared the cafe I started to panic. I thought I could do it. I thought I could finally meet her, but I was wrong. I couldn't.
I clutched his arm. He looked at me and I shook my head.
"I can't do it," I said.
"Anderson... "
"Please Asher, take me home," I pleaded.
He must have seen the desperation in my eyes, because he changed the course immediately.
We ended up in his house, his room to be precise. He was sitting on the couch, fiddling with his guitar, strumming out beautiful tunes now and then and I was sitting on his bed, admiring the same picture he kept on his bedside table.
"You remember when this was taken?" I asked.
He looked up, his brown hair falling in his eyes. My heart gave a squeeze, just like it always did when I saw him.
He smiled.
"'Course I do. This was-"
He was cut off by a knock on the door. Linda came in and smiled when she saw me. I smiled back.
Asher stood up.
"I'll uh I'll be outside," he said and rushed out. I watched him with a confused look.
"How are you, Ellie?" she asked, sitting beside me.
"I'm fine," I lied. She saw through it and a slight frown took over her beautiful face.
Her eyes fell on the photograph in my hands and she smiled.
"That's my favorite picture of you three," she said. I agreed. We were inseparable back then. Always together, always up to something.
"It was like I had three kids," she said.
I realized something then. All this time I was crying over not having a mother. But wasn't Linda there all the time? I remembered all the times she filled the hole created by my birth mother. Whenever I needed something I came to her. How could I forget that? All these past days I'd been crying over it, but not once did I think how she would feel about it.
I looked into her eyes and they were glazed over. I felt like shit. I had no idea for how long she was feeling like this.
"I'm so sorry. I never thought-" my voice broke and my throat choked up.
She shook her head and pulled me to her. I hugged her, her motherly love wrapping around me like a cocoon.
"I'm so terrible. You were there all the time and here I'm whining about not having a mom," I croaked.
"It's okay," she said caressing me, her voice breaking.
It didn't make it okay. I'd been in my bubble of sadness for too long, not caring that others might get hurt. Suddenly my dad came into my mind. I'd not talked to him since I came to know he lied to me. I missed him. A lot. He tried talking to me, but my anger got in between. He must hurt too.
I pulled back after awhile, my mind set on what I had to do. I could not keep hiding forever. I had to face it and the sooner the better.
"When I first met you, I fell in love with that little girl. You were truly amazing," she said.
I blushed.
I loved her too.
"I knew from the start that one of my boys would surely fall in love with you, but I didn't expect both of them to," she said, wiping her eyes and letting out a small chuckle.
"What?" my eyes widened.
She just smiled and shook her head.
I wanted to ask her what she meant, but before I could say anything Asher knocked on the door.
"Hot chocolate anyone?" he said, holding up two mugs.
She stood up and ran her hand through my hair. "Go to her," she said.
I nodded.
I would. I would go to her and demand why she left me.
Then she left the room.
Asher sat beside me, offering me hot chocolate. I took it and thanked him.
"Remember when we were kids and I told you that you could call my mom your mom?" he asked, keeping his mug on the table and resting his hands on the bed.
"Yes, I remember," I said. Asher had found me crying one day about not having a mother like he did. He had said he never shared anything, except with Ashton, but he would share his mother with me. It was the sweetest thing anyone had ever said to me. It's still the sweetest thing anyone had said to me.
"Well, it wasn't entirely selfless," he confessed and I furrowed my eyebrows.
He grinned.
"That time I meant mother in short," he said.
"In short?" I asked taking a sip of hot chocolate.
"As in short for mother-in-law," he said, his eyes sparkling.
I choked and almost spat the hot chocolate.
I coughed and put the mug on the table.
"Are you crazy? I could have died," I scolded, recovering from coughing.
He laughed, falling back on the bed. The sound music to my ears.
I grabbed a pillow and smacked him with it. It was no use. He wasn't stopping anytime soon.
"You should seriously stop thinking like that," I advised.
"Why?"
"Well, for starters you have a girlfriend," I said.
He waved it off.
"What's her name? Joanne? Jennifer?" I taunted. I knew exactly what her name was. Jessica. In fact, I knew everything about her and I hated her, even though I had never met her. She was some actress and they were apparently the cutest couple. As if.
He smirked.
"Is someone jealous, Anderson?" he teased, nudging me with his shoulder.
I scoffed.
"Why would I be jealous? If I were jealous would I ask you to stop..." I trailed off, thinking about the right word.
"Stop what, Anderson?" he breathed. It was then I realized how close he had come. I could feel his every breath on the side of my face.
I dared not move.
"Damn, how much I wish I didn't make that stupid bet right now?" he murmured, nuzzling my hair.
I sat there frozen. My body had lost all control over itself.
"Stop," I managed to say and closed my eyes.
He froze.
Then he pulled away. I peeked a look at him and my heart clenched at what I saw.
Guilt swirled in his eyes. I felt bad that I caused it.
"I'm sorry," he said softly. It was the second time he ever apologized to me. My eyes widened as I realized what he was thinking.
"Oh no. It's not like that!" I said quickly.
"Then what is it?"
I looked down on my lap, fiddling with my fingers.
"It's just... I don't wanna be a cheater," I mumbled. I couldn't do that to Evan. If anything happened between Asher right now, I would have regretted it forever. Or not.
He exhaled in relief.
"Well, come on then," he said, grabbing my hand and standing up.
I let him take me out of the room.
"Where are we going?"
"You got someone important to meet," he said. This time I didn't flinch or panic. I felt a little nervous, that's all.
I was ready for this.
But I wasn't ready for what I found there.
"What does this mean?" Asher asked, tracing the sign.
I knew exactly what that meant.
Dad.
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Okay, so this story has like only 10 or so chapters left (maybe even less). I'm so sad that this is coming to an end. It's such fun to write it and the most fun part is hearing your response! I love reading your comments and I read each and every one of them. I really appreciate the love you are giving Asher's Heart.❤❤ Thank you every one. All the commenters, voters, readers and even the ghost readers. I love you all. 😘😘
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