Chapter 23 - Secrets Are Secrets For A Reason
Kim's POV
Would my best friend be available to hang out today with little ole me?
Asher's text was the first to show up on my phone when I woke up in the morning. I rolled over in my bed, laying on my stomach and burring my face in the pillow. I may be awake but mentally I'm still asleep.
Asher's message was sent thirty minutes ago, so I don't think he'd mind another ten minutes for me to wake up. It's nine thirty something on Sunday morning. Usually on Sundays I stay home and do my homework and maybe, if I had time, I'd watch a TV show that I've missed over the week.
After those ten minutes I got out of my bed, slipped my warm wool slippers on my feet and walked down stairs, tying my cozy robe around me. The coffee pot was already plugged in so I figured my parents were already up. Once I poured and stirred my coffee, and sat on the couch I texted back Asher telling him I had just woken up.
That's cool. Are you doing anything today?
He texts back after a few minutes. Asher was never one to get back quickly.
Just homework. Need to catch up on some calculus.
I reply, taking a small sip of my coffee, leaning my head back and watching TV. My phone vibrated just on time, I hate commercials.
I want to hang out. Can we? I'll bring over your favorite hot coco.
I smiles, answering him back quickly, That would mean the world to me :D
Time passed, and not just five or ten minutes, but hours. I eventually started doing my homework. Strange, I thought Asher would have been over by now. I had well finished my calculus homework, I was catching up my reading now and taking down notes. I hated reading this way. I rather just enjoy a good book rather than having to stop every few paragraphs and analyzing it.
Finally a knock came on my door. My eyes glance quickly to the time on my laptop and then to the door, telling the person to come on in. Asher opens the door. Holding two to-go cups in his hand and a folded paper bag between his teeth. I chuckle at the sight, giving him a hand.
"I was wondering if you'd ever show up." I comment, "Come on, we can eat this in the kitchen." I suggest, nodding my head for him to follow.
"Ugh, I walked all the way up here for nothing then?" He complains, a small laugh at the end to assure me how easy going he is. "I'm sorry. I would have come earlier, but, uh, something came up." He says, nervously, following me down the stairs and to the kitchen.
I looked over at him curiously, wondering what could be the problem. Then I noticed two things off with him after I had asked, "Is everything alright." His fly was down, and the tee shirt he wore under his flannel looked inside out. When we surrounded the island, I took the hot chocolate from his hand and pointed it out for him. I could only imagine what he was doing these past three hours. "You didn't have to come by if you were busy entertaining. I wouldn't have minded." I said while savoring a small sip of my favorite hot coco from Starbucks. Yes, I'm that white nerdy girl.
"No, it's not like that." He said after a long awkward moment and zipping his pants up. "I've been doing the laundry at home and I don't really know how to fold clothes." He excuses, fixing his tee shirt as well. He didn't have to lie, I thought. I distract myself by looking down at my phone so he could have a moment to change. In front of me. Really crossing a line there. "Should I have changed in the bathroom?" He wonders.
"You should of." I snicker playfully, keeping my eyes down on my phone. When I figured he was through, I looked back up to see what he had in the paper bag.
"A little something extra for being hours late." He tells me, when I peek in the bag.
"Oo, coffee roll!" I gasp, a happy smile on my face, "You're trying to fatten me up, aren't you?" I tease, getting a plate so I could warm it up in the microwave. Like Thanksgiving wasn't enough.
"I know it's your favorite pastry." He shrugs, leaning over the counter. "So what have you been up to this weekend?" He questions.
"I hung out with Spencer yesterday." I tell him. Remembering that reminded me of the story he told me. I wondered if Asher had known. He must have, since Tyler thought Asher told me. "Hey, I want to talk to you about something." I said, grabbing the giant coffee roll from the microwave and in front of the seat I was going to take.
"What now?" Asher sighs, rolling his eyes, "To be honest what I did this morning really isn't your business, and besides you're the one-"
"Asher it has nothing to do with us." I interrupt before he continued longer. I faintly snickered, holding my hand up to him to assure he didn't have to continue.
"Oh. So what is it then?" He asks, sitting in the seat across from me.
"It's about Tyler." I mutter, ripping a piece of sweetness and then sliding the plate across to share with Asher.
He took a deep breath, shaking his head, "He already called to yell at me about yesterday." He says to me, taking a piece bigger than mine. "You know it wasn't my place to tell."
"I know." I say nodding my head, "I'm not mad at you for telling me. I just wanted to talk about it. How did it all happen? I can't remember a time when he acted different."
"It was a while ago, Kim. You won't remember." Asher explains, passing the plate to me. "It was during the end of seventh grade. I think you left early to go on vacation with your family or something. I was hanging out with Ty after school and his dad came home, asked my mom to pick me up and take me home so he could be with Tyler and Chase and break the news to them. That night before I went to bed I begged my mom to tell me and she did. She told me what happened, and then Ty wasn't in on the last day of school. I didn't see him for over a week but when I finally did I got him to tell me what I already knew and then that's when I realized he didn't want anybody knowing, and he didn't intend on telling anyone else."
The story seemed so simple. Yet, I couldn't begin to imagine what could have went on in that twelve year old's head. I also couldn't imagine how heartbroken Ty must have felt all summer and beyond that. "A year or so later Tyler's father moved on. Goes to Florida with the boys, marries Spencer's mom, and present day." I wrapped up, including the major events. "I can't believe Spencer all this time hasn't said a word. Uproot your whole life to move to a different state, move in with people you barely know, make new friends, and live every day of your life not able to say, 'that's my step brother over there.' Horrible and so sad."
"Spencer could have opened his mouth whenever he wanted. He could have told you-"
"That's where you're wrong. Before Spencer told me Tyler threatened him not to tell me. Said it wasn't his secrets to tell. Spencer was just being a respectful guy." I defended quickly.
Asher stayed silent for a moment, looking away and taking a deep breath, "Yep. Best guy of the year award." He mutters.
I held my mug tightly between my two hands, looking down at the beverage with steam escaping it. I could feel my cheek heat up, nonetheless, turning red, and Asher noticed. "I don't think you want to know." I mumbled, taking a small sip of my hot coco. The hot liquid was felt going down my throat, making my insides feel warm.
"Of course I want to know. I always want to know what you're thinking about." He told me. I don't know how true those words are, because I know he wouldn't want to hear about Spencer and I's little exchange yesterday.
"Trust me, Ash. I know you don't to hear me talking about Spencer." I said with a faint and short giggle.
"Probably not then." He mutters into his mug before taking a sip. I can tell the expression on his face was absolute annoyance. I didn't want it to always be like this. I didn't want him to look annoyed or pissed when I mention Spencer's name.
"He makes me happy, Asher." I tell him, because I would think my best friend would like to hear that at least. That's what should matter, right?
"Don't I make you happy?" He scoffs, leaning back on his seat, rubbing his eyes.
"You do. You've always known how to keep me happy. But there's something Spencer says or does that makes me happy too. Things that touch my heart." I mutter, absent mindedly, tracing my finger around the edge of the mug. At the same time it looked like Asher and I both wanted to say something, but he stopped and allowed my words to flow out of my mouth without his interruption. "He told me he loves me. Yesterday, after telling me about Tyler. I think it was his way of letting me in now that I know. You're always the first person I tell my secrets to and I know you're not a big fan of him, but I would rather you hear it from me than just hearing it in the hall or whatever Tyler snitches to you about."
I didn't want to look up at his face. To see the emotions completely evident on his face for me to see. I didn't it to ruin the feeling fluttering in my stomach. "And you said it back?" I nodded my eyes, eyes looking down at my mug as I took a sip and then back to him, "Great Kim. Great for you." He said with a lack of happiness and encouragement.
The moment of awkwardness hit us like a thousand bricks. I could feel how tense the atmosphere up. So I decided to bring old conversation back, hoping it'd lighten up the situation. "I'm shocked you didn't tell me Tyler's secret. You typically tell me everything. Can't keep that big mouth shut." I chuckle, stealing more of the coffee roll.
His eyes flickered up to me, a little sad I thought, or maybe just tired, he looks tired, "I do not." He snickers, shaking his head at me
"Do too. Member the time you told me Tyler stole his dad's Margareta set. You told me don't say a word where it came from, or Tyler would kill you and then me. Another time you told me Tyler was out sick with mono for a week after he convinced everyone he attended some special secret football program. Or the time that you and Tyler bought weed-"
"Alright, alright, I can't keep a secret." He admits, holding his hands in surrender.
"Now that frightens me. I wonder how many of my secrets you've told." I tell him, stuffing a large piece of pastry in my mouth and a small sip of hot coco. He nervously looks away, scratching the back of his head and commenting on a stupid piece of art work we've had for years on the dining room wall. "I can't believe you! You are so bad. What secret did you tell?"
"It wasn't a bad one." He defended, his voice rising a few octaves up.
"Spill it, come on." I encouraged.
"I might have told Dylan and Tyler that you still wore underwear with little rainbows and unicorns on them, but that was like freshman year, I doubt they even remember it." He said quickly, getting up from his seat and walking away to hide in shame.
"OH MY GOSH! How could you?! Asher that's so humiliating! What do you mean by might have?" I asked, stalking behind him.
"Might have, meaning; have. And might, meaning; the football team could know too." He said in a small voice, ducking behind the couch after he spoke his last words.
"Asher Michael Knight you are so dead!" I shout, grabbing a pillow to smack him with. "You better pray to God that they have no recollection of your secret telling."
"Hey it's not the worst that's been said." He informs me, smacking the pillow out of my hand.
"What's the worst?" I ask, grabbing the pillow off the floor.
He scoffs, pointing to me bewildered, "You hit me for telling secrets and now you encourage me to spill them. This is why I can't keep my so-called big mouth shut. You're a bad influence."
"Secrets die with me though. You on the other hand." I said, trailing off. I walked back to the kitchen to grab my hot chocolate and sit on the couch.
"Spare me. I kept Tyler's secret for a very long time. Almost five years, you know how hard that is for me?" He proclaims, putting a hand over his heart for extra dramatics.
"It's a good thing you're not keen on gossip." I mutter, curling up at the corner of the couch.
"Nah, your secrets are all safe with me. Even that first time you got drunk and said my dad was...h...hot." He gagged, hanging over the couch.
"Shut up! Your dad is a good looking man for his age. Like John Stamos!" I said, this time fully sober. Minus the .001% alcohol in my body from the mouth wash I used this morning. Probably all filtered out though.
"Stop, seriously or I'm going to puke right here and now. Next you'll be saying my mom is a MILF." He said with a shudder.
"Didn't come out of my mouth." I muttered, hiding my amused smile in the mug. He got up, leaving his mug on the coffee table. Walking out of the room without another word. "Where are you going?" I ask curiously, turning my head to follow his movements.
"To wake myself up from this nightmare and then hang myself. Maybe even ECT or lobotomy." He shouts, walking to the bathroom. Well, at least we know he's enjoying psychology class.
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