NEVER MIND
ʚ chapter three ɞ
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Asher didn't hesitate a second. He ran out of the kitchen as fast as he could. He had to be careful with showering quickly because he couldn't imagine himself laying on the couch all day with one of his limbs all wrapped up.
The whole process of getting ready took Asher less than ten minutes, which was his record. Annie was shocked when she saw Asher walk out of his room within ten minutes.
"I know what I'm gonna use more often." Annie said, empathizing her promise to call Nick if he was quick. She shoved the plate filled with freshly cooked eggs on a perfectly toasted slice of bread under Asher's nose.
He inhaled the smell of deliciousness before digging in. He didn't want to be rude and shove it all in his mouth, but he couldn't resist. He tried his very best to eat it slowly and enjoy it but he found it too good to slow down.
"I know you're enjoying it. Just shove it all down, I don't care." She didn't have to tell Asher twice. Asher ate the eggs in rapid speed, still enjoyed every bite.
Annie shook her head with a smile on her face. She knew she needed to get ready too before Nick came so she walked her way to her room, ruffling Asher's hair when she walked pasted him.
It didn't take Annie long to get ready either. Nick was coming over any second now so Annie and Asher sat waiting in their living room.
"You're helping right?" Annie reassured Asher with a nod. There was a knock at the door. They both looked at each other and Annie could see it in Asher's eyes that he wanted her to open the door.
She got up without arguing with him about the fact Asher need to become more mature, but the thought definitely ran through her head.
"Hey Nick, come in." Annie waited for Nick to step in so she could close the door behind him. Meanwhile Asher had gotten up from the couch, now sitting down at the kitchen island.
The whole process of designing the merch went pretty smoothly. Everything Annie suggested, Asher and nick seemed to like and the other way around. They weren't quite there yet at the end but they made some good progress.
"What time are you leaving?" Annie was ordering dinner while Asher laid on the couch finishing the remaining editing he needed to do.
"Around ten, why?" Asher looked from underneath his laptop to Annie.
"No reason, just checking." Annie threw her phone to the other couch and grabbed the remote. She sinked further into the couch, pulling her blanket up until it met her face.
She knew Asher wouldn't like it if she watched television with the volume high so she kept it low, giving her mind the chance to drift off.
She thought about how times used to be when her and Asher were in high school. Their unscarred souls wandering around the hall of the school, having completely different problems than nowadays.
The worst that could happen to them was to get suspended for a few days, that's it. Annie shivered, thinking about the worst thing that could happen right now.
"You okay?" Asher felt Annie shiver from under the blanket they were sharing. Annie took a moment to completely understand the fact she got back into reality and gave Asher a small nod. "What happened?"
Annie shrugged her shoulders. "Don't worry about it, I'm fine." But Asher kept being worried, ignoring the fact that Annie told him she was fine.
"Are you cold? You shivered." Asher sat up straight so he could look in her eyes.
"No I'm not cold. I told you, I'm fine." Asher didn't believe her but didn't want to interrogate her about the fact she shivered.
"Okay, okay." Asher said with disbelief. He laid back down, watching Annie from the corner of his eye. He felt a weird urge to protect Annie, he felt as if she was too vulnerable to be alone.
Asher quickly pushed those thoughts out of his mind. What was he thinking? Annie is nineteen and never did she need protection because she was too vulnerable.
Time passed fast for the both of them. Their food arrived quickly after and before Asher knew it, there was a knock on the door.
"Call me if you need anything, okay?" Annie nodded and told him to not worry about her and that he should have fun.
Asher left, leaving Annie home alone. Annie didn't usually have a fear of being home alone but this time felt different. She knew deep down she was safe and nothing could happen to her, their house was strictly guarded.
But still, she couldn't let her thoughts go. It was a strange feeling she hadn't felt yet since she moved out to LA and nor was she liking it. Her body became strangely tingly, spreading throughout her body like fire.
She took a sip of her water, thinking deeply about why her body was behaving like it was. The only reason why was the feeling of being unsafe, which didn't make any sense to her.
She checked her phone to see the time, 10:15. Asher only left fifteen minutes, yet it felt like hours. Annie thought back at a life lessen Asher had taught her in high school, hands on your belly and breath.
Annie remembered the exact feeling of Asher's hands on her stomach, calming her more immediately. Her stomach grew and shrank while breathing to Asher's imaginary voice.
Annie heard a sound what sounded suspiciously like a door opening. She still heard Asher imaginary voice speak faded in her ear to breath in and out, when she felt a hand run through her hair from behind.
Annie's body stiffened and jumped, holding her hand to her heart. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you. What were you doing?" Asher walked his way around the couch so he could sit next to her on a reasonable distance.
"Nothing in particular." Asher knew Annie was lying when she focused her eyes on her fingers, messing with the end of her sleeve. Asher laid his hand on hers, shocked himself by his sudden actions.
Annie's eyes slowly but surely moved up to meet Asher's eyes, locking them together. Asher saw in Annie's eyes that she was scared, to say the least. "And now the truth?" Asher said, coming closer to Annie after each word he spoke.
Annie noticed and scooted further away from him everything he came a little closer. "I already told you the truth." Annie's hand twitched that was cupped by Asher so he automatically felt it too.
"Annie.." he slowly started. He didn't want to push her into telling him, but he needed to know. Annie broke their eye contact and stood up in one smooth motion, Asher followed quickly.
He grabbed both her hands in his and pulled her figure closer to him. They both felt the atmosphere change drastically when their eyes locked once more. Asher opened his mouth to speak but couldn't find any words that wouldn't make her uncomfortable. Instead, he blew his warm breath out hitting her in her neck.
It sent shivers down her spine, she was shocked by the feeling. Sure she had been in love before and felt shivers down her spine, but these were different. They felt much more meaningful, raw but still filled with emotions.
They both felt it, they both felt the intense atmosphere around them making them both feel at ease but oh so tense at the same time.
Asher pulled Annie closer, closing the gap between them completely. Annie felt comfortable in Asher's arms, too comfortable for her liking. She has always felt safe when she was around Asher, but this kind of safe? Never.
Asher lowered his head till it was met with Annie's forehead, closing his eyes as he felt their foreheads touch. He could feel Annie playing with the tips of his fingers, a smile forming on his lips.
"Ash..stop." Her voice was quiet but Asher heard her loud and clear. He knew exactly what she meant but it wasn't stopping him. He slowly shook his head against her forehead.
Asher leaned in further and further until both their body's connected on every place but their lips. Annie felt Asher's body warmth spread over hers
The room became brighter by the second. The night was almost over, making place for a new day. They should've already been asleep long ago and they both knew that, but their desire for each other was too strong.
The intense atmosphere in the room, their body's touching on every part of their body's except their lips, Annie playing with his fingertips while he was listening to her heartbeat beating on his chest.
All the signs were obviously present still were none of them taking the first step, both being too scared. It would change so much to their friendship and they both didn't want to risk it.
But Asher's desire for her was too strong in that exact moment. It was weirding him out, she was his assistant and best friend. Never had he felt these feelings before this strong.
He took a deep breath in, opening his eyes while blowing his warm breath on Annie's face. She was looking him straight in his eyes although his eyes were closed, and just now did he find out.
His heartbeat racing, feeling her heartbeat race just as hard on his chest. He couldn't take it no more.
☾
i haven't read this since i wrote it so it's probably bad but i will edit it later today
take care,
elle