NEVER MIND
ʚ chapter thirteen ɞ
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Emptiness was all Asher had felt over the past couple of days since Annie left. For the first time since high school he didn't know how to fulfill his day. He still had to upload videos but his mind wasn't working properly. He missed Annie like crazy and couldn't function without her.
He got up from his bed around twelve pm everyday whereas he normally gets out of bed around nine. He skipped breakfast and went straight outside to sit outside.
He enjoyed the afternoon sunlight shining on his bare chest. It gave him the peace nothing else could give him, other than Annie. It was the least he could do to stay healthy.
"Are you still upset about it? She's gone Asher and you know she won't come back any time soon. And when she comes back, do you really think she wants you if you look like this?" To both their surprise, Jayden went to check up on Asher.
"What?" Was all he said, even though he heard her loud and clear. Did he really look that bad?
"Your hair looks like it hasn't been brushed since she left and your eyes are like you have done drugs. Have you?" He didn't answer. "Asher? You are scaring me."
He shook his head. "Of course not. I would never." His tone was blank just like his face. No emotions were shown.
Jayden took a seat on the outside furniture next to Asher. She looked at him with all her concerns, he really did look bad. She laid her hand on his before taking in her hold.
She stood up and pulled his arm until it was straight. "I'm not getting up." Jayden gave her everything while Asher sat there like he wasn't doing anything.
"Yes you are and you are going to cooperate with me." He scoffed and tried to pull his hand back but Jayden only pulled on it harder. When he still didn't make a move she yanked at his arm.
"Ouch. You are hurting me." His expression was blank and it scared Jayden. "But for once in my life I will cooperate. Not for you but just because I don't have anything better to do in my life."
He got up after a lot of consideration. She knew Annie almost as good as him so she too knew that Annie didn't like untended people. That's one of the reasons why he always needed Annie's approval of his clothing.
Jayden took him to his bathroom and demanded him to sit on his counter close to his sink. She grabbed a wash cloth from his bottom drawer and wetted it. Asher was still confused as to what was going on but he trusted Jayden.
She rubbed the freezing cold wash cloth against his face and bare chest. He gasped loudly in response. He hasn't been exposed too any source of coldness for the past couple of day.
She rubbed his face to try and awaken him. He looked like he had slept for the past couple of days and he never woke up.
"Now, I want you to take a cold shower and I am making you something to eat." She walked away before he could talk back.
She knew he liked the way Annie cooked him eggs on toast. She grabbed all the necessities and pulled out her phone to dial Annie's number.
"Heya Anns. See, I was wondering how you always lame those delicious eggs on toast." Annie could barely hear Jayden due to the noise she made with the utensils and pans.
"One pan. He likes his toast toasted by the oven. Before you put the eggs in the pan, you whisk them slightly so they become a little fluffy." Annie said over the phone.
Jayden was pacing around the kitchen looking for everything she needs. "Where is the butter?"
"It's not in the utensil drawer Jayden. Try looking in the fridge." Jayden looked at Annie with an annoyed expression on her face.
She realized what she has been doing. Who looks in the utensil drawer for butter?
"Okay now what is this genius thing that you do with these eggs that makes the ice king melt for them?" Jayden sets the pan on the stove and already cracked two eggs in a cup.
"You will need three eggs. Put the heat on high and butter the pan. Make sure you put the bread in the oven now so it will be ready when the eggs are done."
It took Jayden at least five minutes before she figured out how to open the oven. "Which oven opens like this?"
Jayden had switched the call to a FaceTime so she could help Annie throughout her cooking journey. Just the sight of the house made Annie miss her home.
"Every oven does, Jayden. Now when you pour the eggs in the pan, you immediately start stirring the eggs for about thirty seconds. After those thirty seconds, you let the eggs simmer for a minute until they are almost fully cooked. Then you take the pan of the heat and spin it around in circles until the eggs are done. There you go, his favorite eggs are done. Don't forget the toast though."
Jayden nodded the whole way through Annie's story but forgot half of it when she was done. "So the eggs in the pan?" Annie nodded. "You're staying on the phone with me because I can't do this alone."
Annie nodded once again. She had asked Jayden if she should come too but Jayden refused. All Annie wanted to do was make his eggs and leave but Jayden didn't trust it.
She knew that if Annie had stepped one foot in the house, she would not want to leave again. Annie was still too emotionally unstable.
Without Jayden or Annie noticing, Asher was done showering and took place on the kitchen island behind Jayden.
He watched Annie as she sat on her bed in his favorite hoodie of hers. He thought the way it hugged her waist was perfect.
She had her hair up in a messy bun and her hood covered half of her head. The color of her hoodie made her eyes even browner than normal. Asher thought she looked perfect.
He hoped Annie misses him as much as he misses her. He doesn't miss people at all. They exist so why should you miss them? This was his first time really missing someone.
He hated the feeling of it. The constant pain of not having someone close to you, was bringing him down. Every second of every day he had missed her from the day she had left.
"Jeez, Asher. Why did you have to scare me like that?" Jayden puts her hand on her chest.
Asher had a blank expression. He wasn't doing anything, all he did was sit there. It wasn't his fault she had a bad conscience.
"For how long have you been sitting there?"
Asher shrugged his shoulders. He saw Jayden's phone still resting against the stove but Annie was gone. Jayden followed his gaze.
"Long enough apparently." There was a tone of sadness in her tone. She actually thought the shower would brighten him up but the sight of seeing her again ruined it.
"I'm fine, Jayden. I'm thankful for both of you for taking care of me after what I did." Jayden smiled at him but didn't succeed at making eye contact.
"What you did is unforgettable but I hate seeing a human being dragged down like that. I'm not supporting your decisions one bit."
"Neither do I, Jayden." He took a second of silence to swallow his tears. "I don't think any of you realize how much I regret it." He had his head hanging low so Jayden wouldn't see he was in the edge of tears.
Jayden pushed a plate with his favorite breakfast in front of him but he didn't budge. "Eat up. It will make you feel better." He tried to wipe away his tears without Jayden noticing.
He took a minute for himself before he tilted his head. Jayden could clearly see his tear stained face, he looked awful.
He slowly ate his eggs in silence, the only sound to be heard was their breath. He didn't want to feel this way, it broke him. It broke him in ways nothing else could.