The Jerk Next Door

Chapter 26: Tiring Day

Maksean

"So, would it be alright?" I stood in the middle of the living room with my dad and Adrian on the couch in front of me. I told them about Candy's Dinner needing a new waitress. Dad had already heard me mention wanting to get a job, but after everything he didn't seem so sure. "Please, I can talk to the lady tomorrow and work out when I can start. I'll even let her know about band so it won't be in the way, and once the season's over we won't even have to worry about it." I bargain, hoping it satisfies their question.

I watch the two adults look at each other as if having some mental conversation. Their eyes flying around the room to my confused stature then back to each other. They were some weird people. When whatever it was they were doing was over with, both turned their head to look at me. My father cleaned his throat and with a confident voice he gave his statement.

"Yeah, I guess you can." He shook his head and waved me over. "But you are going to have to fill out all the paperwork yourself."

I cheered and wrapped my arms around my father who patted my back before saying something about wanting to get dinner started. I sat on the couch with Adrain, talking about different things when she suggested I go let Asher know about being about to work. I wasn't sure why she insisted on it, but she was sure it would be okay. So with that I went to my room.

Upon closing the door I noticed an astray of items sprawled out on my bed. One peanut butter cup the size of my hand, two bracelets that matched each other, six hershey's kisses, and one orange lily. All laid out to form a heart.

"Miss, Adrian?" I called out as I picked the flower up. It was so beautiful and fragile. I was almost scared to move it; afraid my clumsiness would destroy it.

"Yes, dear?" My step mother's voice stopped once she saw what I had called her for. "Well, took you long enough. Now open your window and call your boyfriend. You talked a lot about that dinner job and he's been waiting for you to call."

Confused, I watched her leave with a large, devilish grin. I shook my head and made my way to the window. Moving the curtains aside, I pulled out my phone to call Asher.

Before I could press the call button I was distracted by the sight from the opposite side of his own window. Asher shirtless on his bed, bare back against headboard, reading. His hair was pushed far back out of his eyes and somehow secured in place. I almost didn't want to call him; to disturb him from the peace he seemed to be in.

Though, after a few moments of staring I didn't have to. Asher had looked over for his book, looking right out his window. My clumsy self freaked out and almost fell over backwards at the sight of him catching me staring. I didn't see him close his book nor watched as he grabbed his phone. My brain hadn't caught up with anything until a familiar tone sounded off from my hand. Asher's smiling face appeared on my phone and when I looked back up to find him sitting on his bed waiting for me to pick up.

"Hello?" I asked softly once I remembered how phones worked.
"Hi, I guess you saw my surprise." He stated, getting up to wander around his room. His voice was rough, and deeper than earlier.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I did. Thank you." I mentally slapped myself at my embarrassing way of making conversation. "Why and how did you do all of this?"

"Well, I brought the candies and bracelets and ordered the flower, but Miss Adrian went to pick up the flower and set it all up on your bed for me. And I just felt like you could use a little something after the past week." He stopped moving around to look at me once more. I watched as he bent down to pick some white material off the floor. I was confused until he sat the phone down to slip it on over his head. A shirt.