{Banana Smoothie} ✔️

Chapter 7

October 12th

Asher's POV

Everybody has been acting differently, I touch the bandage that was placed over my bruised cheek. Since I have such a frail body and a bad immune system it takes forever for bruises to heal.

I sigh walking through the house as everybody gives me sympathetic looks. Dad is still trying to calm papa who will randomly bursts into sobs, both blaming themselves.

I always screw everything up. Atlas beat Reggie practically to death they had to have four people pull him off of his unconscious body. Ever since then he has refused to talk to me. I wake up to a banana smoothie on my nightstand my meds already in it, but that's all.

Uncle Ron was playing with Imani and Isla as they both chased after each other. I walked past not wanting to ruin their moment together. I was moving so quickly I knocked right into EJ and he fell to the floor with a gasp.

"Fiddlesticks I'm so sorry" I rush out picking the child up. "It okie" he smiles hugging me. I set him on my hip before continuing down the hall.  "Where we going," he asks and I look around the hall.  "I really don't know" I choke out before coming to a stop.  "Hey, why don't you go play with Isla and Imani in the common room" I giggle tickling his stomach.

He giggles back a high pitch squeal coming after.  "Ok" as I let him down to the ground, he goes running off.  "Does anybody here actually love me" I let out a sad laugh while trekking down the hall taking a turn towards the back of the manor. 

We rarely went back here so it was a good place to let out my emotions.  "Papa and dad just felt pity for me... they blame themselves for what!?" I groan into my hands.

"Atlas won't talk to me!  All the adults just give me sympathetic looks... I don't care Reggie could have done what he wanted with me, it didn't matter to me" I shout slamming my back against the wall.

Pulling my head down I begin sobbing "he can do whatever he wants to me... I just want everybody to not hate me" I continued crying.  "I bet if the toddlers knew what was going on they would hate me too" I sniffle to myself.

"Why am I the one suffering" I wipe my tears only for them to be replaced with new ones.  It's sad to know the one affecting me the most is Atlas ignoring me... I love him.  "I love him" I repeat out loud this time.

Quieting myself down I was able to calm my breathing.  I walk back just letting my feet guide me wherever.  Surprised when I look up to see Atlas's door.  Timidly raising my fist I knock twice.  "Come in" he shouts, and I shakily open the door stepping in, only to close it behind me. 

Atlas was sitting on his bed.... shirtless.  I wait for him to turn once he sees... me. His smile drops.  Atlas gets off of the bed taking a few steps closer.  Letting out a sigh of disappointment? Sadness? Anger? I let out another cry before turning to grab the doorknob.

Before I can get out the door is slammed shut again.  "What's going on," he asks his voice caring.  I drop to my knees and sob.  "Woah, Woah, Woah! Ash what happened" he asks right before picking me up. 

I just cry as he drops me onto his bed.  Sitting down next to me. I crawl over to him putting my head on his chest.  "I'm sorry I made you mad, but I don't want you to hate me" I whisper getting pushed away.

"Look at me" His voice serious and gruff as I stare into his eyes.  "I don't hate you... I just don't know what to do.." he trails off.  "What do you mean" I pry giving him a confused look as he wipes some of my tears away.

"What would I have done if I would have lost you if he would have gotten away with what he did.... a month you had to deal with that, and I did nothing" anger starts to boil up in him and I tackle him, so he's on his back.

Laying on his chest I listen to the beating of his heart.  "Please don't ignore me anymore" I whisper his hands dropping onto my back.  "I won't Ash" he rubs his hands up and down my back as I breathe lightly onto his... bare chest... I'm on his bare chest! Why is he so hot.... let's focus on important things here... I mean this is important, but.

"Do you think everybody else hates me?" I ask his hand freezing on my back.  "No, I know my papa is just having a hard time because he went through similar things... that's also why dad is very distant, and I'm pretty sure everybody just feels bad for not helping you" he tries to explain as I attempt to nod along.

His hand goes to rubbing my back again while the other starts to play with my curls.  "Hmm" I hum in response tensing up afterwards that was so embarrassing.  "It was cute don't worry" he read my mind making me blush even more.

I felt better, but at the same time until everybody actually makes an effort to talk to me I know deep down I'm going to think they hate me. "What else is on your mind" he mumbles as I graze my hand across his chest laying my arm over his shoulder.

"My parents blame themselves" I whisper trying not to cry again. "They feel bad... because they both believe you don't trust them enough to tell them that's why" he explains as I close my eyes listening. "Wh- how do you know that?" I blurt out getting a heavy breath in exchange. His chest rising my body moving with it.

"Because I feel the same way" he whispers the sadness easily heard in his voice. My grip on his shoulder tighten. "I trust you all... I just didn't want to get in your way... I didn't want to be useless anymore" the last part barely escapes my mouth.

"Asher Wren! You are not useless!" He shouts his hands grabbing my sides to pull me up closer to his face. I slide up his body easily and he smiles once we're face to face.... so close.

Without a warning, he kisses my forehead lightly. "I'm so sorry" he mutters in my ear while I lay my hands on both his shoulders. "It's not your fault" I try to reassure him, but he just sighs.

"I'm not leaving you with anyone ever again" he whispers our eyes meeting again and once again I wish I could just kiss him.  I wish my body would just go for it. 

"I don't want to be with anyone else anyways" I huff with one long heavy breath.  He smirks in response his hands that were previously on my back inching a tad lower.

I knew he was just trying to comfort me, but it was so hard not to blush.  I'm so pale too.... it just gives it away so flipping easily. Dropping my head into the crevice of his neck I steady my breathing.

"Are you okay?" Atlas asks making me freeze... can he read my mind... wait no stop being stupid. "What do y-you mean" I curse myself for stuttering. "You're breathing on my neck I can tell you're trying to calm yourself down" he laughs his very amazingly hot laugh.

Ughhh... I'm such an idiot of course he would be able to tell. "Yeah, I was just thinking about it all and need to calm myself" I lie kinda, technically wasn't really lying though.

"Oh okay," he relaxes his hands going even closer to the bottom of my shirt.  And now I need to calm myself again. He is just comforting you.  You guys just have..... a great friendship together! Why would he like you like that!? Why would anybody like me like that!?! I mean..... I'm not the most attractive, especially in this family.

Okay, I'm calm now...   picking my head back up and out of his neck I prop myself up on his chest so we can stay face to face at a rather close distance.  "Are they going to allow you back at school" Atlas jumps back into a conversation and I nod shyly.  "Yeah since... R-Reggie is gone, and I technically didn't break the buddy system, so they couldn't break their part of the deal" I explain and he nods.

"I should have never let you go with him" his smile turns into a scowl quickly.  "How did you even know," I ask genuinely curious.  "Ash you would have told me if you had a friend" he reminds me that I literally tell him everything.

"Plus the way you looked back at me.... you practically looked like you were calling for help.... that look broke my heart"

^^^I'd say progress in the Atler relationship