The Price of Popularity (BoyxBoy)

{17}

‘Are you dating Jess yet?’ Chad asked with tone that almost insisted it be accompanied by an eye roll. Chad had been asking that same question for weeks and it was starting – no, it was continuing, to piss Asher off.

It seemed that he did a too good of a job on his reputation as a ladies man since everyone was flabbergasted at the mere idea of him just being friends with a girl. When he said they were just friends he imagined their internal judgement of him, a jury of one accusing him of lying his pants off. Yet, he continued to say it because he didn’t have anything better to say. Plus, it was the truth.

Asher pushed back the strong urge to slap Chad as he waited for Asher to reply. The almost smug look on Chad’s face making Asher realise that Chad had finally thought he had cracked him and that Asher was going to spill it out; oh of course we are dating, we’ve been sleeping together for weeks!, Chad expected him to say. He took a breath instead and replied for the thousandth time; ‘We are just friends.’

Chad looked the tiniest big defeated but shrugged none the less and the tension between them faded after a few moments. Asher knew that Chad was just expecting Asher to be the infamous ladies’ man Asher. Chad was expecting the guy who Asher had pretended to be since their first meeting. He was expecting the guy who dated, for the majority, college girls. Oh, and the guy who could never turn up to parties on the weekend because he was too busy between the sheets with some random girl he had met the day before. He was expecting a reply from Asher the manwhore and so hearing the reply of Just Friends was not what he was expecting.    

Chad looked down at his phone and began typing profusely into the device. That left Asher alone with his thoughts and so he just moved his gaze around him, desperate to stop analysing the mask he wore daily.

The small café around them was bustling with activity. Most of the tables were occupied with people that they knew from school, all getting their daily boost of caffeine after a hard days schooling. The café was one of Asher’s favourite places with it’s dark wood booths and large industrial lights which hung precariously from the ceiling above them. Beth, Jess and Leon were collecting their drinks from the counter and Asher would be glad when they came back to the table, he needed the distraction. From Chad and also the knowledge that Danny would be starting at the school in three days’ time. Three days to figure something out, anything.

‘You haven’t spoken about being with any other girls since you met her and I think there must be a reason for that,’ Chad said suddenly, his words drawing Asher from his mind.

He looked over at Jess. She was standing at the counter with a friendly smile on her face as one of the baristas handed her two coffee’s. There was something about their friendship that made it feel real. Maybe it was that they were both damaged, that they had been pushed into the face of adversity and brought themselves back. Albeit, Jess had done a better job at regaining her feet than Asher ever did. 

‘It’s not like that with her,’ Asher replied.

Chad didn’t say anything further because their friends were joining them again.

Jess handed Asher his coffee with a smile and sat down next to him, ‘What are you two talking about?’

‘Just how happy I am that I passed the history test,’ he lied easily. Well it wasn’t fully a lie. He was happy that he had passed that test. More than happy.

Chad smirked, ‘I guess those tutoring sessions really helped!’

Jess was oblivious to Chad’s innuendo and just beamed at Asher, ‘I knew you could do it. Who knew that a couple hours studying would actually pay off?’