Asher King's life has revolved around putting up an involuntary mask to hide his true self. With successful parents boasting about his 'pretend' success, Asher feels as though the life he is living was never his to begin with, and a home of happines...
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"Oh my god, what is taking him so long?"
Sawyer, Vincent, and I have been waiting in the car for what feels like forever. It's tradition for me to drive the guys to school, so we are currently waiting outside Hayden's house. We are already thirty minutes late for school, and I can't say I'm surprised. I have no idea what he is doing; all I know is that Hayden Williams definitely runs on his own time.
"Vincent, have you tried calling him?" Sawyer questions as he starts growing impatient. One thing you should know about Sawyer is that he has the patience of a five-year-old, but that doesn't mean I love him any less. He's been with me since kindergarten, and probably will be all my life.
"Um...no," Vincent responds, unbothered as ever. He is sitting in the back seat with a book cracked open as usual. I always question how he got so bright, but that was before I realized I never see him doing anything else but reading. It's not typical of any football player if you ask me, but what can I say? We're a weird bunch.
"Leo, can you call him for me?" Sawyer groans impatiently, giving me playful puppy-dog eyes. He has his phone, but I'll do anything for my best friend.
"I'll just go up and knock on the door because I don't think a phone call will get through to him," I say and get out of the car.
When I reach the doorstep, I give three simple knocks on the door. I wait a couple of seconds, and there is no response. I check behind my shoulder to see if Hayden's parents' car is in the driveway, and when I see it isn't, the knocks get more restless. I pound on the door, not planning to let up until I see Hayden face to face.
"Hayden, come on, man. I know you're in there. I'm going to beat your ass for making me this late on my first day," I groan, still hammering the door and now spamming the doorbell.
It is only a second before I hear rustling and booming thumps like he is coming down the steps. The door swings open, and my jaw drops to the floor.
"What's up, Golden Boy? Sorry about the delay." Hayden says, all nonchalant and in no hurry at all.
Hayden is standing there with only a robe on, a cucumber face mask, and even little towels between his toes like you would get after a fresh pedicure.
"Dude..." I'm absolutely flabbergasted. "What are you even doing?"
"Duh, I'm pampering myself before the first day of school. This is my year to get any girl I want."
"You say that every year," I mumble.
"Hey, don't be a hater. Girls love a guy with great hygiene. I think I speak for both of us when I say–" he gestures to himself, "–that I am a guy with great attention to self-care."
I can't with him anymore. We are now almost forty minutes late to school because he is having a spa day for himself.
"Not that I'm against your spa day or whatever, but why did you pick the morning of the first day of school to do this?"
