Indecisive Heart

Chapter 26

I did a lot of thinking at practice that day. I decided I was just going to ignore Asher as if he never came to this school in the first place. He obviously isn't interested, and the more I dwell on my feelings for him, the more upset I'll be. Therefore, I must act like I never even knew him. It's for the best, considering I'm going to prom with Finn. I have to give him my undivided attention now. Maybe prom will be a good distraction for me.

Rory noticed I'd been quiet and came up to me after practice. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah," I said, "Just thinking."

"About Asher?" She pouted. "Yeah. I've decided I just need to forget about him. Completely and totally. It won't help if I just keep thinking about it, so I just have to act like I never even met him."

"Interesting thought." She pondered. "What? You don't like that idea?"

"Well, it's not that I don't like it, it's a good tactic, but I'm just saying maybe don't write him off completely yet. We don't know for sure why he's acting the way he is. Maybe it has nothing to do with you."

"But did you see the way he looked right at me and ignored me? That hurt!"

"When people are hurt they do hurtful things." She shrugged. "You can act like you never met him if you want, but maybe there's still a chance there. Even just to be friends, if nothing more. Let me do some snooping around and I'll see if I can figure out why he's acting this way. Don't give up hope just yet."

"How will you figure out why he's acting like that? The only people he ever talks to in school are Gia and me."

"I know people." She responded.

The next day I completely ignored Asher. I couldn't even recall what he was wearing because I didn't look at him once. He may or may not have tried to make eye contact with me at the beginning of english class, but I refused to look. I only saw him out of the corner of my eye. I stared straight ahead with a blank expression on my face as if I hadn't noticed he even entered the room. It hurts to act this way, considering how I really feel about him, but if he wants to play the cold shoulder, I can play too.

At practice that day I asked Rory if she learned anything about Asher's strange change of personality. "Not really. I heard a rumor that he wanted to ask Gia to prom but he was too late, one of the basketball guys already got to her. Although I'm not sure if that's the truth or not." Huh. Gia. I should have known. What boy does she not have a spell on in this school? And to think I thought Asher was different.

"Don't lose hope just yet, this was only day one." She consoled me. "Did you ignore him today? How'd that go?"

"Terrible. I wanted to look at him so badly. I think he was trying to make eye contact with me in english class but I didn't look. I only saw him in my peripheral vision. It's so hard to ignore someone you care about." Rory scoffed.

"What?" I asked.

"It's not so hard for Robbie to ignore someone he cares about. If he even cares about me." Uh-oh. Another Robbie dispute. I can only hint to her to ditch this guy in so many ways; I'm running out of ideas. "What do you mean Rory?"

She sighed. "He barely talks to me anymore. I ask him to hang out but by the time he responds to my texts it's too late for me to go out. He's just been so lazy with our relationship lately. It's like he doesn't even care anymore." Her eyes started to well, so I tried my best to comfort her. "Maybe he's just going through a rough patch or something. Everyone gets a little off sometimes."

"He still hasn't asked me to prom. I'm beginning to think he doesn't want to go with me at all." She sniffled. "Don't say that. I'm sure Robbie knows that you are the best prom date any guy could ask for. Maybe he's just waiting for a good moment." Rory let out a small chuckle. "Look at us, we changed positions. Now you're the optimistic one who believes in love and I'm the hopeless one who's giving up." We both laughed at that. "Well," I said, "Let's both take each other's advice and not give up just yet. If you won't, I won't."