Beautiful Stranger

"Chapter 3: My Eyes are Welling up as you Admit There's Someone new."

'Well, that was quite... interesting. 'Asher thought. 'I guess I was just a friend to Charles.' Nothing special was happening between them. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. He didn't mean a thing to Charles. Absolutely nothing, right? He looked up at the stars in the night sky and sighed. A tear rolled gradually on his cheek. He shouldn't be crying about this. But why, why did he feel a certain type of feeling around him? Was he attached to him? He was so special to him, but for what reason? He was just some teenager around his age who took his order at a café, why did it have to spiral down like this? As tears flew down his face, he saw at the corner of his eyes a familiar man, Charles. Asher began to run away; he couldn't let Charles see through his façade. He ran. Ran as fast as his little legs could take him. Tears falling as he ran, trying to hold it in. He could hear Charles screaming his name, pleading him to come back, trying to explain the situation.

But Asher kept running, blocking out whatever was coming out of Charles' mouth. He passed two girls on the sidewalk, nearly bumping into them. "Sorry. I'm so sorry." He kept running but noticed Charles slowing down. Why was he stopping? As Asher's legs slowly gave out, he halted, confused at the sight behind him, Charles was looking at another girl. A girl around his height, carrying books beside a slightly taller figure.

Asher couldn't make out who they were, but the only thing rushing through his head was, 'Why?' Why did Charles have to play with his feelings like that? Why did Charles make him feel like he was a living angel on earth? Why did Charles make him feel so loved? Every question made his vision blurry; he wipes his eyes with his arm, viewing the sight in front of him. He began running again, feeling a rush of emotion hurl through him, breathing loud and low, making a sob as he heard footsteps behind him, feeling a familiar sense of warmth, Charles was on the hunt for him again. He felt himself grow louder, falling to the floor at one point, just crying in the rain. Why did he have to love him? Why did he have to fall for the first man that gave him comfort? He was right, he was straight, he could've fallen for anyone but him. It reeked him of pain, making him completely lose himself like he lost himself in Charles.

He'd stare at his deep brown eyes any chance he could, now he couldn't even do the one thing he loves about Charles. As he sobbed in his chest, he could feel a deep overwhelming above him, taking him like how Charles took him in when it was raining. Charles didn't take him in this time, he left him crying in the rain, eyes red fully. As his hearing deafened, he felt a tap on his shoulder, knowing at once the feeling of glow, he tried his best to flee away from him, feeling more tears swell up in his eyes. He couldn't love a man like Charles, he can't love. Why can't Charles just like him? Why would he go with one of my friends? Why did he aim for Natasha? Anger rushed through his head, crying led him to anger, feeling every bit of tears fizzle into the sand as he slowly stood up. He tried to look Charles in the eyes, but he didn't; he couldn't.

"I hate you, Charles." He walked away, leaving Charles destroyed, just like how he made him feel. Powerless, weak, and an absolute sobbing mess. As tears began welling up in his eyes, he couldn't believe the situation he just left Charles in. He began picturing being with Charles in the café again, laughing and eating the pie he gave him, just a simple teenager having a crush on someone. He began to sob again, what did Charles do that made him feel like he was on Cloud 9? It drove him insane; he wished Charles could be his again, but he doesn't think that'll happen again. "I-I hate him." He said, while sobbing through his words, stuttering as he spoke. He couldn't even say it with a straight tone, he sobbed. His sobs weakening as he fell to the ground, knowing how betrayed he felt from him, he felt powerless in his horror. He felt weak, as he couldn't get the guts to trust again. He hated him, right?

He was in front of his building complex the next minute, escaping to his dorm and locked his door. He flopped onto his bed, looking up to his phone buzzing. It was probably Charles, but that didn't matter to him, this was calamity. 'I don't even have his number, who's texting me?' He glazed at his phone, viewing texts from several of his friends, texts ranging to answers to deep psychological questions, Asher wasn't having any of it. He was sick and tired of today, what else could screw him over even more. Sophia was in a loaf position, lying in his bed and probably staring into the blue. Asher felt so tired after the chase, after the sadness and anger. He just wanted to take a big nap and stay like that forever. He still thought of Charles, of what they could've become. But it was just an 'if' not reality. His last thoughts were about Charles, wondering and overthinking what they could've been in another universe. But Asher needed some rest after that horrible night, so he played some relaxing jazz music from Laufey, and drifted off to sleep. He needed it.