Scattering Lilac Ashes

Chapter One Hundred and Seventeen

Friday seemed to fly by despite Lila's mind still being occupied in the background with the feeling of Asher's kisses. She robotically took her notes and completed her exercises, earning confused looks from Grace and Elise in Modern History when she didn't engage in their chatter, and approving looks from her various teachers. If those teachers knew what she was truly thinking about, they probably wouldn't be so pleased.

Asher seemed fit to burst with alarming amounts of energy as he waited by her locker at lunchtime, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Whoa," Lila chuckled, placing her things into her locker. "You seem excited about something."

He immediately stopped his movements. "Excited... isn't exactly the right word. More... like... I've got this whole bunch of anxious energy."

"Anxious?"

"Well, yeah," he said seriously, surveying the locker room briefly. "I spoke to the Headmaster," he whispered close to her ear, sending a rush of goosebumps down her neck.

"O-Oh," Lila uttered, stepping back slightly and bringing a hand to her neck in an effort to calm her down. "Right. That was supposed to happen today."

"Yeah. We need to talk about it, but... not here in the locker room."

Lila nodded, accepting the lunchbox he gave her. "Well, let's not hang around here, then."

He grabbed her free hand and they started to take their leave when they passed Elise and Isaac, who looked deep in conversation and definitely hadn't noticed either of them. Lila smirked at Asher, gesturing to them, and he smiled back. It seemed that their lunches without Lila and Asher were having the desired effect.

"See you guys later," Lila called, startling them both. They looked back at her with wide, almost panicked eyes and identical blushes gracing their faces.

"Bye," Elise replied, glancing at Isaac before giving Lila and Asher a wave. They both waved back before departing through the locker room doors.

"They're getting along well, aren't they?" Lila grinned. "Maybe we don't need to do anything at all."

Asher laughed. "Maybe... but it wouldn't hurt to try."

"That's true. We can make certain that they're on the right track, at least."

They reached the same path that stumped Asher yesterday, though today he confidently strode towards the library, with Lila struggling to catch up.

"Library today?" she queried. He looked back down at her, his cheeks turning slightly pink.

"Yeah," he nodded. "Can't really talk out in the open."

Lila nodded in response, though she did feel slightly disappointed. It sounded like they wouldn't be taking the opportunity to take advantage of the private space, given Asher's comment about not being able to 'talk' out in the open.

They managed to find an empty meeting room, though Lila did notice that they were beginning to fill up far more quickly than usual. Her mind drifted back to Isaac's insistence that they find a private place... If they needed a private spot for more private conversations, where else could they even go?

"Did you want it warmed up?"

Asher's voice abruptly stopped her musings. She looked over at what he was holding, seeing that it was a Thai chicken basil stir fry.

"Only if you're warming yours up," she replied. "It's okay if not, though."

He stood up immediately, grabbing both their containers. "I'll be right back," he said softly, leaving without wasting any time.