looking for forever

chapter no.24

goodbyes and good news

"Hallelujah! It's the weekend." Sierra cried as she ran out of her seventh period art class. Kelly followed her best friend and laughed with her as the halls began to flood with excited students who wanted to get home.

Andrew caught up with them and put his arm around their shoulders.

"Hello, my two favorite ladies. It's the first weekend of the school year." Andrew told them. They both laughed, walking out to the foyer together. They were almost to the car when Asher ran up to them.

"Hey, guys." Asher said, barely glancing at Andrew's arm over Kelly's shoulder. Even though it was only a friendly gesture, Kelly had expected Asher to react more rashly. "I'm not gonna be going home just yet, got a football meeting to attend." Asher said quickly.

Why would Asher be going to a football meeting instead of practice? Maybe he meant practice?

"I'll see you at your house." Asher said to Kelly. Kelly smiled and Asher ran away, in the opposite direction of the field Kelly noticed.

"That was weird." Sierra said, reading Kelly's thoughts. Andrew nodded, Kelly just stared straight ahead.

Why didn't it looked like he cared about Andrew's gesture? And why isn't he going to practice like normal?

"Why isn't Asher going to practice like normal?" Kelly whispered, drawing the attention of her two closest friends.

"That's exactly what I was thinking." Sierra said, confirming Kelly's suspicion.

"Football practice is held on the field and it's happening right now. He doesn't have time to go anywhere else before practice. What is he doing?" Kelly said, trying to brainstorm ideas. "I'll ask when he gets home. I'll text you when I know, I promise." Kelly said.

❁❁❁

Kelly was doing her weekend homework for trig when Asher got home. He wasn't sweaty, he wasn't breathing heavily, and there wasn't a smile on his face. He definitely had not been at football practice.

"Where have you been?" Kelly asked, masking her annoyance with faux concern.

"Football." Asher said simply. He didn't smile.

"Not practice." Kelly argued. Asher sighed and sat down in a chair near where Kelly stood.

"A meeting." Asher said, repeating his words from earlier.

"What does that mean?" Kelly pressed, completely forgetting about her homework. A distraught boyfriend is much more important than finding what angle the theta symbol represents.

"It means we talked about my future in the football career at Jackson High." Asher said, his eyes seemed glued to the floor, he refused to look up as he said it.

"Like they want you to play professionally?" Kelly asked, about to get excited for her boyfriend.

"Like I'm not gonna be playing for their school anymore because I'm moving." Asher said. Kelly's breath was gone. She stared at him with disbelief. This was not happening. She couldn't lose Andrew and Asher in the same summer. This was too much loss to handle.