Senior Standoff | RETIRED VERSION

Season 2 - Episode 1 | NOT REVISED

"How's your alcohol tolerance?" Asher asked me as soon as I opened the door.

"Look at me. Do I look like I can hold my liquor?" I replied. Asher passed through the doorway, eyes going up and down my body. He stared at me hard for a moment.

"No, you don't, but I thought I'd make sure. Word is that the next competition is to see who can pound back the most shots."

"Who's dying this year?"

Asher flashed a grin. "Hopefully no one, but, you know, natural selection."

I rolled my eyes. "Right."

"No need to worry; I can out-drink anyone in our class."

"I have no doubt about that."

Plenty of the rumors I'd heard about Asher were stories from when he was drunk. Apparently, there was one notorious day when he came to school so hungover that he could barely stand, and then puked all over the gym. According to all the stories, the night before had been even more noteworthy.

"Did you really piss on a cop car?" I asked. We started into my living room. No one else was home, so we had the house to ourselves.

"Well, that's what I've been told, but I was so wasted I can't remember the night at all," Asher said.

We sat on my couch, Asher slinging his arm across the back so it was practically around my shoulders.

I laughed as I said, "No wonder Ky doesn't like me hanging with you. He thinks you're going to be a terrible influence on me."

"Only if I'm lucky," he said, winking. A brief pause. "Really, you aren't the kind of girl to get pushed into something you don't want. He shouldn't worry about you."

I wasn't as sure I agreed.

We turned on Netflix to watch one of Asher's favorite movies. It wasn't my style. But, in return, he'd promised to watch a movie of my choice, so I agreed to stick it out through his action movie.

"These fights look stupid fake," I said, watching the laughable choreography. The actors just threw in fancy kicks to hide the fact they didn't actually know how what they were doing.

"Right, because you're some expert fighter," Asher said.

"No, but watching him, I could easily kick his ass," I said.

Asher grabbed my wrist. My eyes flicked up at him. "What are you doing?"

"Putting your money where your mouth is. Fight me. Break free."

"I didn't say I could beat you, just him because his technique looks like shit."

"Hey, I'm no expert, either."

He grabbed my other wrist and held both of my arms high above my head. From this position, I had no advantages.

"I'm not going to fight you," I said.

"Why?" he asked, grin devilish. "Afraid I'll do something like this?"

Lowering my arms, he pulled me in towards him and rolled both of us onto the floor. He had me pinned with his hands on my wrists and straddling my hips. Whoa. I wasn't sure how I felt about this one.

"Asher, you know how I feel about all this," I said.

"I know, and I'm not going to do anything to you, no matter how much I want to."

He watched me with a hint of a smile. Slowly, he started leaning towards me, making my heart jump in my chest. I was pinned, and he was going to kiss me. Part of me was dying of anticipation, just waiting for our lips to meet.