The Girl he Wants

32- Big Misunderstanding.

***ASHER'S P.O.V***

    Hanes's steely expression only hardens when he sees his little sister walking away, and Asher knows he is going to follow her. He leaps in front of Hanes just as Hanes is about to rush after her, and he says, "You've done enough." He presses his hand against Hanes's chest; otherwise, the older boy would've rammed right into him.

   Hanes doesn't think of it like that, though. He growls under his heated breath. "Don't you dare touch me, dickhead."

   Hanes's intense gaze alone makes Asher's hand fall to his side. Somehow though, Asher still has the courage to stand his ground and remain in front of the towering brother. "Sorry, man. But, really, I didn't sleep with your sister. Even though it may not seem like it, I do have respect for her."

   Hanes hesitates. "Move out of my way."

   "I said you've done enough. Really, you following Elizabeth won't help the situation." Asher tells him truthfully, trying his best to keep his voice steady. Still, Hanes doesn't budge. The only time he moves an inch is when his brother Sam touches his shoulder.

   "He's right, Hanes." Sam shakes his head when his brother meets his gaze angrily. "We shouldn't have believed the rumors anyways. Who even started them?"

   Hanes, still looking frustrated and scary as hell, shrugs and glares at Sam. Sam then turns his head to Jay. Next, Jay awkwardly shifts his weight and glares over at the table where Finn sits. After everyone's eyes are on Finn, he frantically raises his hands in innocence and points to Willow, whose face is almost as red as her hair. She is seated at a table with a bunch of her girl friends, but all of their eyes are on the scene except Willow's. Her eyes are staring down at her hands in her lap.

   Asher didn't even realize it, but Natalie and Ruth are standing around with the rest of the group, and follow Hanes when he moves over to the group of girls and stares down at Willow. "Did you start these rumors?"

   Willow glances up, but when her crystal eyes spy the large amount of glares that are on her, she quickly flickers her gaze back down. "I really thought I heard her say she had sex with Asher while she was talking on the phone. I wasn't lying."

   Asher narrows his eyes, but Hanes is the one to speak. "Are you sure that is what you heard?"

    "I heard her say that Asher loved her, and I suspected that mean they had sex. They're, like, the same thing." Willow shrugs, her small lips contorting into a deep frown.

   Asher's breathing stops and he fears during the moment of silence after her statement that everyone might turn to him and ask him if he really loves Elizabeth. If that was the case, all his walls would probably crumble right here and now that he's been trying so hard to keep up. Thankfully, though, Sam speaks up and laughs it off. "Look, Willow, I think you misheard. There's no way Asher loves Elizabeth, and there's no way they had sex, either. And even if they did, it's not your place to be spreading the news."

   Willow meets his gaze, her eyes pleading for forgiveness. "I'm sorry! I just... I guess I was interested in the drama. Nothing interesting ever happens and I..."

   "Oh, stop the excuses." Hanes rolls his eyes, turning away. His fingers are still clasped tightly in fists, even when he murmurs over his shoulder. "This whole situation was just a big misunderstanding."

***ELIZABETH'S P.O.V***

    If Elizabeth had a dime for every time she got so angry at her brothers she wanted to toss them over the side of a skyscraper, she'd have one dime. She's never been this angry in her entire life.