Just a Game | ASHANNIE | ✓

fifteen

Annie honestly didn't understand why she was being so bold. Asher met the rest of the team at a pizza place and Annie specifically saved a seat for him.

She didn't think Coach Ramos was surprised when Asher sat in the empty seat beside her or when Annie smiled at him when he arrived. Annie's family sat at a nearby table, like most of the families of the girls on her team.

"Did you listen to high school musical the whole way back?" Annie teased, and Asher scoffed. He took a sip of his drink before he replied.

"Only one song." Annie smiled widely and shook her head lightly.

Asher picked a piece of pizza and said "So I heard you became friends with Lilia and Anna and Will today?"

"Yeah—why?"

Asher grinned at her. "Just wondering." Annie poked him in the ribs. She wanted to poke his dimples.

"No, now you gotta tell me."

"Before this, you purposely pushed everyone away, you had no friends. Now, you do. I'm proud of you." Annie looked down to hide her face behind her hair as a blush creeped up. She hadn't realized now she had friends.

"Annie!" Another girl from the team called and Annie's head jerked up. It was Jayden, they hadn't talked much but she had always seemed cool to Annie. "Kenzie is having a party tonight, a pretty small get together but she asked me to invite the team to celebrate the win. Do you want to come?"

Annie hesitated before glancing at Asher who nodded. "Sure yeah why not? Who else is going to be there?"

Jayden clearly became excited and started listing off names only three of which Annie was happy to hear. The three people she met today actually. Finally Jayden ended with "Oh and Asher can come too of course, he gave you the tips to help us win."

Annie was pretty excited, but one problem arose. "Who would I ride with? And how late would I get home?"

Jayden had an easy answer for everything it seemed. "You can stay with me, I'd have to ask my parents but they should be fine with it." Annie wasn't so sure but she agreed anyway.

"You can ride with me," Asher said to her quietly. "And it you get uncomfortable I'll take you home whenever you want." Annie melted.

He understood that going to a party was a big step for her, to be completely surrounded by the people she had pushed away and tried to make herself hate. Annie was an outsider, she didn't go to parties, but now it seemed like maybe she's not that anymore.

Annie nodded before standing up to go ask her parents. Once they agreed, Annie was set. She'd ride with Asher, stay with Jayden and they'd pick her up in the morning.

Everything was fine... except she was still in her basketball uniform.