Just a Game | ASHANNIE | ✓

twenty-one

Annie didn't know what to say now that she was in Asher's car. She felt conflicted, she was prepared to push him away but when he showed up so clueless and scared looking...she had a feeling maybe she just didn't understand.

Maybe Asher wasn't afraid of her feelings.

"Can you tell me why you were crying?" Asher eventually broke the silence and Annie finally allowed herself to look his way.

She couldn't lie to him. "You left. You left after I did that whole speech that half of which was about you, and you left. I don't show people that side of myself, well I didn't. I didn't have friends. I didn't make jokes with people, I minded my business. I got out of people's way. Then you show up and you ruin all of that and make me fall for you in the process and leave just when I'm most vulnerable. So yes. I'm going to cry and want to scream at the world for being so stupid." By the end of Annie's rant, she was back looking out the window.

It was really pretty tonight. Why'd it have to be so pretty tonight?

"I've never met anyone like you." Asher started off by saying. "I've never put someone before myself so much until I met you. I notice everything about you. I listen to everything you say. You were hurt because you assumed that I left because of your feelings, because I was afraid of them or something. Like I didn't want you to have them." Asher turned onto a dirt road, and Annie finally looked at him. "You wanna know what I want?"

Annie subconsciously tightened her hand in anticipation. "I want to know you better than you know yourself. I want to know your imperfections. I want to know your favorite things. I want to be one of your favorite things. I want you to be happier than you ever thought you could be. I want you to look at the world with a smile. I want you to see how amazing you are." Asher broke off as he stopped in front of an old playground. He parked and turned to her. "I want to show you my favorite place in the world. The place I met you and Caleb." Annie's breath swept out of her.

He got out of his car door and opened Annie's. He held out his hand and Annie set hers gently in his. "When I was 10, the recreation center started a basketball team for boys my age. One of the first meetings we had was here. Caleb and I were the first ones here, and you tagged along because you adored him." Asher began to explain as he tugged her to the basketball court on the far side of the park.

"You were so young and cute, Caleb was so funny and happy. The first time I met him I wanted to be his best friend. We went to different schools though, and the recreational team got shut off when this park was closed down. I used to come here because—because it was the one place I felt free." Asher let go of Annie's hand and grabbed a basketball, dribbling slightly before holding it.

"I haven't been here in weeks." Asher told her, walking torward her. "Tonight I realized that. I realized that that little girl was you, and that maybe it wasn't the place that made me feel free. Cause I haven't needed to come here since I met you." Asher dropped the ball after he was one pace in front of her.

And then the next, he took another step and gently lifted her face. "Beside you is my favorite place in the world." He whispered before he leaned down and kissed her gently.

And Annie kissed him back. Kisses meant something to her, and this kiss meant everything to her. He was perfect. He was the most perfect human being and he was kissing her and she was finding it hard to even stand on two legs. The worst part was that it was like he could sense this and his hands trailed from her face to her hips to grip her tighter to him, to hold her steady.

After another few seconds, Annie tore away just barely. They were still breathing each other's air. Asher's eyes were still closed. Annie whispered "I think on the professing love front, you win." Asher's face tore into a smile and Annie dipped her nose into one of his dimples, causing him to laugh. "Can we stay here for a little?" Annie whispered again, and Asher finally opened his eyes.

"As long as you like."