One Last Game?

•Feelings•

"Tobs! Wait up!" I hear Asher calling my name in the lunch line. I wait for him to get his food and we go to our regular lunch spot with our other friends.

"What's up my dudes?" Max greets us. "Nothing much my non binary friend." Asher says and fist bumps them. "I can't believe it's already Thursday. It feels like a Monday or Tuesday." I state to my friends and they agree.

"I can't wait for Homecoming!" Leilani squeals. "Who are you gonna take this year?" Ash asks her. She pauses thinking about her answer. "I dunno. I was kinda thinking we could go together as a group like we did Freshman year?"

I nod. I remember Freshman year when we all met. Max was sitting by themself when Ash thought it was a good idea to introduce ourselves. We didn't know they didn't identify as male so when we walked up to them, Asher said, "What's good man. I'm Asher and he's Tobi."

They quickly, but politely corrected us and told us they were non binary and preferred if we used they and them pronouns. Asher apologized, Max forgave us, and we hit it off.

I was the one who saw Leilani and went up to her. Max and Asher followed behind and we all introduced ourselves and became best friends ever since.

For homecoming, since we were each other's only friends and didn't have any dates, we went all together. I thought we were gonna do that every year but Sophomore year, Lani got a boyfriend and went with him, Max got sick and couldn't go and Asher started falling for this E-girl and didn't want to go. So it just left me and home alone because Ethan went to a friends house and my mom was out shopping with friends. Fun.

Junior year, Asher got a girlfriend –not the emo girl– and started hanging out a lot with her. Leilani and her boyfriend broke up that summer and didn't want to go to any school functions. Same thing with Junior prom. So Max and I just decided to go together, but it wasn't as fun as two years ago.

"Yeah that would be a good idea Lani. We should all go together." I say enthusiastically. "Yeah, I'd be into going in a group again." Asher says and Max agrees. "Well then it's settled, We're going to homecoming together!" Lani squeals making the rest of us cover our ears and people around us start to stare at us.

"Well I am officially deaf." Ash says. "Ya, same here." I add on. We all laugh and the bell rings indicating that lunch is over so we disperse from the union and go our separate ways. 

The rest of the day went by quickly due to the fact that I only had two classes after lunch. I get to my locker and switch out the books I don't need for homework when Asher comes up to me. "Sup dude?" "Hey, what's going on?" He gives me a handshake and hugs me. "Holy shit, he smells godly." He pulls away and looks at me. "What did you say?" I realized that I said it aloud instead of in my head.

"I, u-u-uh.." I try to figure out something to cover my ass but no cigar. "Dude, you noticed! I was beginning to think that I just bought this cologne for nothing." He punches my shoulder playfully. "W-what do you mean?" I start to get hot. The thought of him buying something to see if I'd notice makes me feel that its possible and he might have feelings for me too.

"I bought it because I wanted to ask Paisley out and I wanted to make sure I smelled good." He says, making my heart instantly drop. "You're gonna ask Paisley out? I thought she hated you." "I did too, but apparently, she told Lani that she liked me. Isn't that great!?" He exclaims making my heart drop even further. 

Paisley Matthews is a popular girl who Asher has had a crush on since freshman year. Everytime he tried to hit on her, she rejected him. I figured the same thing this year but apparently she told Lani that she finally liked him back and Lani told Ash. I couldn't really say how I truly felt about this information so I just said what I could bear to say, and what I thought he wanted to hear.

"That's great." I fake a smile. He looks at me, like he's studying me. "Dude, are you crazy!? This is more than just great, I've been chasing that girl for years! And finally, she's right there waiting for me to ask her out." He looks behind me and I turn around to see Paisley and her group of friends talking and laughing.

"Wish me luck dude!" He pats me on the shoulder and walks over to the group of girls. They all start "oohing" and giggling then they walk away. That leaves me at my locker by myself dumbfounded. 'But you're my ride.'  I think to myself and gather my books to head out of the school.