Until I Met You

Chapter 4: Asher

"So you in or you out?" David asks me.

I know he wants to go but it's not really my thing. Sure, there's gonna be lots of hot girls but I'm not into the whole dancing and getting drunk with rich people. They prefer tequila and vodka whereas I've always been a beer kind of guy. I don't need expensive to make me happy. Cheap is fine by me.

"Come on man. You owe me. Remember when I went to Tijuana with you just so you could get over Ashley? You know I didn't wanna do that. But I did that for you! Now it's your turn to help a buddy out."

I guess he's right. Maybe it would be nice to let loose for a change. It seems like nowadays I'm always worrying about something. The gang. School. A night out is just what I need.

"Fine. But don't get shit faced man. I don't want to carry you out at the end of the night like I did last time."

He crosses his fingers. "Cross my heart, hope to die," he laughs as he walks up the cobblestone steps into my house.

"Mrs. B, your boys are home, safe and sound," he yells, the sound of his voice echoing off the walls of our house.

I guess you could say my parents have a decent amount of money. We've always made ends meet and I've never gone a day without getting food in my mouth. Delicious food, too. My mom's a chef which definitely has its benefits. Dad's always away on business trips so it's usually just me and mom. I don't complain, though. The more food for me, the merrier.

"You boys hungry? You're in luck. I just made some chocolate chip cookies."

We walk into the kitchen to see my mom holding the tray of cookies with her mittens. She has an apron on over her dress and her hair is pulled up in a ponytail.

"Thanks, Mrs. B, don't mind if I do. Looking beautiful as always, by the way."

My mom smiles and ruffles his hair after taking off her mittens.

"Aren't you charming," she laughs.

Really? I glare at David, daring him to continue sweet talking my mom, but he shrugs his shoulders and innocently shrugs it off. He stuffs a cookie into his mouth dipping it into the milk my mom brought over. If I didn't know any better, I'd think he was flirting with my mom. But the dude's a suck up. He's known my mom ever since he was a baby. My mom and his mom have been best friends since high school. They've done everything together. They went to the same college, both went to cooking school, and had us around the same time. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if they shit together.

"So, how was school?" My mom asks, grabbing a cookie. She leans her elbows over the table.

"No trouble, right?"

"Nope. We most certainly were not the ones in trouble. Right, Dave?"

He gives me a knowing smile and plays along.

"Nah. Although Ash here may have found himself a girlfriend."

I choke on the cookie I'm currently eating. I can feel the contents of it stuck in my throat.

"A who?" I manage.

David pushes a glass of milk toward me, an all-knowing smile plastered across his face.

"A girl-friend," he pronounces each syllable slowly like I actually couldn't hear him the first time.

"Oh my gosh, honey. That's great! I want to hear all about her. What's her name? Is she pretty? I bet she's pretty!" My mom exclaims.

She looks like a giddy teenager as she clasps her hands together in anticipation. I glare at David who is beaming at my mother. That bastard. He is not going to get away with this one. Rosaline, excuse me, Barbie, is certainly not my girlfriend. Not now and not ever. I prefer real girls with beauty inside and out. Not girls who have to plaster shit on their face to make themselves appear attractive.

"She's is not my girlfriend," I snarl, aiming my glare directly at David.

Unfortunately for me, however, the douchebag's on cloud nine.

"She has a name," he says, innocently. "Rose."

"Rose is such a beautiful name. It reminds me of Sleeping Beauty. Her parents have such good taste," my mom exhales, thinking of her favorite Disney movie.

"Well, you see Mrs. B, Ash here has a dilemma-"

"No I don't," I seethe.

"He's kind of embarrassed to talk about it but Rose is way out of his league. Do you have any advice for him?"

I swear there's steam coming out of my ears. This guy has a death wish. How am I supposed to tell my mom he's lying? Even if I did, she won't believe me. David here has played the "embarrassed" card and I basically fed right into that when I denied liking her.

"Oh, Ash, I'm sure it's no big deal. You're eighteen now. Just go up to her, ask her out, and see where it goes. No girl is gonna deny my son. After all, you got your good looks from me," she winks as she picks up the tray of cookies.

David laughs heartily and it takes all of my willpower not to hit him right then and there. Even though he's my best friend, I still reserve the right to throw in a few punches every now and then. And as soon as he leaves the room, he's fair game. Unfortunately for me, however, David spends the rest of the afternoon laughing his ass off with my mom. Sometimes it blows to have such a 'charming' best friend.