Aren't Meant To Be

ten

! Don't Forget To Vote !

**

Anastasia

   It was exactly a week from the ball. Everyone talked about it. The thing they are most excited about is the dance. "I wonder who I will end up with during switch time." Meredith was sitting in front of me at the lunch table.

   "Same here. Hopefully not anyone weird though." Violet said. Nate looked a bit irritated at her remark. "Don't worry Nate. It's only for like 2 minutes."

   Still, he didn't like the idea of Violet dancing with anyone else. "Well, Loren, I don't mind you dancing with anyone else. You want to know why? Because we are madly in love, and we are getting married. Thank you." Logan gave the biggest grin and Loren never looked redder.

   Asher was just sitting there looking at the clock that was sitting on the top of the cafeteria. Meredith poked her arm to get his attention but it didn't work. I leaned over the table and snapped my fingers in his face. "Earth is here. Not in the clock."

   "Go to the dance with me, please?" Meredith gave her best puppy dog eyes. "No."

   "Please."

   "No."

   "Please."

   "No."

   Meredith huffed and crossed her arms.

   "Find someone better Mere," I said showing my pure annoyance in him. His jaw was clenched. Getting up quickly, he slammed the table and left.

   "Who pissed in his cheerios this morning." I scoffed. " Apparently you did. You guys are a wreck." Logan said. The rest of them besides Meredith nodded.

   "I am leaving." With that, I upped and left the building. You know, I appreciate this tree for always being there for me when I escape lunch.

   When I had that appreciation though, I immediately took it back when I saw Asher leaning against the other side of the tree.

   Looking at him, he did not dare to look back. Slowly placing my bag on the ground, I sat down. We are back to back but with a tree separating us.

   There was no way I was letting him ruin my sketch time. I was supposed to give Zachery his sketch when we were at Gramp's house but I never got the time to finish and fix it.

   The sketch was Zachery on the cliff he showed me. One of my best sketches yet. "You still draw?" I was shocked by the fact that he actually talked to me. "Of course I do." Continuing, I was so close to finishing the sketch but.. the bell rang signaling it was our next class.

"See you around." I said to him before picking up my things and leaving. That was weird but what was even weirder was how it felt like Deva Vu. Like that exact moment was in my dream or something.

"Ready?" Zach asked as we walked to our next class. With a nod, the rest of the day was the same and boring.

-

"Guys! I wanted to know if you guys wanted to have a sleepover the night before the ball. At my place? We can all get ready together. The boys will be there too."

Violet chirped excitedly to finally let go of what she looked to be holding in all day. "I'm free so sure." Internally sighing, I was not at all cheerful for this year's ball.

"Dress shopping is today then. We can't wait until the last minute. We all know what happened last year- well Meredith was not there but basically, everyone bought the good dresses before us."

Meredith let out a cheeky giggle at Loren's story before agreeing to go dress shopping today. "I will pick all of you up. Be ready at 3."

Violet left in her car, same with the others. I walked to school today since it was not that cold out. Now, I could see the condensation form as I let out the air.

Asher drove past me in his car with the other guys. Zachary was busy with something he would not tell me so I was alone until then.

I took out my phone and put headphones in. Music did not sound so bad right now, plus it was already boring walking alone. Regretting the decision of not taking my car, I hug my coat closer to my body as I walked on the wet, cold, rainy ground.

"Hey!" Asher's car showed back up. "It's too cold to be walking Anastasia. Get in." Nate shouted.

Shaking my head no, I kept walking. Sudden awkwardness rose in my veins. "Oh come on! Asher will drive you home."

Actually, thinking about it, this is the perfect opportunity to show my mom Asher was fine. But, I did not want to do that today so I gave them the same answer.

"For fuck sake, get in the car." Asher's tone was bitter. "I said no."

Nate opened the door, got out, and lifted me off the ground. Screeching, I hit him but he would budge. "Put me down Nate!"

"No. You will get sick. If you are sick, the girls will get sick. If the girls get sick, we will get sick. None of us want to be sick at the ball."

By now I was in between Logan and Nate in the backseat. "I don't even want to go. It's stupid."

I saw Asher through the rearview mirror, he raised a brow but put it back down when he saw me looking at him. "Why don't you want to go?"

I looked at them but gave them no response.

Only a few minutes later I was home. My mom busted through the door before I could even get out of the car.

"Boys! Oh, how I've missed you guys. Where are the girls?" She pinched Logan's cheek while cupping Nate's face in the other.

That was when her eyes landed right on Asher. "Oh, Asher. How I've missed you." Going in for a hug, Asher let out the smallest smile. My mom always treated them like sons of her own.

"Hello, Mrs. Smith." Poking Asher and eyeing the boys, she said, "Now.. we have talked about this. There is no Mrs. Smith It's.."

She waited for the boys to answer.

"Linda or mom." They all announced in unison. "Do you guys have time to come in? Maybe talk about how you guys have been?"

"Mom, no they are busy and I have to go dress shopping with the g-"

"Oh c'mon Anastasia doesn't be such a party pooper." she groaned. "Mom, please don't do this."

Basically, I begged. Clearly, it did not work because all of them were now following her inside.

Grunting, I trailed along behind them.

***
10