Until the Stars Fade

Chapter 2

For the past 8 years, I've been spending my summers in Jacksonville with my grandparents while my parents traveled the world saving lives with Doctors Without Borders. I loved my Jacksonville summers where I had a big room in my grandparents' historic home in Riverside where they had a swimming pool in their picture-perfect backyard. I had friends on the street. I learned to swim there, ride a bike and now, got my first job.

My grandpa, PopPop, had passed away three years ago and Gogo, sold the big historic house and moved to a condo overlooking the St. Johns river. It's a beautiful condo and I still have my own room, but nothing compared to their old house. The old neighborhood is still close, so I walk through and visit my "summer friends" but it's not the same.

Today's Thursday, so like every other Thursday before it, Gogo and I go visit her friends in the old neighborhood for lunch. It's been her tradition for more years than I can count that every Thursday she has lunch with her friends.

She said it started after she and PopPop moved to the neighborhood when my dad was a baby. She made friends with other new moms and they started a little group and they would take turns hosting each other and their kids for lunch and playdates. Now that all the kids are grown and have kids of their own, they still get together for lunch. Sometimes they play cards, but most Thursdays they just gossip like teenagers. I come along, mostly because Gogo insists that I do, but also because I can sneak away and hang out with my friend Hazel. Hazel's family lives with her grandparents and her grandma is one of Gogo's best friends, so she and I basically spend every summer together.

I've filled Hazel in on the hot guy situation, so we chat about that and she tells me about her job at Giada's, the local Italian restaurant, where she's a hostess. We make plans to hang out over the weekend.

As Gogo and I are walking back to the condo, we walk past her old house, just like we do every week. And just like every week, we stop in front of it and stare at it wistfully. I'm sure she's thinking about PopPop and all the years they spent there. I'm thinking about all my favorite childhood memories. We can hear kids splashing in the backyard pool because it's perfect swimming weather.

"Ok, no more of this. Let's get going, it's getting hot out," Gogo says as she starts walking towards her new home. As we turn the corner, I glance back at the big, old house. It was my happy place for so long. I miss it, but not as much as Gogo.

The next day, I'm back at work, helping out at the checkout, when I look up and see the hot guy staring at me. I'm ringing up a customer, so I'm trying not to be distracted, but I know he's there. He's just standing there, staring. When the customer walks away, he steps up, smiles at me and says, "You weren't here yesterday."

"Um, it was my day off." Does this mean this guy was here yesterday looking for me? Should I be worried? Excited? No matter what I should feel, there are butterflies, taking flight, in my stomach.

"Oh, that's cool. I came in looking to get some kitchen stuff. I asked the towel lady for you but she said you weren't here, so I left." He says it all so casually.

"Someone else could have helped you, someone that knows a lot more than I do about stuff could have helped you," I stammer out.

"I know, but I like you, so here I am. Can you help me?" He flashes a killer smile my way. His eyes look more gray today than they did the last time he was here. I have to grab onto the counter to steady myself. Did he just say he likes me?

I take a breath and smile at him. "What do you need help with today?"

"Dishes and pots and pans. Lead the way Kinsley," he gestures to me as I step out from behind the counter. I can't believe he remembered by name. Josephine, my coworker working the other checkout, shoos me away with a smile.

After he's decided on a set of basic white dishes and pots and pans and is headed back to the checkout, he turns to me and says, "So, would you want to go out sometime?"

This cannot be happening. The hottest guy I've ever seen is asking me out. Me?? I'd pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming, but then I'd drop his pots and pans I'm carrying.

"I, um, well, I...I don't even know your name," this is all I can get out. This is a disaster.

"Asher. My name is Asher James. I'm new in town, hence, all the stuff I keep buying. I'd love to take you out to dinner or a movie or I don't know, what do people do around here?"

Asher. His name is Asher. The butterflies in my stomach are going crazy and I have no idea what to say to him.

"That's really nice of you to ask, but I don't think so. I don't even know you," I smile at him as I say this. I am dying inside because I would love to go out with him but I'm sure I would embarrass myself and live to regret it. Better to not go at all.

"Isn't that the whole point of going out with someone? To get to know them? You seem like someone worth knowing," he says as we reach the checkout counter and put his things down.

I'm speechless, this cannot be reality. I must be being punked right now.

"My grandma has really strict rules and I'm not allowed to go out with anyone she doesn't know, so I don't think it's a good idea," I'm totally rambling to his guy and he is just standing there.

"Your grandma? How old are you?" he asks.

"Um, I'm sixteen," I tell him. His eyes have gotten rather wide, clearly that wasn't what he thought I was going to say.

"Sixteen, wow. Didn't see that coming," he says as he drags his hand through his dark hair only making it look better. "Well, that's ok. I'm eighteen and like I said, I just moved here and I know no one here. For whatever reason, I keep coming back here to see you. I'd love to get to know you and just hang out. What do you say Kinsley? Want to be my first friend in town?"

The way he says my name makes my insides melt. It's like my name has never sounded better than when he says it. But still, I know Gogo, and if I try and go out with Asher, someone she's never met, she won't like it.

"I'm sorry, it's really sweet of you to ask, but I can't." I must be the world's dumbest teenager, turning this guy down.

He looks a little defeated. "Ok, I understand, but I hope you'll change your mind." I smile at him because I hope I'll change my mind too.

As I'm turning to go back to work and he's leaving with his purchases, he looks over his shoulder with the biggest smile and says, "Goodbye Kinsley, maybe I'll see you around sometime."

"Bye Asher," I wave as he walks out the door.