Until the Stars Fade

Chapter 19

Asher's been getting recognized more and more as we go out and he's had to start having Oliver come with us depending on where we're going. Oliver is great and he's become a close friend due to all the time we spend together, but it's still a little strange knowing he's sitting a few rows back in the movie theater or hanging out unseen when we go to popular restaurants. Thankfully, he's only had to get involved once when Asher was leaving the studio and there were so many girls at the gate, he couldn't pull out without Oliver pushing everyone back.

With the popularity of the show skyrocketing, the cast has been traveling a lot for press. They did the New York morning show circuit in addition to The Tonight Show and this week, they are in Los Angeles doing a whole other bunch of daytime shows. Asher tries to FaceTime every day when he gets a chance, but we've only actually talked a few times given his busy schedule. Without fail though, no matter what time zone he happens to be in, he sends me a text at ten pm that says,

I love you. Until the stars fade.

At least I know wherever he is, he's still thinking about me.

Thanksgiving comes and goes, Asher misses the festivities at Gogo's because his schedule has been crazy and he's out of town again. He had flowers delivered for both me and Gogo Thanksgiving morning, which was super sweet, but it wasn't the same without him there.

I'm currently serving my two-week sentence over Christmas break in Atlanta while Gogo is on her annual cruise and Asher's in Indiana with his family. Thankfully, because he's not working at all, we spend hours on the phone or FaceTiming and catching up on all the time we've been apart. We Facetime at midnight on New Year's Eve and I try not to cry because I miss him so much. He assures me we'll be together in a few days, which is true, but a few days feels too long right now.

Three days later, I go with Oliver to the airport to pick up Asher. When I get out a poster I made that says "I love Asher James" covered with hearts and stars and glitter, Oliver doubles over in laughter knowing Asher will be mortified, as he always is when he sees girls holding signs like this. True to form, when Asher emerges from the airport in his ripped jeans, worn hoodie, baseball hat and sunglasses, he stops short when he sees the sign and then laughs out loud before pulling me into his arms and kissing me like he hasn't been able to breathe without me. The feeling has been mutual.

Oliver takes the sign and tosses it in the garbage before we all hop in his jeep and head home. Asher and I sit together in the backseat like lovesick teenagers and try not to embarrass Oliver the whole way to Asher's apartment.

When we're finally alone, in what feels like forever, Asher holds me at arms' length and looks me up and down.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"Just making sure nothing has changed since I last saw you," he says as he starts kissing random parts of my body while saying, "I missed this freckle on your cheek and this little scar on your arm and my ring on your finger."

I sigh as he pulls me onto his lap on the couch where we spend the rest of the day, in each other's arms, mumbling I love you and catnapping. I feel like I can breathe again now that Asher is home.

"Kins," he says a few hours later when the sun is starting to set.

"Yeah," I groan stretching out around him on the couch.

"Your birthday is in a few weeks. Your eighteenth birthday. Anything in particular you want to do for your birthday?" he asks as he sits up and runs his fingers through his hair.

I take a deep breath. "You," I whisper as I eye him nervously.

"What?" He looks confused. But he runs his fingers through his hair again, so he's also nervous.

"You asked what I wanted to do for my birthday. I want to DO you," I say as I can feel my cheeks pink from embarrassment.

"Oh, well, um, yeah, well," he stutters. I don't think I've ever seen Asher this nervous. "We don't have to do anything you don't want to do you know, I'm never going to pressure you."

"Ash, I love you and I know you would never pressure me. I want to do this, with you. We've been together almost two years. I trust you with my life and my heart, this is what I want," I say taking his hand and bringing it to my lips. "Its you and me Asher, until the oceans are dry, right?"

"Absolutely."