Falling For Asher

15

~*~

Thanksgiving break has officially begun. I could tell how stressed out Candice has been, with her family flying in, and my dad's family arriving tonight. I offered to help her this morning before I left for school, but her sister arrived at noon.

They gave me the okay to go to Asher's for a bit. Where we now sit in his room, my back against his chest while he leans against the headboard. His mom is also home, frantic to get everything ready for tomorrow.

We helped her with decorating the dining room until she shooed us away.

"How is your cousin doing?" I ask, remembering how he would visit and flirt shamelessly.

Asher only thought it was gross because we were best friends and the two of them never got along. But I was curious since it's been a while since I last saw him.

"Don't worry about him." He replies simply.

A laugh slips from me, causing his eyebrows to raise. I hide my amusement, "You still don't like him?"

He shrugs, the movement makes me move as well. "He's okay, he got his girlfriend pregnant last year. He's done a lot of growing up."

It surprises me, especially because of how careless he used to be. I wouldn't have pegged him as the type to stay. Although he could be responsible when he needed to be.

We put on a random movie that was featured on the front screen. My eyes are closed, embracing the moment and attempting to not fall asleep in his arms. It doesn't help that Asher likes to play with my hair.

Even when he's focused on the scene, his hand mindlessly runs through my hair.

I open my eyes, blinking a few times to adjust. He's looking down at me with a grin.

"Sleepy?"

I nod, pressing my face further into his chest. I feel him kiss the top of my head before my eyes flutter shut.

The knock at the door sometime later disrupts my nap. I untangle myself from Asher still distorted. He opens the door, his mom standing there and looking around the room.

"I have to go meet your sister at the airport, will you two be okay here?" If I wasn't half-asleep, I would have blushed at her narrowed eyes.

My hair is probably messy, so I don't blame her for thinking that.

Asher glances over his shoulder with a nod. She seems hesitant but, I stand up from the bed, standing beside him.

"I can go home," I suggest, nibbling on my lip nervously. I don't want to feel like a burden.

She shakes her head with a genuine smile. "It's okay sweetheart, you can stay for as long as you want."

"Sleepover?" Asher jokes, wrapping an arm around me. She glares at him before leaving, saying something under her breath.

I sigh while his laughter slowly subsides. He turns me so that I'm facing him with a grin. Two of his fingers tilting my chin up, "You're so beautiful." He says.

I lean up to kiss him gently, pulling away with a smile. I deny his invitation to rummage for food and watch him leave the room. Taking a seat on the desk chair and admiring his recent sketch.

My phone vibrates from somewhere on the bed. Figuring that it's one of my friends, I find under the blankets. My mothers' name shows on the screen, my thumb hovers over it before I answer and lift the phone up to my ear.

There's a slight pause, almost as if she wasn't expecting me to pick up which I quickly regret. Ready to hang up when I hear her voice.

"Zoey?"

I close my eyes, the voice that I haven't heard in over ten years bringing back so many memories. I swallow down the tears, my heart clenching painfully. Texting her felt nothing like this. I have wanted to hear her for so long, grasping onto the memories of her singing me to sleep.

There's shuffling in the background, but I'm still shocked and frozen in place. "Are you there?"

I struggle to form words, choking down a sob. Breathing becomes difficult, hanging up through my blurred vision. My phone falls on the ground and I'm aware of the footsteps sounding closer. I wipe my eyes while clearing my throat but it's no use. The tears won't stop falling.

"I made you a–"

Despite facing away from the door, he seems to notice something is wrong. The plate he was holding clinks when he sets it down on the table. I let him pull me to him, clenching his shirt in my hands.

We stay quiet for a moment until my breathing is back to normal. We somehow ended up sitting at the edge of the bed, with me in his lap. I pull back to wipe my face with my sleeves, attempting to stand up.

"Sorry," I mumble, my voice coming out raspy.

I glance up to catch his gaze, "For what?" He questions.

Finally standing up, I pick up my phone from the floor to avoid talking about it. I shrug, pressing random things on the screen. "It was my mom," I answer simply.

"Candice? Is she okay?" He frowns, I realize that I never bring up my real mother so he must still think that we never communicate.

I shake my head, telling him what happened. He doesn't push me to talk about it, allowing me to do it at my own pace. I know he wouldn't judge me, I just didn't want him to urge me to talk to her.

Since he's been trying to find his birth parents and all. But he simply tells me to take my time.

I go home shortly after Emily and their mom arrives. It was time for dinner and my dad wanted me to greet my family before it got too dark outside. I knew the real trouble would start when Candice's family arrives.

But I had no idea how bad it would be this time.