It was lunch and we were sitting with the guys and the rest of the team. It was weird, sitting here as his girlfriend rather than his best friends’ girlfriends’ friend. But no one gave us shit about it. In fact, no one cracked a single joke.
The fact wasn’t lost on me.
“Did you orchestrate this?” I asked him, ignoring the vibrations in my pocket.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
My eyes narrowed, as I glanced around the table. A couple of the guys smiled, but no one made a single remark. Not even Grady, who always had something to say.
“So you’re telling me this is just business as usual?”
The corner of Asher’s mouth tipped. “I said I didn’t do anything...” he let the words hang, but it was when his eyes slid to Jason that realization dawned on me.
“You did this?” I asked the brooding quarterback.
“I may have said something.”
I didn’t know whether to be flattered or offended. My natural instinct was to tell Jason I didn’t need his help, that I could fight my own battles. But as I was slowly learning about my friends, you didn’t have to fight things alone.
“Thank you,” I said, offering him an appreciative nod.
He shrugged as if it was nothing.
It wasn’t.
Asher slipped his arm around my waist and pulled me into his side. “You’re one of us now,” he whispered against my ear.
I couldn’t help but smile. But it quickly fell when I felt someone watching me. My eyes searched the cafeteria, landing on Kellie Ginly at the gymnasts’ table. Her mouth curved when she realized I’d noticed her.
“What’s wrong?” Asher asked, commanding my attention. I hadn’t even felt myself tense.
“Nothing,” I lied, sliding my eyes back to Kellie. She wasn’t watching now, busy talking to her friends.
Asher played with the bracelet ringing my wrist. “I know you’re technically already wearing my number,” he said. “But the exhibition game is my last game and well, I’d really like it if—”
“Yes,” I breathed, leaning back to kiss him.
He chuckled. “You don’t even know the question yet.”
“You’re going to ask me to wear your jersey to the game.”
“Actually, I was going to ask you if you’d wear one of those Vinnie the Viking hats.”
“Liar.”
His arms looped around me tighter. “So you’ll do it? You’ll wear my jersey?”
I nodded, feeling my heart flutter in my chest.
“Everyone will know you’re mine.” I felt him smile against my hair.
“Isn’t that the point?” I glanced back at him, our eyes locking on each other’s. Asher’s gaze burned with pride.
“I hadn’t expected you to say yes.”
“I’m not ashamed of you, Asher. I’m not ashamed of us. And I’m done hiding.”
The way gossip flew around the halls at Rixon meant everyone probably already knew about us, and if they didn’t, they would come game day.
“My mom and dad will be there...” He let the words hang.
“Good,” I said. “They should be.”
“I think I like this side of you.” He dropped a kiss on the end of my nose.
“Isn’t jealousy and possessiveness supposed to be a turn off?” My brow rose.
“Maybe but it’s having the opposite effect on me.” His eyes darkened, and I leaned in, brushing my lips over his.
“You want to skip fifth period?” I asked.
“Fuck, yes I—”
“Okay, you two,” Jason’s voice cut through air. “Break it up before we all see something we can’t ever unsee.”
Asher flipped Jason off, laughter rumbling in his chest. “Tonight,” he whispered back at me.
I gave him a small nod, my stomach coiled tight at his promise.
I was already counting the hours.
By the time the final bell went, I was more than ready to get the hell out of school. Being Asher Bennet’s girlfriend would have elevated anyone to celebrity status in the halls of Rixon High but being his girlfriend and the Latina transfer from Fallowfield Heights… well that shit made me infamous.
I spent the entire afternoon overhearing my name in hushed conversations. Some were simple curiosity at the outsider who had managed to land herself one of the most eligible guys in school. But others were so farfetched, my eyes ached from all the rolling. And some were just too close to the truth that I’d sat and listened, my heart almost beating out of my chest.
Apparently, everyone had a story about me now, and if they didn’t, they knew someone who did.
But I forced myself to let their words roll off my back. Asher loved me.
Me.
He knew about Jermaine and my life in Fallowfield Heights, and he loved me anyway.
At least, that’s what I told myself as I filed out of class to meet him.
But when I turned the corner and found him talking to none other than Kellie Ginly, I froze on the spot, my resolve crumbling around me. She spotted me over his shoulder, her saccharine sweet smile growing into something twisted and ugly and too big for her heart-shaped face. She laughed at something Asher said, making a show of tucking a strand of poker straight blonde hair behind her ear.
And then she touched him.
She laid one of her perfectly manicured hands on his shoulder and leaned in, like they were two old friends sharing a private joke.
The hall was already emptying around us, but Asher had no idea I was standing there, watching them. How perfect they looked together. His All-American good looks and her beauty pageant complexion.
But she knew.
Her eyes flicked to mine more than once, a wicked glint there.
A warning.
She might as well have pissed up his leg and claimed her territory.
But he’s not hers, he’s yours, a little voice reminded me.
Refusing to be the girl who was intimidated by someone like her, I steeled myself and marched up to them. “Hey,” I said, my voice weaker than I wanted it to be.
“Oh, Mya, hey.” Kellie flicked her hair off her shoulder and smiled. “I was just filling Asher in on our class notes since he missed it.”
“That’s... nice of you.” I forced out the words.
Asher’s gaze burned into the side of my face, but I couldn’t look at him. Not until I’d reined in the anger and jealousy coursing through my veins. Surprising me though, he slipped his arm around my waist and kissed my cheek.
“I missed you,” he said as if Kellie wasn’t standing right there.
“Awww, you guys are the cutest. I was so surprised when my dad told me you were dating someone. I told him, ‘Asher doesn’t date, Daddy’, but then I saw you guys at the party and well, I was wrong. You’re a very lucky girl, Mya.”
I barely managed to choke out a garbled, “Yeah.”
“Thanks for the notes, Kellie. See you around,” Asher dismissed her, his eyes only for me.
“Oh yeah, sure. See you.” She trotted off.
“She’s wrong you know?” he said before I could even formulate words.
“Wrong?”
“You’re not the lucky one. I am.” Asher pressed me against the locker, hands either side of my head.