Levelling her with a hard look, I let out a heavy sigh. “That makes zero sense. You know that, right?”
“I thought you’d be cool with it, since you’re playing hard to get and all.”
“I’m not playing hard…” I stopped myself. “Fine, it’s fine.” It was just six friends getting together, I could handle it.
“Asher offered not to come,” she added, casting me a furtive glance.
“He did?”
I didn’t know how to feel about that.
“Yeah, said he didn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable, but like I told him, you’re cool with everything.” Her lip curved, a familiar glint in her eye. “You are cool with everything, right?”
“Who me?” I smiled sweetly.
“I don’t know how you do it.”
“Do what?” We finished up drying the puppies before placing them back in their crates.
“Pretend you’re over him.”
“I’m not. Over him, I mean.”
“Well, duh, took you long enough to admit it.” She grinned.
“Oh hush.” I rolled a towel and whipped her arm with it. “You know what I mean. Just because I’m not falling at his feet, doesn’t mean I don’t care about him.”
I still cared.
I cared too damn much and that was half the problem.
“So why put yourselves through this? I don’t get it.”
With a half-hearted shrug, I let my eyes wander anywhere but to her. “Because I’m tired of always being cast aside when things get rough. I wasn’t enough for Jermaine and Asher made me feel that all over again.”
“Oh, Mya, you know it wasn’t like that. He loves you, but he’s a guy and we all know how emotionally stunted they can be.”
“It’s not good enough,” I said around a sad smile. “I chose him, Flick. I put him first. He asked me to pick Cleveland, and I was going to do it. But I’m done being that girl.”
Felicity stared at me, but I saw no judgment in her eyes this time. “Okay,” she said quietly. “If that’s what you need to do, then okay, I’m right behind you.”
“Thank you.”
“Hey, that’s what best friends are for. Now let’s get cleaned up so we can go make your boy suffer.”
I rolled my eyes, smothering a chuckle. It wasn’t quite what I meant, but I’d take it.
Because it was better than her trying to play Cupid.
“You’d better get in here if you want pizza,” Jason yelled the second we stepped into Felicity’s house.
“He has a key now?” My brow quirked up.
“I... uh, sometimes he waits for me to get done at the shelter.”
“And what do you parents think about that?”
“Usually my mom tries to feed him.”
“And when they’re not here?”
She flushed. “What they don’t know won’t hurt them.”
“Scandalous.”
Our laughter ushered the Giles’ living room into silence as we entered.
“About fucking time.” Jason grumbled around a mouthful of pizza. “Get over here.” He patted his lap, pulling Flick onto his the second he could reach her.
“Hey, Mya, how did you enjoy puppy season at the shelter?” Hailee asked, pushing a half-empty pizza box toward me.
“It was... just what I needed.” My eyes found Asher across the room. He offered me a small nod in greeting but didn’t say anything.
“What are we watching?” I forced myself to look away, even if I could still feel his intense gaze on my face.
“Yeah, Cam, why don’t you tell them what we’re watching,” Jason teased, throwing a handful of popcorn at him.
“There is nothing wrong with The Kissing Booth.”
“Did you suddenly grow a pussy overnight?”
“Jase!” everyone yelled.
“Oh, lighten up. If Cam wants all of us to get in touch with our feminine sides, I’m down. Just don’t blame me when I raid the place for ice cream and want to braid your hair.”
“You’re so weird.” Felicity rolled her eyes.
“Is that so, Giles?” He cocked his brow. “Takes one to know one.” Jason attacked her with his mouth, planting wet, sloppy kisses all over her face.
“Get off me, you big jerk.” She tried to bat him off, but it was futile. His arms were wrapped tight around her waist, anchoring them together.
Hailee and Cameron shared a knowing smile, in that way only two people in tune could. And me and Asher, well, we sat there pretending everything was fine.
“Guys, seriously?” He finally groaned.
“Sorry,” Jason replied. “We’ll do better.” He moved Flick off his lap and tucked her into his side, before grumbling. “Are we watching the movie or what?”
I sat there like a statue while I was pretty certain Felicity and Jason spent more time watching each other than the movie; they were barely able keep their hands off one another. Hailee and Cam weren’t much better, and by the time the credits rolled, I jumped up, desperate to escape the overpowering sexual tension.
I escaped to Felicity’s bathroom. It had been the longest two hours of my life, my body hyper aware of Asher sitting across the room in Mr. Giles’ favorite armchair. After washing my hands, I dried them on a fluffy hand towel. I liked Felicity’s house. It wasn’t small but it wasn’t huge either. I felt at ease here. Comfortable. Unlike Asher’s house where I’d always felt out of place. Like Cinderella swept up into a fairytale.
Except Cinders had gotten her Prince in the end.
Clutching the rim of the basin, I took a couple of deep breaths and looked at myself in the mirror. I could do this. I could totally do it. All I had to do was go back out there and pretend like everything was fine.
“Asher,” I gasped as I opened the door to find him standing there.
“You took your time.”
“I...”
“I’m joking, Mya.” His lip curved into a tentative smile.
“Oh, right. Well, I guess I’ll just get out of your way.” I went to move around him, but he filled the space, making no effort to move. Our chests brushed as I tried to wiggle through the tight gap. His smell, the cologne I loved so much, punched me right in the stomach.
But then, Asher was backing me into the bathroom, giving me no escape.
“Asher, what are you—”
“I’ve tried, Mya. I’ve tried so fucking hard to give you space, to figure out how to fix this.” He motioned between us. “So you need to help me out here. You need to tell me what I have to do to fix it.”
I edged back as he advanced with slow, sure strides. The air crackled around us, the bonds between us twisting and tightening. “Tell me what to do.” Asher loomed over me, the edge of the counter pressing into my back.
“Asher...” My hands slammed against his chest as I desperately tried to resist his charms. His smell. The way he looked at me with so much love and yearning. “It’s not that simple.”
“It is that simple,” he countered. “I love you. I fucking love you, Mya.” Asher’s chest heaved with the weight of his words as he leaned in to touch his head to mine. “I need you, babe. I need you more than I need air. It’s like I can’t breathe when you’re not around.”