Wow. Not a thought I ever thought I would have.
I nod, my lips curving. “Sure.”
He sits down, crossing his ankle to his knee as I turn to the table. He moves his piece first, and then asks, “Where’s TacoFuck?”
I roll my eyes. “He’s off with his friends.”
“I’m sure that amazing smell is coming from him,” he says, sarcasm dripping from his words.
“Yup, he got some stuff from California.”
“How wonderful.”
I quirk my lips as I move. “Looked like you and Angie were having fun.”
He lets out a long breath. “Yeah, I think she belongs on a pole, not a volleyball court.”
I snort. “Yeah, she has always been the best twerker out of all of us.”
He looks up at me with his brow raised. “You guys twerked together?”
I grin. “Oh yeah. We wanted to join that Russian twerk team. Posey and I are awful, but Shelli and Angie are real good at it. But you know who’s the best? Amelia.”
He blinks. “Thanks…now all I see is all of you twerking.”
“Yup, and we only wore sports bras and thongs.”
He looks playfully pained. “You guys were committed.”
“So committed,” I laugh as I move. “So, where is the future Russian twerker?”
He exhales heavily, looking all kinds of disappointed. “Yeah, that’s over.”
I try to hide my excitement. “Oh. Why?”
He shakes his head. “Absolutely no spark.”
Relax, Ally. “Really? None?”
He meets my gaze. “She said it felt like she was kissing her brother.”
I cringe. “You used tongue, didn’t you?”
He nods. “Yes. I’m still disturbed.”
I hold in my laughter. “That sucks.”
He shrugs. “Eh, I wasn’t really into her. She’s cool as hell, but the whole knowing her my whole life thing just didn’t work.”
“Oh.” Another mark in the column of why I will never open up about my feelings. “Y’all were cute together.”
“Yeah. She’s hot as hell, and so am I, but I guess looks don’t give sparks.”
“I could have told you that,” I say in exasperation. “Also, you sound like a dick.”
Asher’s eyes widen. “I do not.”
“I thought looks would be enough,” I say, mocking him in his voice. “You’re not like that. Don’t try to lie to me,” I insist and he grins.
“You think you know me, huh?”
“You know I do.” Our eyes meet, and his grin grows, flashing his white teeth at me. I’ve always loved the little tilt of his right canine. He wanted to fix it when he was younger, but I convinced him not to. I don’t know why, but I love it.
“Fine. You’re right.”
Before I can agree, Angie comes up beside me. Her face is pale, and she looks as if she is going to cry. I stand up immediately. “You okay?”
She averts her eyes. “I don’t feel well. I’m going to head back.”
I slide my hand in hers. “What’s wrong?”
“Just sick. I don’t know. I want to go.” I search her eyes, and it feels like something is off. I’ve never seen her sick before, so I have no clue if she is lying.
“Okay, I’ll walk with you.”
“I’ll walk with both of you,” Asher says then, cupping Angie’s shoulder, but she shakes it off. If her action bothers Asher, he doesn’t show it. Concern swims in his gray eyes as he says, “You sure you’re okay?”
She nods, and I can tell she’s fighting back tears. I wrap my arm around her waist and guide her out. On the walk back to the dorm, no one says anything. Angie is breathing hard, but she doesn’t cry. She doesn’t hold me or even lean into me; she just walks, almost in a trance. It freaks me out, but I give her space. I know when I don’t feel well, I don’t even want people to look at me, so I get it.
When we reach our dorm, Angie stops in the doorway. “I’m good. You can go back.”
I narrow my gaze. “I can stay with you.”
She shakes her head. “No, I want to be alone.”
I blink a little, put off by her directness. “Okay. Are you sure?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay,” I whisper. “Text me if you need me.”
“I will.”
She shuts the door, and I bring in my brows. I glance up at Asher, whose expression matches mine. “That was weird.”
“Really weird. You think we should leave?”
I shrug. “She wants to be alone. I’ll text her in a bit.”
“Okay. Are you going back?”
“Yeah. I should meet back up with Taco.”
His expression changes to frustration. “Okay. I’ll walk with you.”
He wants to say more, but I don’t want to hear it. We start down the hall and out of the building. The cold air is brutal, my legs are freezing, and I realize I don’t want to go back. I don’t want to sit in the corner as Taco mingles. He is all about the party scene, and at one time, I was too. But now, I’d rather just hang. Alone. With snacks.
“You okay?”
I glance over to find Asher watching me. “I don’t want to go back.”
“Then don’t.”
I shrug. “But Angie wants to be alone, and I really should go back since Taco and I are trying to make things work.”
“You shouldn’t have to try. They should just work,” he says, and I roll my eyes.
“Not now, Ash.”
“Fine,” he says gruffly. “Why don’t we go check out my new condo?”
I look up at him. “I thought you weren’t getting the key until this weekend?”
“I went and got it today from Shelli. I move in this weekend.”
“Cool,” I say, and then I shrug. “Sure. Let’s go.”
He seems pleased, and so am I, if I’m honest. We turn left and head to the parking lot where my car is. Once we’re on the road, Asher asks, “Hey, you got any snacks?”
“I have peanuts in the console.”
He grimaces. “I’ll wait. Maybe Aiden left something behind.”
I snort. “You’re still scared of peanuts?”
He gives me a blank look since I know good and well the answer to that. “They can grow in your gut.”
“Ash, come on. They can’t,” I insist, but he’s convinced. He watched this video on Facebook for a start your own garden thing, and he is convinced that things that start as seeds or have them inside will grow in his gut and come out his asshole. I wish I were kidding, but I’m not. “The acid in your gut kills them.”
“Nope. I’m good.”
I can’t contain my laughter. “You’re insane.”
He doesn’t care, and I love that about him. He doesn’t care what people think; he is who he is. I run through the McDonald’s drive-thru for him, and we’re done with our food before we reach his new condo. Aiden is swanky, so of course, his condo is too. After parking and Asher showing his ID, we ride the elevator up to his new place.