“I have no idea what you mean.” He sucked harder, making blood rush to the surface, bruising me.
“Ash, you’ll make me look like—”
“You're mine. I’ll make you look like you're mine.”
With a heavy eye roll, I untangled myself from him and climbed out of bed before he could grab me again.
“Tell Faith we’ll be there,” he called, just as I disappeared into the bathroom.
Every time. I smiled to myself.
Every damn time.
“So you’re coming tonight, right?” Faith pressed her hands to her knees, breathing deeply.
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” I smiled.
Faith and I had been friends since our first day of freshman year. We’d met in orientation and never looked back. Like me, she wanted to make a difference: to work with those less fortunate, and help kids flourish, despite their often dire circumstances.
Felicity and Hailee aside, she was my best friend. So of course, I was going to be at the poetry slam night at The Hideout later.
“Asher’s coming too.”
“You know, it’s cute that he wants to support you supporting me, but it wouldn’t hurt him to relax the reins now and again.”
My brows furrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I’m just saying, he’s like your shadow. It’s... a lot.”
We stretched our calves before breaking into a gentle jog through Fairmount Park.
“We enjoy each other’s company. Is that such a crime?”
“No.” She chuckled, but it did little to ease the knot in my stomach. “I just think it would be nice to hang out occasionally without Asher tagging along.”
“We hang out, Faith.” We hung out all the time with the rest of the people from our class.
“Forget I said anything.” She brushed me off, but her words lingered.
Before the summer, Faith had ended her relationship with her childhood sweetheart Max. She said they’d outgrown each other. I knew she’d embarked on a summer of self-discovery and sex with strangers, but I hadn’t expected her to come back so judgmental of my relationship with Asher.
Awkward silence followed us as we jogged under the leafy canopy of the oak and ash trees.
“I know things have been hard since you and Max—”
“Honestly?” She shrugged. “I feel like a new woman. I’d been with Max since junior year in high school and I hadn’t realized how suffocating our relationship was until I walked away.”
“I’m glad you’re in a better place, Faith, I am. But some of us are happy in our relationships.”
“Asher is a total babe, and he’s rich. Trust me, I get it.”
She got it?
My stomach sank. Is that what she thought? That I was with Asher for his money?
“I love Asher,” I said defiantly, annoyed at myself for even feeling the need to defend our relationship. “It has nothing to do with how wealthy his family is.”
“I know you do.” She shot me a weak smile. “But do you really think you’ll go the distance?” Faith picked up her pace and left me trailing behind…
Wondering what the fuck had just happened.
Asher
“You don’t have to come tonight, you know?” Mya said, making me frown.
“What? Why wouldn’t I want to come?”
“I know poetry isn’t your thing and I think some of the guys from our class are going to be there. You’ll probably be bored.”
I glanced over at her. “Are you trying to get rid of me?”
“What? No! I’m just giving you an out.” She shrugged as if it was nothing.
An out?
What the actual fuck?
“We always spend Sunday together,” I said.
“I know and I love it, I do.” Mya came toward me and I opened my legs, letting her slip between them. Linking her hands behind my neck, she gazed down at me. “I just didn’t want you to think you have to come.”
“Is everything okay?” My brows furrowed deeper. “You’re acting weird.”
“Everything’s fine.” Her lips pursed a little and I knew everything was not fucking fine.
“You want me to come, right?”
Shit. I sounded like a pussy. But we always spent Sunday’s together during the semester. It was our way of making time for each other when the weeks got busy and our schedules got hectic.
“Of course.” Mya brushed her lips over mine, but I intensified the kiss, sliding my tongue into her mouth and tangling it with hers.
“Keep kissing me like that and we’ll never make it out of here.”
“Now there’s an idea,” I chuckled.
“I can’t believe it’s junior year already.” She exhaled a small sigh.
“Believe it, baby.” I kissed her again.
“Okay, I’m going to finish getting ready and then we can head out.” Mya’s hand lingered on my shoulder and then she walked away, disappearing into the bathroom.
My cell phone vibrated, and I plucked it off the coffee table, scanning the text message.
Diego: A few of us are hanging out later, you should come.
Me: It’s Sunday. Got plans with Mya.
My teammates knew the deal.
Diego: You are so fucking pussy whipped...
Me: Never claimed to be anything else.
I smirked, running a hand over my jaw. The guys liked to bust my balls about Mya, about how serious I was about her. But I didn’t give a fuck. I loved her. And I’d almost lost her once... there was zero chance of me ever losing her again. I didn’t care that it was college, that it was supposed to be the time for partying and sowing your wild oats. Football wasn’t my life like it was for so many of my friends, like it was for Jason. I loved playing and I enjoyed the brotherhood and camaraderie, but it wasn’t the end goal for me. I had zero intention of going pro.
Diego: Well, you know where we’ll be if you change your mind.
Wasn’t going to happen but I appreciated him getting off my back about it.
The Hideout was crammed but Faith had reserved a table upfront for Mya and a couple of their other friends. It was an eclectic crowd. Preppy types with something to prove. The stoners, all high on weed, free love, and peace. The drama students all desperately trying to get their big break. Then Mya and her friends; the ones out to change the world and make a difference. There wasn’t a jock in sight, but I didn’t care because although football was a big part of my life, it didn’t define me. I had ambitions and plans just as much as the rest of the people here.
“You know, Asher,” Rex, one of Mya’s friends said, “it’s nice you support her passions.”
I frowned at that. “Is that not what two people in a relationship usually do?” Taking a long pull on my beer, I offered him a tight smile.
“Of course.” His laughter came out strangled. “I just meant, what with you being on the football team and all.”
“We’re not all the conceited, selfish, shallow guys you paint us to be, ya know?” My lips thinned.