Chapter 35: Crazy Bitches

ADDY

I’m about to grab another tissue for my bleeding nose when the sound of heels clicking against the floor makes me look up.

“Addalynn,” Jalina greets me, her tone stiff. I lift my hand in a half-hearted wave.

“Your nose is bleeding again,” she states, as if it isn’t painfully obvious.

~I’m holding bloody tissues to my nose, you idiot.~

“Yeah, happens every now and then. What do you want?”

“You want me to get straight to the point?” She crosses her arms over her chest, raising an eyebrow. I fight the urge to roll my eyes at her. “Stop playing around.”

I glance at her through the bloody tissue I’m holding against my face.

“Huh?”

“Stop pretending you don’t know what I’m talking about. He’s mine, you hear me?” Her smirk makes me want to groan.

~Not this again.~

“First off, he’s not an object for you to claim, and second, who told you he gives a damn about you?” I raise an eyebrow in her direction.

~You’re the one who keeps saying Asher is yours, Addy.~

~Shut up, that’s different!~ I argue with myself.

“Little bitch,” she glares at me, looking even angrier than when she first walked in. She steps closer and I hold up my hand.

“Look, I’ve got a bloody nose and I’m really not in the mood for this. Maybe another time. I suggest you come threaten me after we start dating. Makes more sense, don’t you think?”

“Right now, he’s one of my best friends and there’s nothing you can do or say that will change that. Deal with it.”

I toss the tissue away, flashing her the fakest smile I can muster before pushing past her.

“You’re going to regret this!”

I shrug at Jalina’s words, taking another step toward the exit when she grabs my arm, pulling me back to face her.

“You don’t understand what I have against you.”

“I haven’t done anything wrong.” I stare at her smug face.

~Punch her.~

~Bitch, punch that look right off her ugly face.~

She moves to walk away, and I “accidentally” stick out my foot just as she passes. She stumbles over it, catching herself at the last second.

Her glare could kill, and I wonder if I’ve crossed a line, but then I remember she started it.

I lean in close to her.

“We’re the best of friends, and we always will be. Nothing you say or do will change that, trust me.” I repeat my words, more to convince myself than her.

She sneers, clicking her tongue.

“We’ll see about that, Addalynn. I tried to tell you nicely to back off, but since you won’t listen, I guess I’ll have to make you understand—the hard way.”

With that, she turns on her heel and struts away, her ass swaying from side to side.

A sense of dread washes over me as I watch her long blonde hair disappear from view.

~I have to tell Asher the truth before he hears it from someone else.~

Jalina is hell-bent on ruining my friendship with Asher, and judging by the grin on her face, she’s already working on it.

***

~I tried to tell you nicely to back off, but since you won’t listen, I guess I’ll have to make you understand—the hard way.~

Jalina’s threat echoes in my mind.

It’s all I can think about during dance practice.

I can’t focus on anything else.

I lather myself in soap, trying to wash away the worry. I rinse off and step out of the shower.

~She’s just trying to scare you.~

I get dressed and gather my things from my locker.

“Be safe on your way home!”

I turn to see Margot standing there with a broom.

“Margot!” I smile at her. “Sorry, I didn’t see you. I was lost in thought.”

She waves me off. “No worries!”

“I can help you,” I offer, but she shakes her head.

“Get home, kiddo. It’s getting dark.” I nod.

“Goodnight, Margot. I’ll be careful.”

“Bye!” She shoos me out, and I laugh as I leave the locker room.

I plug in my earphones, pull out my phone—and immediately drop it on the floor.

“Damn it,” I bend down to pick it up when another hand reaches for it. Someone picks up the phone, and I look up to say “thank you,” when…

“Asher?” My eyes widen. “What are you doing here?”

I look away as he smiles at me.

I haven’t seen him since the day we went shopping.

~He didn’t try to kiss me that day, did he?~

~Why am I freaking out?~

~Pssst!~

I look up again, trying to appear confident.

“I came to tell you something,” he says.

“You came all the way here to tell me something?”

I raise an eyebrow at him. He steps closer and I grip my bag tighter.

~Uh-oh.~

I take a step back.

He takes another step closer.

~Oh, crap.~

“I don’t want you to look for her anymore,” he whispers in my ear.

My eyes widen and I freeze.

~Why?~

~Did I do something wrong?~

~Doesn’t he want to spend time with me anymore?~

~Did Jalina say something to him?~

~Does he like her more than me?~

~But I have a bigger butt.~

I frown.

~Yeah.~

~My butt is definitely bigger.~

“Your butt is bigger?”

I look at Asher to see him trying not to laugh.

“What, no! I said my butterfly is bigger.”

“Your butterfly?”

Asher laughs, and I fan my cheek to cool down the blush.

“Switch gears!” I demand.

“Did you catch what I said earlier?”

I shake my head, even though I did.

“I don’t want you to search for her anymore,” he reiterates.

“What are you saying?” I ask, my eyes wide with worry.

“I’m saying, I don’t want you to find the girl who kissed me anymore.” His gaze meets mine, and a strange feeling stirs in my stomach.

~Dinosaurs?~

No, something else.

He gently brushes a loose strand of hair from my face, his eyes never leaving mine. My lips part as I return his intense gaze.

“Want to know why?” he asks, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

I nod.

~I can’t believe he might actually like me too.~

~How absurd would that be! I thought I had to work harder to convince him…~

~Wait, why would that be absurd? I’m awesome.~

Almost there.

~No, stop these silly thoughts!~

I shake my head.

“You don’t want to know?” Asher raises an eyebrow, and I give him a light shove.

“Do tell,” I say, smiling at him. My thoughts recede as I see the look in his eyes. I swallow, inching myself just a bit closer, if that’s even possible.

~So he ~was~ about to kiss me last time.~

~Holy guacamole!~

His face moves closer to mine and my heart feels like it’s going to burst.

~He’s going to kiss me.~

~HE’S GOING TO KISS ME.~

~You didn’t react like this last time!~

~Quiet!~

I hope my practice sessions with a tomato will pay off today. I had to practice just in case... but I’m definitely hoping for a less sloppy kiss.

My eyes close instinctively as I wait for his soft lips to meet mine.

~Three.~

~Two.~

~One.~

I pucker my lips, waiting for the contact, but it never comes.

I open my eyes in frustration, only to see Asher’s face right in front of me. Our noses are touching, and he’s smiling at me as if I’m the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen.

Or at least that’s how the main character in the K-dramas always looks at the female lead. And then the next second, they’re all over each other.

~Girl, you’re not in a K-drama!~

“So pretty,” he murmurs, tracing his fingers down my cheek.

I groan inwardly in annoyance. And then I open my big mouth.

“So, you’re not going to kiss me?”

Asher’s eyes widen as I give him a small pout.

He blushes a deep red, and I groan.

~Man, these K-dramas are messing with my head… THIS IS WHERE YOU KISS!~

~You’ve got to be kidding me. I’m getting my kiss today.~

~Enough.~

“Pasta.”

“If he’s not going to make the first move then I will, and in the worst-case scenario if he never intended to kiss me I can always run away and change schools.”

“Going back to stalking him to get my daily dose of Asher doesn’t seem like the worst idea I’ve ever had.”

“Right?”

With that thought in mind, I spin us around, slamming him into the wall behind us before pushing myself up on my toes.

I give him a second to back away, but when he doesn’t, I eagerly press my lips onto his.

“He’s not candy, Addy.”

“Shut up, inner voice!”

For a moment he stays frozen, his lips unmoving, his hands cold around my waist. But I don’t have time to dwell on it when he suddenly pulls me even closer, finally kissing me back.

My lips move with his as I wrap my hands around his neck, sighing inwardly at the warm feeling spreading through my body.

“Am I doing this right?”

~Isn’t the first kiss supposed to be clumsy? Wait, no, am I supposed to push my tongue into his mouth now?~

~Oh my gosh, what if he hates it.~

~But I love this. Nooo, I don’t want him to stop.~

He pulls away briefly.

~No, come back!~

“Stop thinking, Buttercup.”

That’s all he manages to say before he silences my next words by kissing me again.

I press myself closer, gasping into the kiss as he continues his sweet assault on my swollen lips.

After what feels like an eternity, he pulls away from me, resting his forehead on mine.

“You were going to kiss me earlier.” I don’t even ask. I state it like it’s a fact.

~Oh for heaven’s sake, why can’t I just keep my mouth shut?~

His face turns a deep red, maybe even a shade darker.

I chuckle as he buries his head in my neck, holding me tightly against him.

“I freaked out,” he murmurs before planting a soft kiss on my neck. I gasp at the sensation before forcing out a calm chuckle.

I was anything but calm.

Really.

“Why?”

“This is only my second kiss. I don’t know how to…”

I giggle.

“I liked it?”

“You liked it, huh?” He smirks, pulling me closer by the waist, his hand sliding across my shirt-clad back.

~He should just slip his hand under my shirt.~

~No, shush, naughty thoughts.~

“Yeah,” I whisper against his mouth, all thoughts about telling him the truth forgotten. I’m on cloud nine as I pull away.

“Come on, let’s get something to eat.” I nod at that before taking his hand in mine.

He smiles as he takes my bag from me before leading me away.

I’ll tell him tomorrow.

About our first kiss, my crush, and Xander.

I’ll tell him tomorrow.