Chapter 39: Punching Xander

ADDY

Mom nudges me toward my room. “Go get dressed!”

“I’m celebrating next week!” I grumble, heading to my closet.

Mom trails behind me.

“I know, sweetheart, but I want a nice birthday picture of you. Even Kaylee thinks it’s a good idea!” she insists, rummaging through my clothes.

Kaylee had just left. She’d popped by early in the morning to wish me a happy birthday and ended up joining us for breakfast.

She was going to stick around for pictures, but her mom called with some emergency and she had to rush off.

All my friends sent me birthday wishes this morning.

Well, all except for my neighbor.

Not that I’ve been waiting all day for him to wish me a happy birthday.

~I don’t care.~

I’ve been avoiding him as much as he’s been avoiding me since that day in the cafeteria.

~I can’t really expect him to just show up and wish me a happy birthday.~

~Jerk.~

“You’re wearing a dress,” Mom interrupts my thoughts.

“Mom!” I whine, flopping down in my chair.

“This one! Wear this one!”

My eyes go wide when I see the dress she’s holding.

“I don’t like that one.”

“What? I love it and it goes perfectly with the necklace Kaylee gave you. Put it on and hurry downstairs. Dad’s leaving for work soon and Xander will be here any minute to help you study for your German test.”

She lays the dress on my bed.

“I shouldn’t have told you why he’s coming over.”

“Too late for regrets, sweetheart. See you in five?”

She hurries out and I stand up, dragging my grumpy self over to the bed where the dress is waiting.

I look at it, running my hands over the fabric. I sigh. He didn’t buy it because he wanted to. He bought it because I’d spent money on him before.

I ~can~ wear this today without thinking about Asher.

***

I descend the stairs thirty minutes later.

“Oh, you look beautiful!” Mom gushes, leading me to the living room.

Dad’s arranging the cake on the table while chatting with...

“You’re here already?” I ask Xander, who’s setting up the camera.

“Yeah, came early. Your mom invited me in.” He walks over to me, pulling me into a hug.

“Happy birthday!”

“Thanks!” I smile at him, stepping back.

Dad looks pleased. He’s probably figured out that Xander is just a friend.

“Let’s take the pictures!” Mom shouts.

~Oh, joy.~

***

“I’m just going to change and then I’ll be right back down,” I announce once we’re done with the pictures.

Xander nods, then waves his phone at me. “Can I borrow your charger?”

“It’s in my room. Just grab it from the outlet under my window,” I tell him as we head upstairs.

“Thanks!”

I step into my room and point out the charger before grabbing the clothes I’d tossed on the bed earlier.

Just as I’m about to grab a pair of socks from my drawer, I hear a noise. I turn to see Xander looking at me sheepishly.

“I knocked your markers off your desk. I can clean it up!” He bends down to pick them up one by one.

I laugh, tossing my clothes back on the bed before crouching down to help him.

We’re halfway done when the doorbell rings. I wait for Mom to answer it, but it keeps ringing. I sigh, standing up slowly.

“I can see who it is!” Xander offers, standing up and heading out before I can protest.

Well, not before I could protest, but he was offering.

~Lazy!~

“I’ll be down in a second!” I call after him before bending down to pick up the rest of the markers.

~Mom would kill me.~

I return the markers to their cup before heading downstairs to see who’s at the door.

I glance toward the door just in time to see Asher punch Xander in the face.

I scream as I watch the horrifying scene unfold in front of me and rush over to them.

~What the hell!~

“Get away from him, Asher!” I yell, pulling him off Xander and stepping between them. “Are you out of your mind?”

“You’re the one driving me crazy!”

“Me?” I ask, pointing at myself in disbelief.

Asher glares, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

“Funny hearing that from the jerk who’s been avoiding me for over two weeks without any explanation?”

He doesn’t respond.

Xander groans in pain, and I quickly turn to him, pulling him into my arms.

“Wait, shit—what the hell!” I exclaim, looking at his bloody face. “Let’s get you inside and clean this up.”

“It’s okay, princess,” he murmurs, looking at my panicked face. I turn back to Asher, who’s glaring daggers at my arm around Xander.

“What the hell is your problem?” I demand, staring him down.

I hadn’t noticed at first. But now that I take a good look...

His face looks different, tired, maybe even a bit sad. My heart clenches for a moment, but I force myself to look away.

“Get out, Asher.” I push at his chest with my free hand.

Bad move.

He grabs my hand on his chest.

~Is he going to apologize?~

“Why the fuck are you wearing that dress!” he bellows.

~You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!~

“Why shouldn’t I wear this dress?” I shout back at him.

Xander slips out of my arm, heading back inside, but I don’t spare him a glance.

All I see is the boy in front of me.

Even the fighting is better than the ignoring.

He glares some more and I glare right back.

I try to pull my hand away but he holds it tight.

He pulls me closer.

~Is this it? Is he going to kiss me and tell me everything’s okay?~

“You’re so fucking stupid!” is all he manages to say after a minute of staring each other down.

I jerk my hand out of his grasp.

~Idiot…~

~That’s what he came to tell me on my birthday.~

~That’s why he punched Xander.~

~That’s why he pulled me closer.~

~To call me an idiot.~

I can feel the tears welling up. I can’t stop them.

I look at him, my vision blurred with tears.

“Yeah, I’m an idiot. How could I ever think that someone like you could fall for someone like me? Jalina was right.”

A bitter laugh escapes me as the first tear trickles down my cheek.

Asher’s eyes go wide.

“I’m pathetic. I waited all day for just one message from you. I didn’t care about the birthday wishes from my friends or my family. All I wanted was a happy birthday from you.”

The tears are streaming down my face now, but I don’t try to stop them.

“And then you have the audacity to come here and call me an idiot?”

“Addy... I was just…”

I raise my hand, cutting him off.

“I’m going to do us both a favor and stop bothering you. I won’t sit around feeling sad because you don’t care about me. I’m done. Please, just go home.”

I shut the door in his face.