Maddie has the devastating misfortune of being stuck with her enemy, Wes Tyler, for the ENTIRE summer break. But what's a misfortune for Maddie happens to be a wonderful stroke of good luck for Wes; Who's feelings towards Maddie have shifted rather...
The house had just come into view when Asher bounded out of it looking apprehensive and fidgety. It wasn't until he had descended the porch stairs that he saw us. For some odd reason, his face turned bright red when his eyes met mine, but he didn't look away.
"Hey Maddie," said Stella, with a nudge and amused glance, "You know how you sad you think Wes appreciates you?
"How can I forget," said Maddie, fiddling with a stone in her fingers
"Well, I think Asher might 'appreciate' you too."
"We'll meet you upstairs, kay Maddie," Julia said, giving me an encouraging pat on the back.
No, it's not 'kay.' I thought desperately. Why doesn't our mind-speak work when I have use of it? Asher was much closer to us now. I looked away and decided to pretend that I hadn't noticed him at all when he placed a strong hand on my shoulder.
"Hey Maddie, I was wondering if I could talk to you?"
Oh Bugger.
The gals were near the door now. My eyes were a frantic blur speeding between them to the large brown eyes in front of me.
"I was..." Asher started in a voice so quiet it was barely discernible, "Wondering..."
But I was distracted, again, by the door opening; this time to reveal a frazzled Wes. Immediately his eyes locked on mine. But to my surprise, instead of coming to my aid, he sat down on one of the porch stairs and shot figurative daggers at Asher's back.
"So how about it?" said Asher.
I looked back at Asher and immediately felt guilty for not listening to what he had just said to me.
"Um, what?" I asked, looking at each of his eyes, trying to pick up on something that I had just missed. I was still very aware of Tyler... Wes was watching us intently.
"You won't regret it," Asher urged.
I wasn't sure how much more of this I could handle. Asher's hopeful expression, Wes' resentful glare, Julia's abandonment.
"Um, alright I guess." Shoot, what did I just agree to...
"Great! I'll meet you by the stairs at five?" Asher asked.
"Sure, but what for?"
Poor Asher looked like a dog that had just lost his favorite chew toy.
"Just meet me there. I'll plan the rest," said Asher, in a more natural tone. He hurried off without waiting for my confirmation.
It all just happened too fast. Sure, I'd been asked out before, but not by someone I knew so well. Was I even attracted to Asher? I- not really. And yet what even is attraction? An image of Wes shirtless in the woods flitted through my mind. I could feel my face heating. Was I attracted to Wes? But how could I be? I've hated him for so long... Only, in this way, maybe attraction is something that would come in time. And in this way, why shouldn't I give Asher a chance? I have known him for a long time. And where's the harm in a date anyway?
I wished my face would stop burning. And what about Wes? Only, that was little more than a schoolgirl crush. Wes never asked me to go on a date... He never really showed much interest in me, apart from cornering me in the hall. But he might have done that mess with my emotions as revenge for messing up his room... Heck, it might have been for a bet for all I knew. And I don't think dyeing my hair blue counts as courtship. He said I wasn't even the intended target there anyway. Besides, he's made it clear for years that he's disliked me... I'll meet you by the stairs at five... Asher's voice seemed to echo in my mind. ...A date... with me. What a crazy thought. Wait until the gals hear about this... I hope this isn't another reason for some kind of makeover. They would put two makeovers on me in less than twenty-four hours surely... Then again I wouldn't put it past them.
I looked at Wes, who was still sitting on the stairs. His eyes meant mine for the briefest moment before his body seemed to shrug with sadness before he stood and turned to follow Asher to the door.
Ash was just a few feet away from the door now and I got a sudden urge to call after him. To back out maybe? What a strange feeling. Maybe it was Wes I wanted to call after?
Maybe the risk of having to endure another makeover is enough of a deterrent that it makes me want to back out.
Would Wes be hurt if I dated Ash? I... couldn't be sure really. It felt like it was somehow too late to back out.
So, I watched them go... Why must it be this complicated? I only just started to consider getting together with Wes, and now I'm going out with Asher. I'm going out with Asher. It's strange how long it takes to process words sometimes. But I'll be going out with Asher... Pick you up at five, he said... five... Tonight.
Shoot. Tonight. That's so soon. I better talk to the gals. Talk to them about how I'm going out with Ash. Just a date. This will be ok. I mean, what could go wrong really? It's just a simple date is all...
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