When The Gang Leader's Son Hates You

Chapter 18

I awoke to a strange chirping noise. I groaned and turned over, trying to make it go away. But the chirping only grew more piercing. I opened my eyes and came face to face with a small bird. I screamed and sprung upwards out of bed. The poor bird squeaked and flew straight out the open window. It must have flown in through the broken window. My eyes adjusted to the light streaming in through the window, all the curtains in the room have been opened. I scanned the office to find it empty and Asher was nowhere in sight. The only evidence that he had been here was the crumpled pillow and blanket on his side of the bed.

The room was still chilly but not as bad now that the wind has died down and the sun had risen. As I watched the swaying trees outside the events of the past day flashed in my mind. The mayor's dead body. I squeezed my eyes shut trying to block out the vision and ripped the sheets off me. I didn't want to stay here alone so I set off in search of Asher.

I pulled the curtains open to find the shop empty as well. I continued on my search, stepping out the front of the shop and found Asher by his car packing our things into the boot. I rested my hip against the door and watched him as he rearranged our stuff into the boot. His black hair swindled around his forehead as the wind blew it and he kept trying to unsuccessfully tame it. I was once again overwelmed by how attractive he was. It's no wonder all the girls in school were in love with him, he really is gorgeous. Usually when I let myself acknowledge my attraction towards him I have that familiar resultant thought of disgust and how he was an asshole who doesn't deserve those looks. But this time I didn't. 

When thinking about all the things he has done for me this past day, I was starting to think maybe he wasn't an asshole. Maybe he had changed.

He suddenly glanced up at me and caught me staring. 

"We should leave now," he announced as our eyes locked and he had a knowing gleam in his. Red tinged my cheeks when I suspected that he knew I had been here watching him this whole time. I jolted up from my lounged position and tried to compose myself.

"I'm good to go." I avoided his eyes. He smirked at me as he walked past me back into the shop to collect the rest of our belongings.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," I muttered under my breath and hit myself on the forehead. Way to make him even smugger.

I waited by the car as Asher locked up the shop. He emerged a few moments later and we settled in for the ride home. The car rumbled to a start beneath us and I let out a small smile as I looked out the window at the passing city, everything was okay now. My Mom was going to be fine. I contently closes my eyes against the glass.

I only opened my eyes again when the car abruptly stopped and Asher turned the engine off. I looked around outside and my gaze widened in shock when I saw we were in the parking lot of my favourite ice cream shop. My mouth fell open and I snapped my gaze to Asher. 

He was smiling smugly at me.

"We can't leave without having some of the best ice cream ever."

I did't return his smile, I just squinted at him suspiciously. He couldn't have possibly brought me here because he knew how much I loved this ice cream. He would never be that considerate. He noticed my hesitation and his smile turned serious.

"Do you want ice cream or not?" he grumbled. 

That's more like the Asher I know. I grinned at him.

"Of course," I gushed, following him out the car giddily. A light sprinkle of rain was peppering down from the sky, so we ran into the shop. I pulled Asher's jumper hoodie over my head as we ran and once again his intense smell enveloped me. Asher held the door open for me and leaned down to my ear when I passed.