Asher's Heart

Chapter 8

"Do you even know what time is it?" my dad asked sternly.

Suddenly, my shoes seemed far too interesting.

"It's nearly midnight," he answered his own questions.

Really?

Was I out that late?

"Do you have any idea how worried I was? And what was about that voice-mail? You literally gave me a heart attack," he said. I could imagine him with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face.

"Why was your phone switched off?" he demanded.

"It...it broke," I croaked out.

Yeah, I was crying. Barely able to hold back tears. But I wasn't crying because my dad was scolding me. I deserved that. I was crying because of all that happened today. It was definitely not one of my best day.

He didn't say anything for a while.

"I am sorry," I said, barely any voice coming out of my mouth.

"Aw what happened pumpkin?" dad asked softly. He came forward and wrapped his arms around me.

That was when I broke down.

"Shh... I am sorry! I didn't mean to upset you. It was just I was so worried and scared and your phone was switched off," he rambled.

I wiped my tears that were flowing down my face as if someone had left a tap open.

"It's... It's not that," I stuttered.

He took me to the kitchen and I sat on the island. Then he walked to the fridge and brought a bottle of water.

He gave it to me and I chugged it all down. I didn't realize I was that thirsty.

Then I told him everything.

My dad was furious. He demanded what that man looked like and then he made some calls. I told him that Asher took care of it but he wanted to deal with this himself. He was pacing in the kitchen and I had never seen him so angry before.

"I am so sorry pumpkin," my dad apologized. I wasn't even sure why he was apologizing. The one who should be apologizing was Asher. It was totally his fault. Well, ninety nine percent his and one percent of my stupidity.

"You don't need to apologize," I told him. I was feeling much better now. "I am fine," I said and smiled at him. I truly was.

"I think I do because young lady you are grounded," he said.

I shrugged. I really didn't care. It was the first time I was ever grounded. I was so happy to be home that I couldn't care less if I never went out.

"What no that's not fair, you can't do that?" he asked surprised by my calm behavior.

"Well, if you want that... " I smirked.

He smirked too.

"Room. Now," he said but he was smiling.

"Aye aye captain," I saluted him and hopped off the island smiling to myself. I loved my dad. He always made me smile.

****

When I was making my way to the McArdle household I saw that Asher's car was still in front of my house. I shook my head at it. That lazy ass.

It was Saturday morning and Ashton and I had to work on a project. I was really grateful to Mr. Simpson for pairing us together and I had been waiting for this day for a week now. Dad let me go as it was related to school and he lived next door.