Sprinkles {#Wattys2018} ✔

19 \ S P R I N K L E S

19 [s p r i n k l e s]

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Asher Hughes sped down the street so fast that shops and resturaunts passed by in a blur, and it wasn't the rain. He fairly believed that he would be pulled over by a police officer at any minute. But there was no more time to waste: not only was he anxious to see Charlotte, he was also angry and protective about why she was crying and all alone at midnight . He wanted to see her face, but at the same time, he didn't.

Would this night ruin what they had?

What did they have? How did a simple prank call lead to this?

Asher held feelings for Charlotte that were unlike any other girl he had ever met. He knew, deep in his heart, that he was in love with her. In all truthfulness, it was only until now that he actually had the realization of it.

He had felt this way for a long time. However, the feeling scared him out of his wits. It was the most terrifying, but beautiful, thing that anyone could ever experience in their life, he concluded.

The nerves just kept spiraling deep down into the pits of his abdomen.

Doubtful thoughts about what will happen rummaged through his brain as he frantically held the phone against his ear in one hand and his steering wheel in the other. His knuckles turned white clenching the steering wheel when he heard Charlotte's cries and sobs racking from her body on the other line. He hated to hear her like that, sounding so vulnerable and weak. He wanted to help her, to cease all of her suffering and to make those who hurt her pay dearly. When it came to Charlotte, he was more protective of her than he was of chocolate.

Asher completely believes was going to be sentenced to life in prison for murdering the person who did this to her. Charlotte didn't need the extra pain. She was too beautiful of a person to endure any of this, he thought.

All too soon, he pulled his car up to a wooden sign that had the "Red Barn" in chipped, red letters. The rustic tavern had dimly lit lanterns that he could see from the outside.

This was it. The moment he could mess it all up or start something beautiful.

Asher slammed the car door, with the phone still pressed to his ear. He could hear her breathing falter as he walked fastly around his car.

And there she was. In the pouring rain was his love, and she couldn't be more beautiful, he thought. Her blond hair, which was originally curled, was matted to her head due to the water pouring down from above. Mascara trailed down her cheeks as she shivered, hugging her white cardigan to her sky blue dress around her. She had taken her flats off, which were soaked, so she was on the ground barefoot, hugging her knees to put them up to her chest.

Asher didn't care about anything else except her.

She still kept her phone against her ear. "Ash."

His heart almost stopped beating. "Charlotte."

Charlotte ended the call, dropped her phone to the ground, and stood up from the wet pavement to run towards him.

She ran as fast as she could, her bare feet sprinting through puddles of rain, to Asher and just stared at his face, her doe eyes glazing over his features for the first time.

And without any further thought, Asher grabbed her waist and flushed her against his chest in a breath-crushing hug. She wound her arms tightly against his back in return, needing the comfort.

He softly breathed in, his nostrils filling with the faint scent of vanilla. The smell of home.

They didn't know how long they just stood there in the rain, hugging each other tightly like they would never let go. He wanted her so bad, and she didn't even know.

But that didn't mean she couldn't.

He broke apart their embrace to cup her jaw softly, rubbing her cheek with the pad of his thumb. Charlotte leaned into his touch and slightly shuddered, fluttering her eyes that were filled with old tears.

All of the sudden, he spoke above the harsh patter of the falling rain, "I've been waiting so long, Charlotte."

She opened her eyes slightly to see that his sea-foam irises were already staring down at her, admiring her once again. "For what?" She asked, furrowing her brows.

"For this."

And with those two words, he gently brought his lips down to hers.

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