The Senior Trip

Chapter 5

HARPER

Finally, one I got right. That was starting to get embarrassing. Asher's gaze dips to my mouth and then slowly finds its way back to my eyes. It's getting a little hot in here, but I don't want to reach for the air vent.

He clears his throat. "Question number four."

I can't take my eyes off him as he focuses on the quiz in his hands. How have I never noticed his perfect jawline and lips before? I can see the light shadow where he's shaved and have the strangest urge to fun my finger along it.

"What percentage of women lost their virginity by the time they were 16? 10 percent, 40 percent, or 70 percent?" Asher looks to me at the end of the question.

"I don't know," I answer honestly. "Maybe ten percent?"

"How old are you?" he asks with a chuckle.

"Eighteen," I answer.

"Exactly. And I am eighteen also, and I've been with more than one girl. The math isn't going to add up for you there." He returns his attention to the magazine. "It's got to be either forty or seventy percent. Let me think about this for a minute." He cranes his neck and scans the plane's passengers.

"You have no idea who has had sex just by looking at them," I tell him annoyed.

"Correct, but I can make unfair and sexist assumptions based on what I DO know about them." His smile makes my heart skip a beat. At least he's honest.

"I've got to hear this," I say.

"OK, take that group over there. They're the band kids," he lifts his chin in their direction.

"Just because they're in the band does not mean they're virgins," I say with an eye roll.

"I wasn't assuming they are. As a matter of fact, I'm good friends with Cole, the lead drummer and I know for a fact some crazy stuff goes down at band camp. Let's just for fun assume that half of them have had sex. Now let's look at the cheerleaders," he says with a sly smile.

"Fine, I get it. It has to be forty," I tell him.

"It could be seventy," he says with a shrug.

"No way."

"Well, think about it. How many couples are on this trip? How long have they been together? What are the chances they aren't having sex?" he asks seriously. "Take you and your boyfriend. I've seen you guys together since our freshman year."

My brows draw together. "Boyfriend?" I ask incredulously. "What boyfriend?"

Asher's smile fades. "Wait, that guy...um..Ezra?" he says hesitantly.

"Ezra?!" I practically shout.

"What? That's not his name?" Asher asks as he looks behind us to where Ezra's sitting a few rows back.

"No," I say. "Yes," I correct.

Asher laughs and looks at me like I've lost my mind. "You should probably be a little more sure about that after all those years," he jokes.

"I mean yes, his name is Ezra, but he's not my boyfriend." I feel relieved just getting the words out of my mouth. Eww. I mean we have been friends for so long there is nothing but an almost sibling love between us. I close my eyes and try to shake the thought off.

"Really? You guys aren't together?"

"No," I assure him.

"Hooked up? Friends with benefits?" he keeps fishing as if he can't wrap his head around a girl and boy being friends without sex. I glare at him.

"No. Boys and girls can be friends without doing that."

"I get it, but why?" he asks rhetorically and laughs.

"For conversation and companionship. For someone to talk to when you need..." I defend.

"OK, OK, you didn't have sex with him. Friend-zoned. Poor guy," he says and shakes his head.

"Jesus," I mumble under my breath.

"So someone else then?" he asks.

I squeeze my lips together and lift my brows in challenge. Then wait for him to put the pieces together. It only takes a few seconds as soon as he's done laughing.

Asher's expression turns serious. "Wait....are you saying you've never had sex?"

"Shhh," I scold. "You don't have to announce it to the entire plane."

"Sorry," he says, still looking a bit stunned by the revelation.

"So we're going with forty percent?" I ask, pointing to the quiz.

"My mind is blown," he mumbles, shaking his head and looking back to the quiz. "I guess we're going with forty percent."

We were right.

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