Breathe

twenty-three

"Stripped down to my skin and my bones, I love huskies but I feel like a wolf."

I glanced up at Gill. "You forgot to howl."

"What?"

"Howling. Like they do in the song." I rolled my eyes. "Just go back to sleep."

"Hey, rude. Sorry that I don't listen to din in my free time," the girl replied, sitting up a little as she looked at me through narrowed eyes.

"She's right. Is this even music?" Sam chimed in from next to her. She had been on her phone the whole time, listening to our conversation with one ear and occasionally throwing in her opinion or a dry remark.

Tyler on the other hand had stayed next to Asher on his couch, not saying anything and just solving one sudoku after the other. That boy was like a machine; never taking a break and working relentlessly.

It was around two, we had just eaten lunch at Asher's and were now hanging out in his small room. The girls had claimed the bed, Asher and Tyler, who seemed a bit clingy lately, had taken over the couch, and therefor all that was left for me was the old carpet.

I didn't mind, though. The people I was with mattered more than what my bottom was placed on.

"Don't insult my music," I said, frowning. "It's like, ninety percent of my personality."

"Then your personality is trash," Gill stated with a shrug. "Give me your phone, I'll show you a good song."

I looked up at Asher as he got up from the couch and stretched, his shirt lifting up just a little, allowing me the briefest glance at his rather toned stomach.

"I'm gonna kick you out now because my shift starts in twenty minutes and I don't trust any of you," he said frankly. Gill rolled her eyes, already having forgotten about the song.

"You guys wanna come over to my place? We could eat ice cream."

"Duh," I said, standing up as well and turning to Asher. "Do you want to come over after your shift? You could eat with us."

He shrugged, fixing his shirt. "Sure. I should be done around seven."

"Cool." My brief answer didn't nearly meet the excitement in my veins, but it didn't matter. Gill slung an arm around Asher's shoulders, pulling him down towards her in the process since she was a lot smaller than him.

"Ugh, I've missed my favorite lovebirds."

Sam narrowed her eyes as she glanced from me to Asher. "You two back together?"

I followed her gaze, studying Asher's face as he rolled his eyes. "We're working on it. Don't make me late for work and leave already."

We did as he said, leaving his house and walking over to Gill's next, where we spent the rest of the afternoon. We just hung out in her garden eating ice cream, and switching between her and my music, the argument about whose taste was better never coming to an end.

Around six I went back to Michael's, finding my father kneeling in his garden and ripping out weed. He waved at me with a gloved hand once he saw me approach, and I waved back awkwardly.

"This is one huge glove," I stated once I was in earshot.

Michael glanced down at his hand, then shrugged. "It's for working. Do you know what that is?"

"Woah, rude. I don't like this new side of you." I turned around and walked towards the house, not managing to completely hide my smile.

"Hey, Anna's coming over later for dinner," he called after me.