Falling For Asher

Homecoming is a big deal here. It isn't a stretch that the celebration party is an even bigger deal. Our school has been undefeated for the past five years. It became a tradition to throw a party where even the towns near us are invited.

We won, which wasn't a surprise with how hard the football team practiced.

The car comes to a halt, my eyes taking in the house. Packed with cars and music loud enough to be heard throughout the neighborhood.

The party started long before we even won, the stumbling girl leaning over the front porch is proof of that. I step out of the car, rubbing my arms as the cool air hits my bare skin.

"What do her parents do for a living?" James asks in disbelief.

My friends - James, Melissa, Paige - and I rode in the same car. James' will be driving us to his house since his parents won't be home for the weekend.

I don't plan on drinking too much. However, Mel and Paige will most likely be taking advantage of that.

We follow a group inside, the music only getting louder as the large oak doors open. My eyes widen at the double staircase, and tall windows. A chandelier hangs in the center, sparkling with the reflection of the lights.

The first living room is to the right. With white furniture and perfectly hung wall decor. The kitchen is to the left, the island filled with snacks and drinks. Each room feels spacious even with the number of people inside.

"I need alcohol, " Melissa says, making her way to the drinks.

We trail behind her, still admiring the interior.

James stops to greet his friends. I take a water bottle while Paige grabs a beer.

Melissa narrows her eyes, "You're not drinking?" She asks.

"We just got here." I laugh, "At least let me get comfortable."

She shrugs, taking a long gulp. I watch her in amusement with an eye roll. She always finds an excuse to drink, not thinking twice before doing so.

We wander into the main area, finding some familiar faces. Within a few minutes, Melissa is already flirting. Her ability to be confident, but not too forward is admiring.

"Want to dance?" Paige asks. She tosses her blonde hair, exposing her tanned shoulders.

I nod but hesitate as I look at our friend across the room. This house is big, it would be impossible to find each other.

James notices my expression, nodding towards the crowd. "Go have fun."

I nod, getting off the comfortable seat. "Bye, " I say, allowing Paige to drag me away.

I've had two drinks already, feeling myself loosen up slightly. My heart beats rapidly with the beat of the music. Although James told me not to worry about Melissa, I make sure to keep an eye on her.

She has definitely had a lot more than we have. Melissa is carefree while sober, it's even worse when she's drunk.

I spot her with a boy from another school. She twirls a dark strand of hair between her fingers, giggling flirtatiously. My eyes subconsciously dart to where James sits with his friends.

His eyes are on Melissa, his jaw tense. I raise a brow, nudging Paige, who turns to look at the two.

"What?" She asks, clueless as always.

I shrug, brushing it off. It's probably nothing, I tend to piece things together quickly. Although I'm not always correct, it's a habit to see any possibility before I'm even aware of it.

I feel my feet ache, wincing at the pair of shoes I wore. "Let's go sit for a bit, " I suggest.

I find a seat beside James, while Paige grabs us drinks. His attention pulls away from our friend, his expression quickly replaced with a smile.

"Having fun?" He asks.

I raise a brow, "Are you?"

He swallows visibly, only furthering my suspicion. We're joined by our two friends. Three of us drinking a stronger drink. I allow myself to take a shot and even play Beer Pong with a stranger.

A few people simply watch, not having any intentions of drinking.

As another hour passes by, I can barely walk straight. Melissa is playing twister with some of her friends on the cheer team. Paige is eating cheese puffs and cheering them on.

I look for James, stumbling towards him leaning against the wall. He's talking to a girl from school, her hand rubbing his chest.

"I'm going to go for a walk, " I announce, getting lost in the mix of sweaty teens.

I find the door leading to the backyard. Pushing the glass doors and inhaling the fresh air. The backyard is decorated with fairy lights hanging from the patio roof and leading into a garden.

The music is drowned out as I walk closer to one of the benches.

Before I can relax, a voice disrupts me.

"Are you lost?"

I scream, turning around with a hand over my chest. He's on the opposite side, sitting with his back against the fence. With the lights lowly illuminating his figure, it's difficult to make out any features.

A deep chuckle comes from him and I stare at his shadow.

The movement of him standing up alerts me. Until I recognize his dark hair and deep green eyes. Even while my mind is cloudy, I can make out who it is.

"Asher?" I scoff, "What are you even doing out here?" I ask, crossing my arms.

His usual grin has made its way onto his lips, as he gestures to the doors.

I give him a blank stare, sitting on the bench. I pat the spot beside me, surprised when he doesn't question it. I watch the night sky and enjoy the light breeze.

Asher turns to face me, arching a brow. "Are you drunk?" His brows crease as he watches me in amusement.

"No." I lie.

His laugh fills the air, causing my lips to twitch. "If you weren't drunk you would have run the other way already."

I want to argue that he's wrong, but I can't. Not when that's exactly what I do. We stay quiet while I search for anything to break the silence. It's hard to form coherent thoughts with the amount I had to drink.

I shiver as the night gets colder. My thin shirt doing nothing to keep me warm. The adrenaline from dancing and being inside has worn off.

"You didn't answer my question." I remind him.

I hear him sigh before responding. "All the girls were all over me, it's also peaceful out here, " he adds.

I laugh at his obvious sarcasm. "Right, the usual."

"Is that why you're here?" He jokes.

I roll my eyes, scoffing. This causes him to laugh even harder. We then sit in silence, the music sounding like it's miles away rather than right behind the door. It's almost soundproof which helps in case any neighbors complain.

I rub my arms as the air gets cooler, turning my head to look at Asher. Even just being this close to him would normally not happen. I vowed to never speak to him again.

"Come have a drink with me?" I ask, missing the warmth from inside.

I know the answer before he even responds. "I don't think that's a good idea, Zoey." He says.

I nod, standing up and smiling. "I'll see you around?"

He sticks his pinky out, my heart flipping because we used to do this years ago. When we were in grade school and I would make him use pinky promises to make sure he couldn't break them.

Asher gives me his best smile, as I pull my hand back and give him a small wave.

If only I wasn't holding on to my own promise to someone else.