by L A Cotton
But I was happy.
Asher made me happy.
I knew the road ahead was littered with bumps and obstacles but being with him felt too good to worry.
He peppered my face with big wet kisses. “I don’t think I can let you go.”
“You have to,” I giggled, pressing my hands against his chest, pretending to resist.
Asher rolled us so I was beneath him. Brushing his nose featherlight across my jaw, my cheek, he kissed the corner of my mouth. “I wish they didn’t have to come home and ruin this.”
“No you don’t,” I sighed, looping my arms around his neck. “You love your mom.”
“You’re right, I do. But sometimes, fuck, Mya, sometimes I wish she’d stand up to him. Money isn’t everything. We’d make it work somehow. I hate the idea that she’s beholden to a life of misery with him.”
Brushing the golden strands of hair from his eyes, I gave him a small smile. “He’s her husband and despite all his faults, she loves him. Staying isn’t always the easy way out, Ash.”
I knew that firsthand.
“Yeah, it’s just... the price feels too high, ya know?”
“I know. But she has to follow her heart and make her own mistakes. Otherwise she’ll just end up resenting you.”
I hated that, in their own way, Asher’s parents had both let him down. He deserved so much more. He deserved to have all his dreams come true. But it was my past and his present that had led us here, to this exact moment, and I couldn’t regret or feel sorry for that.
Our experiences shaped us. Molded us into the people we were today. Pain, heartache, happiness, and hope, all contributed to who we became. So while I wished things had been different for both of us, I also knew we were the people we were now because of everything we’d been through.
I buried my face into Asher’s chest, relishing how good it felt to be in his arms.
“I know there are a million reasons why I probably shouldn’t say this,” he whispered into my hair. “But pick Cleveland, Mya. Pick me.”
“Ash...” My hands tightened around him.
“I don’t need an answer yet,” he said. “I just wanted you to know, I don’t care about how long it has or hasn’t been, or what the next five months might bring. I know what I want and I want you, Mya. Always.”
I didn’t answer him.
I couldn’t, the lump in my throat too big.
But if I’d have been brave enough to give him an answer, I was pretty sure it would have been yes.
Monday morning rolled around too quickly. Asher insisted on giving me a ride, pulling the boyfriend card. It was a nice normal couple thing to do. But the second we climbed out of the Jeep, I remembered that nothing about our relationship was normal; at least not in the eyes of most of our classmates.
“Ignore them,” he said, grabbing my hand in a show of a solidarity. Asher pulled it to his mouth and kissed my knuckles. A couple of girls sneered in my direction. I sneered right back.
“Hey, there you are.” Felicity made her way over to us. “I see you have quite the audience.” She glanced over at another huddle of girls who were pretending not to watch us. “You know they’re just jealous that Asher is officially off the market.”
“Maybe I should just pee on him now, get the message across.”
“I’m down for most things,” Asher grinned at me, “but I draw the line at that.”
“Where are the guys?” he asked Flick.
“Jason said something about hitting the gym.”
“He’s taking the exhibition game seriously, huh?”
“I guess.”
“You can go,” I said. “I can walk to class with Felicity.”
His eyes slid to where the girls were still huddled, and still staring.
“Go,” Flick urged him. “We’ve got this.”
“See you at lunch?”
I nodded, leaning in to kiss him. Felicity squealed under her breath, but it barely registered when his lips touched mine.
“Try to ignore them,” he whispered.
“Them who?” I grimaced.
“That’s my girl.”
“Go, before I beg you to stay.”
Asher took off toward the gym, leaving me and Felicity to head into school together. She looped her arm through mine. “You two are so f’in cute, I can barely stand it.”
“They’re still staring, right?” I said through gritted teeth.
She glanced back and let out an irritated sigh. “Yep.”
“Guess I’d better get used to it now the cat’s out of the bag.”
“They’ll get over it. Come lunch there’ll be some new drama or scandal for them to salivate over.”
“I hope you’re right because we’ve only been here ten minutes and I already want to punch something.”
We’d barely made it into the building when a saccharine sweet voice said, “Hey, Mya.”
“Hmm, hey, Kellie, right?” My mean girl radar went on high alert.
“Yeah, we met briefly at the Bennets’ party.”
“Yeah, I remember,” I said, coolly.
“Well, anyway, I just wanted to say hey. We should totally hang out some time. You too, Fee.”
“Felicity,” she corrected. “My name is Felicity.”
“Oh, my bad.” Kellie laughed, the sound like nails grating on a chalkboard. “I just heard Asher call you Fee this one time and figured—”
“It’s a nickname my friends use.”
Ouch, burn. I stifled a snicker.
Kellie’s eyes widened with surprise, but she recovered quickly, pasting on a false smile. “I should go but don’t forget what I said about hanging out.”
“Like that is ever going to happen,” Felicity mumbled under her breath.
When Kellie was gone, I turned to her, my brows pinched. “What the hell was that?”
“I think that was a perfect example of keeping your friends close and your enemies closer.”
“Just what I need,” I groaned, “more enemies.”
“You don’t need to worry about Kellie, she’s no one.”
But even I knew it was always the no ones you had to worry about.
“You’re vibrating.” Asher dropped his gaze to my pocket, but I nudged his face with mine, coaxing him back to me.
It was lunch and we were sitting with the guys and the rest of the team. It was weird, sitting here as his girlfriend rather than his best friends’ girlfriends’ friend. But no one gave us shit about it. In fact, no one cracked a single joke.
The fact wasn’t lost on me.
“Did you orchestrate this?” I asked him, ignoring the vibrations in my pocket.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
My eyes narrowed, as I glanced around the table. A couple of the guys smiled, but no one made a single remark. Not even Grady, who always had something to say.
“So you’re telling me this is just business as usual?”
The corner of Asher’s mouth tipped. “I said I didn’t do anything...” he let the words hang, but it was when his eyes slid to Jason that realization dawned on me.
“You did this?” I asked the brooding quarterback.
“I may have said something.”
I didn’t know whether to be flattered or offended. My natural instinct was to tell Jason I didn’t need his help, that I could fight my own battles. But as I was slowly learning about my friends, you didn’t have to fight things alone.
“Thank you,” I said, offering him an appreciative nod.
He shrugged as if it was nothing.
It wasn’t.
Asher slipped his arm around my waist and pulled me into his side. “You’re one of us now,” he whispered against my ear.
I couldn’t help but smile. But it quickly fell when I felt someone watching me. My eyes searched the cafeteria, landing on Kellie Ginly at the gymnasts’ table. Her mouth curved when she realized I’d noticed her.
“What’s wrong?” Asher aske
d, commanding my attention. I hadn’t even felt myself tense.
“Nothing,” I lied, sliding my eyes back to Kellie. She wasn’t watching now, busy talking to her friends.
Asher played with the bracelet ringing my wrist. “I know you’re technically already wearing my number,” he said. “But the exhibition game is my last game and well, I’d really like it if—”
“Yes,” I breathed, leaning back to kiss him.
He chuckled. “You don’t even know the question yet.”
“You’re going to ask me to wear your jersey to the game.”
“Actually, I was going to ask you if you’d wear one of those Vinnie the Viking hats.”
“Liar.”
His arms looped around me tighter. “So you’ll do it? You’ll wear my jersey?”
I nodded, feeling my heart flutter in my chest.
“Everyone will know you’re mine.” I felt him smile against my hair.
“Isn’t that the point?” I glanced back at him, our eyes locking on each other’s. Asher’s gaze burned with pride.
“I hadn’t expected you to say yes.”
“I’m not ashamed of you, Asher. I’m not ashamed of us. And I’m done hiding.”
The way gossip flew around the halls at Rixon meant everyone probably already knew about us, and if they didn’t, they would come game day.
“My mom and dad will be there...” He let the words hang.
“Good,” I said. “They should be.”
“I think I like this side of you.” He dropped a kiss on the end of my nose.
“Isn’t jealousy and possessiveness supposed to be a turn off?” My brow rose.
“Maybe but it’s having the opposite effect on me.” His eyes darkened, and I leaned in, brushing my lips over his.
“You want to skip fifth period?” I asked.
“Fuck, yes I—”
“Okay, you two,” Jason’s voice cut through air. “Break it up before we all see something we can’t ever unsee.”
Asher flipped Jason off, laughter rumbling in his chest. “Tonight,” he whispered back at me.
I gave him a small nod, my stomach coiled tight at his promise.
I was already counting the hours.
By the time the final bell went, I was more than ready to get the hell out of school. Being Asher Bennet’s girlfriend would have elevated anyone to celebrity status in the halls of Rixon High but being his girlfriend and the Latina transfer from Fallowfield Heights… well that shit made me infamous.
I spent the entire afternoon overhearing my name in hushed conversations. Some were simple curiosity at the outsider who had managed to land herself one of the most eligible guys in school. But others were so farfetched, my eyes ached from all the rolling. And some were just too close to the truth that I’d sat and listened, my heart almost beating out of my chest.
Apparently, everyone had a story about me now, and if they didn’t, they knew someone who did.
But I forced myself to let their words roll off my back. Asher loved me.
Me.
He knew about Jermaine and my life in Fallowfield Heights, and he loved me anyway.
At least, that’s what I told myself as I filed out of class to meet him.
But when I turned the corner and found him talking to none other than Kellie Ginly, I froze on the spot, my resolve crumbling around me. She spotted me over his shoulder, her saccharine sweet smile growing into something twisted and ugly and too big for her heart-shaped face. She laughed at something Asher said, making a show of tucking a strand of poker straight blonde hair behind her ear.
And then she touched him.
She laid one of her perfectly manicured hands on his shoulder and leaned in, like they were two old friends sharing a private joke.
The hall was already emptying around us, but Asher had no idea I was standing there, watching them. How perfect they looked together. His All-American good looks and her beauty pageant complexion.
But she knew.
Her eyes flicked to mine more than once, a wicked glint there.
A warning.
She might as well have pissed up his leg and claimed her territory.
But he’s not hers, he’s yours, a little voice reminded me.
Refusing to be the girl who was intimidated by someone like her, I steeled myself and marched up to them. “Hey,” I said, my voice weaker than I wanted it to be.
“Oh, Mya, hey.” Kellie flicked her hair off her shoulder and smiled. “I was just filling Asher in on our class notes since he missed it.”
“That’s... nice of you.” I forced out the words.
Asher’s gaze burned into the side of my face, but I couldn’t look at him. Not until I’d reined in the anger and jealousy coursing through my veins. Surprising me though, he slipped his arm around my waist and kissed my cheek.
“I missed you,” he said as if Kellie wasn’t standing right there.
“Awww, you guys are the cutest. I was so surprised when my dad told me you were dating someone. I told him, ‘Asher doesn’t date, Daddy’, but then I saw you guys at the party and well, I was wrong. You’re a very lucky girl, Mya.”
I barely managed to choke out a garbled, “Yeah.”
“Thanks for the notes, Kellie. See you around,” Asher dismissed her, his eyes only for me.
“Oh yeah, sure. See you.” She trotted off.
“She’s wrong you know?” he said before I could even formulate words.
“Wrong?”
“You’re not the lucky one. I am.” Asher pressed me against the locker, hands either side of my head.
“You two look good together,” I said, the words spilling from my lips in a blast of jealousy.
“I’m not going to let you do this, Mya.”
I pressed my lips together in defiance, hating the way he saw right through me.
“It’s you I want, you I love.” He leaned in, his lips brushing the shell of my ear. “You I’ll be buried deep inside of later. Kellie Ginly is no one to me. No. One. How could I even see her when all I see is you?”
He pulled back to look at me, his expression softening. “Better?”
“A little,” I said, feeling some of the anger ebb away. “But you should probably keep going. Just to be sure.”
I was joking but challenge flared in Asher’s eyes.
A challenge I’d gladly let him win.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Asher
“Look alive, ladies,” Coach Hasson boomed as he entered the locker room. “It’s a full house out there and the Eagles are looking for blood.” A wave of grumbles rose around me. “I want a clean game, got it?”
“Yes, Sir.” Our collective response echoed off the walls.
“This marks the start of a clean slate. We go out there and win the way we know how, through hard work, teamwork, and giving it our all. Jase, Son, do you want to say a few words?”
My best friend stalked into the center of the room, helmet hanging by his side, hunger glittering in his eyes. “Being a Raider, leading this team, has been a privilege and something I will never forget. But Coach is right. This game is a chance to put all the bullshit with Rixon East behind us. A chance to show them once and for all who the better team is on and off the field. Kinnicky, I’m looking to you tonight to step up to the plate and prove you’ve got what it takes to lead after I’m gone.”
My gaze snapped to Cam who looked as confused as I did.
“Coach, I’ll lead the team into the game,” he said, “but I think Kinnicky should take my place in the third quarter.”
“Are you sure that’s—”
“It’s the right call.” Jase nodded at Kinnicky across the huddle. The junior looked ready to piss his pants, but he managed to stand tall and return his quarterback’s nod.
“Well, all right then.” Coach looked to me. “Asher, how about it, Son? One final time.”
My chest tightened, Coach’s words like a vise around my throat.
This w
as it.
The last time I’d ever put on my jersey and play with my teammates. My best friends and brothers, for all intents and purposes.
“Asher...”
Everyone was staring at me, waiting for me to leap into action and get them pumped up. But there was something so bittersweet about it, I could barely find the words.
Until Jase caught my eye and said, “Together, we’ll do it together.”
With a tight smile, I moved into the center with him. He slung his arm around my shoulder and shouted, “Who are we?”
“Raiders,” the team replied.
“I said who are we?” My voice rang out, strong and clear, spurred on by my best friend’s reassurance.
“RAIDERS.” The team echoed back at us, their collective roar sending a surge of energy coursing through me.
“And what are we?”
“Family.” Jase squeezed my shoulder, his eyes sliding to mine, saying a hundred things I knew I’d never hear. This time, on the field as a team, and off the team as brothers, it was everything.
“And what are we gonna do?” I grinned at him, falling into my role with such ease, despite the deep ache in my heart.
“Win.”
“I said what are we gonna do?”
“WIN!”
Adrenaline pumped through me, the kind of high that could only come from being surrounded by your teammates; the guys who had seen you at your best, your worst, even your butt nakedness. Four years of my life had been dedicated to them. To the team. Four years that had flown by too quickly.
And now, it was at an end and I would never have this again.
“One more time,” Jase said quietly, squeezing my shoulder, and I knew his words were for me and me alone. He might not have understood my decision to give up college football, but right now, it didn’t matter. All that mattered was going out there and playing the best game we could possibly play.
Kicking some Eagle ass in the process.
Adrenaline pumped through me as I pushed my legs harder, eating up the distance between me and my target. Head down, shoulders squared, I drove straight into the offensive player’s side, tackling him to the ground. He landed with a loud thud, fumbling the ball.