Chapter Two
“I still can’t believe you have a date and I don’t.” Grayson flops onto my bed. “I’ve shown up everywhere Andre has been this week, and nothing. I even hinted that I had no plans tonight. The boy is dense.”
I stop shuffling through the shirts in my closet and turn to face her. “Guys like Andre get hit on all the time, Gray. Try being unavailable.”
She props herself up on her elbow. “Play hard to get.” She nods. “Yeah, that’s brilliant, Meg. Look at you. You do still have some game.”
No, no games. I want upfront and brutally honest. But that’s because I have to worry about being cheated on. Girls like Grayson don’t get cheated on. No guy would be that stupid. She’d kick his ass and ruin his reputation for life.
“So, what movie are you guys going to see?”
“Oh, um, I’m not sure. I guess we’ll see what’s playing when we get there.”
Grayson rolls her eyes. “No game plan whatsoever. You’re hopeless, Meg. Although, I’m guessing Mr. Perfect has a plan.”
“Nobody’s perfect.” Though Asher Davidson is damn close.
“Uh-huh. And that’s why you’ve been picking out your outfit for the last”—she reaches for the alarm clock on my nightstand and turns it toward her—“fifty-two minutes.”
I shake my head and turn away before she can see me blush. “You don’t know what time I started picking out my outfit.” I’m willing to bet it’s been well over forty-five minutes, though. I hold the blue lightweight V-neck shirt up to me in the full-length mirror on my closet door. “What do you think?”
Grayson hops off my bed and stands behind me so she’s reflected in the mirror, too. “It brings out the color of your eyes.” Her eyebrow fish hooks. “Not that Ash will be looking at your eyes. With that neckline he’ll be looking about twelve inches south of your eyes.”
I lower the shirt and whirl around on her. “Ash isn’t like that.”
“It’s cute how you’re defending the guy you’re supposedly not totally crushing over.” She taps my nose with her index finger. “You can’t fool me, Meg. We both know you’re going to wear a jacket over that shirt, but you’ll take it off the second you two are cozied up in that theater.”
I’d argue with her, but she’s right. “Fine. I’ll wear the shirt.”
“And your skinny jeans and black boots.”
I glare at her. “Do you want to pick out my underwear, too?”
Her face lights up, and she clasps her hands in front of her chest. “You’re going to let me?”
“No.” I smack her arm with the shirt in my hands. “You’re sick, Gray. Completely sick.”
“Hey.” She takes me by my shoulders and looks into my eyes. “Just promise me one thing.”
Please God, not the sex talk. She knows I’m nowhere near ready for that. I might be thirty before I get to that point.
“Have fun tonight. Don’t overthink things. Ash is a great guy.” She rolls her eyes. “It’s almost annoying how everyone loves the guy so much, but you deserve someone like that.”
“I’m not looking for anything serious right now, Gray.”
Her tone goes serious again. “And that’s usually when you find it.”
Her words are still ringing through my head when Ash shows up on my doorstep an hour later. He looks amazing in jeans and a dark gray sweater. His hands are shoved into his front pockets, which is sweet because he must be as nervous as I am.
“You look great,” he says with a big smile on his face.
“You can thank me for her outfit choice,” Grayson says, giving me a hug. She steps onto the front porch with Ash. “That’s my girl in there, so be good to her. You might be on the football team, but believe me when I say I can and will hunt you down if you hurt her.”
Derrick is lucky his family moved away right after we split up, because Grayson was ready to do things to him that would have altered both his face and gender. I wish I was as strong and confident as she is.
Ash’s jaw drops at first, but then he recovers and nods at Grayson. “I’m not that kind of guy. You have nothing to worry about.”
Grayson’s eyes drop to Ash’s crotch. “You’re not gay, so I’m going to worry until you prove I don’t need to.”
Oh good God! My cheeks burn with embarrassment. “Bye, Gray.” I step out onto the porch and push her toward the driveway. She gives me a “What?” look, but I just wave her along and turn back to Ash. “I am so sorry about that. She’s—”
“A good friend.” He smiles and motions toward his car, which is parked on the street instead of in the driveway. “I didn’t want to block anyone. I hope that’s okay.” He places his hand on my lower back as we walk to the street.
“Yeah, it’s fine.”
Grayson honks as she backs out of the driveway, and I jump.
Ash leans his face down level with my ear and whispers, “I think I’m the one who’s supposed to be jumpy. Do you see the look Grayson is giving me?”
I make eye contact with Grayson, who is holding her fingers up to her own eyes and then turning them on Ash in the universal signal for “I’ll be watching you.” “She’s so embarrassing sometimes.”
“I think it’s cute.” Ash reaches for the passenger door and hesitates. “I mean how close you two are. Not Grayson. I don’t think she’s cute. I mean, she’s not ugly. I’m not insulting her. I’m just—”
My not-so-stifled laugh stops him. He’s absolutely adorable. He smiles and opens the door for me.
The drive to the theater is anything but awkward. We talk like we’ve known each other for years, which is both comforting and exciting. Every time he glances at me my stomach does a little butterfly flutter. And every time he focuses back on the road, I count the seconds until he looks my way again.
This so isn’t going according to my plan, but I’m not even sure I care anymore. Ash and I have been talking for months, and he’s never pushed me for anything more than friendship. I know that’s because I’ve been making it clear to everyone that I’m not looking for a boyfriend. But a few weeks ago, something changed. I changed. One day I looked up and realized I was flirting with Ash, and I had initiated it. Yet he still didn’t push me. He waited all this time to ask me out, because he somehow knew it was what I needed.
“You ready?” he asks, turning toward me in his seat.
I lift my head and realize we’re parked. “I’m sorry. I guess I zoned out for a second.”
“It’s okay. I just asked if you prefer adventure, thriller, or comedy. I thought you were trying to decide.” His mouth curves into a smile, and I find myself staring at his full lips. “Meg?”
I shake my head and reach for the door handle. “Yeah, um, I like them all.” I start to open the door, and Ash rushes out his door and around to my side. He holds the door for me. “Thanks.” I search my memory for a single time Derrick opened a door for me. Can’t think of a one. And for the first time, I actually smile when thinking about something related to Derrick. Of course it’s Ash that’s bringing the smile to my face.
“What?” Ash asks, making me realize I’m staring at him.
“Where did you come from?” I ask, stepping out of the car.
“The other side of the car. It was a really far walk.” He smiles, knowing that wasn’t at all what I meant.
“You’re so different.”
“Is that bad?” He shuts the door and motions toward the movie theater.
“Not even a little bit.”
He takes my hand, as if it was totally natural, and walks with me to the ticket booth. “So, no preference on the movie?”
I scan the titles. “If I’m being honest, there’s only one I haven’t seen.” I don’t want to tell him I’m here every weekend with Gray, but I’m suddenly worried he’ll think I’ve been dating multiple guys, and that’s not me at all. “Grayson’s dragged me here a lot lately.”
“Okay, well which one haven’t you seen?”
I point to t
he comedy about a former spy turned schoolteacher, and Ash’s shoulders lower.
“Oh thank God. I was worried you were going to point to that romantic comedy.”
I laugh. “No rom coms for you, huh?”
He shrugs. “It’s not that I don’t like them—though please don’t tell any of the guys on the team I said that.” He smiles again, and I nearly melt. “But that’s the kind of movie you take a girl to when you’re looking to—” He stops and clears his throat, but I know what he means. Guys like Derrick take girls to movies like that so they’ll get in the mood to make out for hours afterward.
Ash gently pulls me up to the ticket teller and pays for two tickets.
“I brought money,” I say, reaching for my front pocket where I stashed my ID and money.
Ash takes his change and the tickets and walks me toward the concession stand. “Ask you out and then expect you to pay for your own ticket?” He shakes his head. “Not happening.”
We’ve been on this date for all of twenty minutes and he’s already rewriting everything I know about dating. “At least let me buy the popcorn and drinks then,” I say.
He pauses like he’s considering it. “How about this?” He turns his body toward me. “You let me pay this time, and if you decide you want to do it again, you can get the popcorn next time. Deal?”
He’s already thinking about a second date. I can’t stop the smile from spreading across my face, and that’s all the answer Ash needs. We step into line, and he orders us each a medium soda and one large bucket of popcorn to share.
“Ash!” Someone yells from behind us as we’re heading to theater three.
We turn around, and I see Jackson and some other football players heading toward us. Jackson raises his hand for the one-handed shake-hug thing they usually do, but Ash doesn’t let go of me.
“Sorry, man. My hands are full.” He turns and smiles at me.
“I see that.” Jackson eyes me. “Meg, right?”
Jackson and I have never really talked before, so Ash must have mentioned me to him. “Yeah. Hi, Jackson.”
He’s not surprised I know his name. The football team may not be very good, but everyone knows the players.
“You up for a game tomorrow afternoon?” Jackson asks Ash. “We’re meeting at the park around one.”
“I’ll let you know.” Ash looks at me again, and I can’t help wondering if he has plans to ask me out for tomorrow.
Jackson claps Ash on the back and then says to me, “Be good to my man here.”
I nod, not exactly sure what Jackson means by that. I’ve seen him with a few girls at school, and he’s not what I’d call shy when it comes to PDA.
“Sorry about that,” Ash says, once his teammates move on to another theater.
“Hey, we both got the best friend treatment tonight. It’s only fair, right?” Besides, Jackson went easy on me compared to what Gray did to Ash back at my house.
“Well, you can feel free to ignore Jackson. He means well, but he can go a little overboard sometimes.”
We walk into the dark theater, and Ash lets me pick our seats. I’m not used to being in control like this, but I have to admit I like it. I take us to the back right section up on the risers. I can never sit back here with Gray because she’s too short to see over the people in front of her. She makes me crane my neck in the front during every movie.
Ash holds the popcorn bucket on his lap and places his drink in the cup holder on his left, leaving the one between us for me. I can’t get over how considerate he is. I place my drink in the cup holder and lean back in my seat.
“Help yourself,” Ash whispers to me, motioning to the popcorn.
The movie starts and about fifteen minutes into it, I realize Ash has the most adorable laugh. I wind up watching him more than the movie, and every time he catches me looking at him, I pretend to be reaching for the popcorn. I’m not sure if I’m convincing, but he doesn’t seem to mind either way.
Once the movie is over, Ash takes our garbage and dumps it. Then he places his hand on the small of my back again as we head outside.
“Oh hey, Ash,” a perky brunette wearing too much makeup says. “I thought that was you.” She reaches for his bicep. “I’d spot that arm anywhere.”
My entire body stiffens. Ash must get a lot of attention from girls. What was I thinking going out with him? I can’t date a guy girls throw themselves at. I mean, this girl keeps touching him like it’s completely normal.
“It’s just an arm.” Ash steps away and opens the door for me. “Enjoy your movie,” he says to the girl, and she pouts like she’s disappointed Ash didn’t flirt back.
“Do you know her?” I ask once we’re outside.
He shrugs. “She went out with Jackson a few times. And then dated a few other guys on the team.”
A groupie. “Oh.”
Ash stops walking and takes my hand. “I’m not into girls like that. She couldn’t care less who the guy is, only that he’s popular.”
I wonder if she’s ever dated Noah Turner. He’s the most sought after guy in school. I try to remember who I’ve seen Ash with, but I turn up blank.
“Have you dated anyone since you came to Treemont?”
He looks down at the pavement and starts walking to his car again. “I had a girlfriend before I came here.”
“Did you two break up before you moved, or are you . . . ?” My stomach churns. I can’t be the other girl. No way. I’m not a Liz—not the girl who kisses some other girl’s boyfriend.
“Am I”—his brow furrows, and then realization hits—“still with her? God, no. We tried the long distance thing, but it didn’t last a week. She broke up with me before I started my first day at Treemont. We’d literally just gotten moved in when my phone rang and she said she couldn’t take it anymore.”
“Wow, I’m sorry.” She ditched him right after he left, which meant she either didn’t have the guts to end it face-to-face or she met someone else and didn’t want to be tied down.
Ash shrugs. “It’s fine. Ancient history.”
Ancient history. It’s been over a year since Derrick cheated on me, so why isn’t that ancient history?
Ash opens the passenger-side door for me, and I hop in. We didn’t talk about doing anything after the movie, but ever since he picked me up I’ve been hoping he’ll mention going for coffee or ice cream or anything that will make this date last longer. I’m not ready to go home yet. I like being with Ash.
Once he’s in the car and starts the engine, he turns to look at me. “So, I guess I should take you home.”
No. I open my mouth to suggest going anywhere else, but instead I say, “Sure. Thanks.” Thanks for what? For ending the best date I’ve had since . . . ever? What am I doing?
Ash pulls out of the parking lot and onto the road. If I wasn’t such a coward, I’d tell him I don’t have to be home for hours. I’d tell him to pull over, and then I’d look him in the eye, tell him I like him, and finally see if his full lips feel as amazing as they look.
But I am a coward, and I just sit there, staring at my hands in my lap.
“You okay?” Ash asks, glancing at me briefly.
“Yeah, fine. Thanks again for the movie. Don’t forget the popcorn’s on me next time.” My attempt at flirting is laughable.
Ash smiles. “Some of the guys are talking about seeing that new action-adventure that’s coming out in a few weeks. We should all go.”
All go? As in a group? Like friends? Oh God, how did I manage to derail this date so quickly? We were talking and getting along really well. But maybe that’s the problem. Maybe Ash realized we make really good friends. Maybe that’s all I’m cut out to be, someone’s friend.
Ash keeps talking and I manage to utter “uh-huh” when necessary, but I’m not really paying much attention to the conversation. All I can think about is going home and crying into my pillow for the next hour and a half.
Ash pulls up to my house but doesn’t cut the engi
ne. He gets out and walks around the car to open my door for me. I force a smile as he offers me his hand. He doesn’t let go as he walks me to my front door, and for a moment I think maybe I’ve misread him. Maybe he’s going to kiss me goodnight after all.
“Thanks again for everything,” I say, tilting my head back to look at him.
“You don’t have to thank me. I had fun.” He shoves his hands into his front pockets. “I guess I’ll see you Monday morning.”
My stomach sinks into my feet. “Yeah. Big chemistry test.” One I’m likely to fail because this date has proven I know absolutely nothing about chemistry.
“Should be a killer, but I’m sure you’ll do fine.” He bumps my arm with his elbow. “Goodnight, Meg.” He turns and starts for his car.
“Night.” My voice is so small I doubt he heard me. I pull my key from my pocket and unlock the door. I probably set some sort of world record with how fast I’m inside with the door locked again. Mom and Dad are on their customary Friday date night, so I slump against the door and sink to the floor. I stay there for about half and hour before finally dragging myself to the shower. I set the water as hot as it will go, but it still feels cold. Or maybe it’s just me. I feel dead inside and completely incapable of connecting with a guy. Really connecting. I thought Ash could be different.
I towel dry my hair and slip into my pajamas. Mom and Dad still aren’t home, which only depresses me more. My parents have better social lives than I do. Even after all these years, they’re still every bit in love today as they were when they met. Why can’t I have that?
On my nightstand, my phone chimes with a text. I tilt the screen toward me and see it’s from Gray. Well, how did it go? I shut my phone off without answering. I’m too embarrassed to talk about my utter lack of skills when it comes to dating.