Chapter 3

Asher:

Today was okay, other than the fact that I realized that I love my best friend. This time I was sure of it, unlike the last time. The last I almost brought myself to tell him, but chickened out as I normally do. I always worry, though, that if I tell him, he will refuse me as his friend. That's why I normally chicken out. I have been his best friend for a very long time, and don't want it to be ruined.

Today I woke up as normal, and went downstairs to have breakfast. Today I was looking forward to breakfast, as I was having my favorite, pancakes and sausage. I always looked forward to this meal. After all, it WAS my favorite.

"Hey, Asher," my mom greeted me.

"Hey, mommo," I said, using my nickname for her. She loved it. A smile grew upon her face, as it normally did when I used that name. Today, as of now, was going to be a good day, I thought.

"Got your favorite here, pancakes and sausage," she announced as my dad walked in.

"Ooooooh, I can't wait to dig in," my dad said.

"Hey, dad,"

"Hey, punko. What's going on today in the busy life of Asher?"

"Oh, nothing much, same old, same old. I might be going over to Aidon's after supper, is that okay?"

"Of course it is, Asher," he replied to my favor.

"Thanks, I've been meaning to get over there, but have been so busy with play practice and all, I hardly ever get a chance to go out."

"Yeah, I know. You deserve a break. You've been working those light switches so hard!"

"Hardee har har, dad," I mimicked a laugh at his pun.

"Hey, just keepin' it real, son," he replied.

I dug into breakfast and headed out to the bus. As I neared the bus, my day turned from good to icky. I saw Patricia, my enemy. She liked me so much, and I hated her. Sure, she was pretty, but she was overbearing and utterly annoying and a thorn in my side. Aidon was so much better and the thought never crossed my mind just to live life normally.

"Hey, Asher. What's up?" she screeched, as my ears started to bleed.

"Hi," I said half-heartedly.

"Are you going on the bio trip? If you are, you know you could sit with me on the bus. I would love that. I mean, you are totally hot, and I am totally hot. Maybe we could go out, you know. I think we'd make a great couple. So cute, you know?"

"Patricia, you ask me this every day, and the answer is always no. And yes, I am going on the bio trip, and no I won't sit with you, I am sitting with Aidon. We are already signed up, sorry."

"It's okay, there's always next year," she said unaware of how annoyed I was by her. She never picked up on how much she bothered me. This made it even easier for me to deny her every time she tried to get me to go out with her. I jumped onto the bus.

When I got to school, I went to my locker, got my books, and went to stand out by the doors. That's when he walked in. He looked so good today, and he was wearing my favorite outfit, light jeans and his Aero sweater. He looked so cute. Every time I looked at him, my heart beat oddly.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi," I replied. He looked startled.

"What's wrong?" he said.

"Uh, nothing, just tired," I sort of snapped.

"Oh, sure. Nothing is wrong, but you just snapped at me, which you never do."

"Nothing is wrong, okay? Just leave me be."

With that, I felt terrible. I shouldn't have snapped at him like that. He pressed on.

"Jake," he said using his nickname for me, that I absolutely adored, "what's wrong? I know you better than this. I know you enough to know that, when you snap at me, there's something wrong. We have been best friends for like EVER. You can tell me anything."

"Listen, Aidon, this isn't really something that I can tell you, or at least not in this setting. What are you doing tonight?"

"Nothing that I know of, my mom has to work late. Why?"

"Well, I was thinking that maybe I could come over, and then we could talk at a more appropriate place. Is that okay?"

"Yea, that'd be great, when do you think that you'll come?"

"Right after supper, probably. See you then, I have to go. See ya."

"Okay, bye."

I had a plan. Great. I walked to homeroom after he left, and waited for first period. First period came and went without much hesitation. Second period came too and then went. Then came third, my favorite, for one reason and one reason only, Aidon. This was the period that I shared with him. I sat beside him, and loved every minute of it.

"Hey," I greeted him.

"Hey," he greeted me in return.

"Hey, about tonight, maybe it would be better if I didn't come. I don't want to be a nuisance."

"What makes you think that you'd be a nuisance?" he asked, kind of hurt looking.

"I don't know. I just feel like I would."

"Don't worry about that! You are definitely not a nuisance. You are welcome at my house anytime, Jake. And you know it. There has to be another reason why you don't want to come, seeing as any time you are there, you help yourself to food. You definitely aren't worried about being a nuisance. What is it?"

"I feel different, like something has changed with us. I don't know how it will be," he said, crushing me.

"Is this because of Saturday night?"

He was referring to last Saturday. That night was good. It was a defining night for me. That was the night that I realized that Aidon was the one for me. Although, I think he regretted it, it had me worried to death.

"Um, can we not talk about that around people?"

"Uh, yeah. Just please come tonight so we can talk. Please?" He practically begged.

"No, not tonight," I said seeing the pain in his eyes, knowing that I should've just gave in. I couldn't, though; I just knew it would change things between us.

"Okay," he said, as I felt his upset.

I managed to get through the rest of the class and through the day. When the last bell rang, I went to my locker and then out to the bus stop. I saw him, at his car looking upset. I wasn't sure what was wrong, and didn't have time to go see because my bus pulled up.

I got on the bus and headed home. When I got home, I walked in the door. I saw mom and dad sitting and watching the television.

"Hey," they called in unison.

"Hey," I called back.

"How was school?"

"Good, same as usual," I replied unenthusiastically.

"That's good, are you still going over to Aidon's?"

"No, he's busy tonight."

"Okay, well, supper will be at about five thirty."

"Okay, I'm going to go up to my room and relax for awhile. I'm tired."

"Alright, sweetie. Rest for awhile."

I walked past them and headed up to my room to clear my head. I just needed to think and see if what I felt for Aidon was what I actually felt, and not getting the feelings confused with our great friendship. This has me all stressed out. I don't know what to do. At that moment my eye lids felt suddenly heavy and I let them drift shut.

The next thing I knew, my mom was yelling at me for supper. I went down and sat at the table. I knew I wasn't going to eat much for two reasons: I was upset and confused, and it was spaghetti, my least favorite meal.

"I know this isn't your favorite meal, but eat some. I don't want you to get malnutrition."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I called to her.

"Don't mock me, mister," she said jokingly.

"Where is dad," brushing of the pun.

"He was called into work, an emergency on the roads."

My dad was the township supervisor; he was always called away like this.

"Oh, okay," I said dryly.

"Are you okay, dear?"

"Yea, what would make you think I wasn't?"

"I don't know, you just seem off."

"Well, don't worry about it, I'm fine," I lied.

"Okay, if you say so."

"I said I was fine, can you just drop it?" I snapped regrettably.

"Listen Asher, you may be upset, but that doesn't give you the right to talk to me like that."

"I'm sorry, mom. Just a boring day at school, I'm getting sick of the same cycle day after day."

"It's okay, darling. Things will get better once track starts up again in the spring."

I always loved track. Aidon and I always did it together. We could both hurdle and run like there was no tomorrow. It was great. Plus, he looked so good in the track uniform, so cute.

"Yeah, I know."

I finished supper and headed back upstairs. I got to my room and lay down on my bed. I just about fell back asleep when I heard the doorbell ring. I didn't know who it was, and at this point I didn't care. I was in a deep depression and there was only one thing, or person, that could bring me out of it.