Chapter 15
“The hell, woman!” Asher exclaimed, exasperated.
Though he chuckled and ran his fingers through my hair.
The bun was long gone, pulled out by the man himself an hour ago after we’d finally started going through his setlist. However, I apparently did not hear the lyrics right on a few songs, and it was frustratingly cute to him.
“I swear that’s what you were singing,” I replied, looking up at him.
“I only have this studio for another ten minutes, Princess. I thought, as the famous Duvaldi, you’d catch on quicker than you have,” he taunted, and I clicked my tongue, rolling my eyes.
I liked this. Lying in his lap while he sang to me, and then I repeated the lyrics.
“I’ll get it right this time, I promise.”
“Oh, will you now?” He widened his eyes as I wiggled my brows. He sang the same line one more time, and I repeated it back, correctly. Sighing in relief, he closed his eyes. “You know, it’s quite haunting to hear my song sung in more of an operatic way. Your voice is incredible.”
“But not fit for this genre,” I muttered.
“I can teach you.”
“You still owe me guitar lessons.”
“Am I going to find out that that was all a ploy and you already know how to play?” He lifted an accusatory brow.
I giggled. “No, I really don’t know how to play the guitar.”
“What do you know how to play?”
“How long do you have? If it’s an orchestra instrument, I can get by,” I answered and closed my eyes as his fingers slid through my hair again. “I like this,” I whispered.
“Me too,” he tenderly replied.
Silence fell between us, but not the kind that felt strange and overwhelming. The kind that held longing and desire. The kind that bound two people together in comfort and necessity. I needed him, not just wanted. He was that relief I’d been seeking for far too long.
“Asher?” I began.
“Hmmmm?”
“You know what I’m going to say…” It killed me to merely think about it, so I left it at that.
“Yeah, I know,” he muttered.
A tear slid from my eye. Today hadn’t gone how I’d expected, and I couldn’t figure out if that made things worse or not. His thumb quickly brushed the tear away before it could drop from my skin. His touch lingering upon my face. With each passing second, another chip in my heart cracked.
“Asher?”
“Yes, Princess.”
“Promise me something?”
“What’s that?”
“You’ll keep trying. No matter how many times I…”
I heard him deeply inhale and pried my eyes open to see him gazing at the ceiling with a smile.
“I promise,” he softly replied.
There. Now, even when I rejected him again and again, he’d keep coming back. There. I’d found a way to tell him what I wanted without entirely breaking my best friend’s heart and trust. It would have to do for now.
The clicking of my laptop keys echoed around the empty house.
I was surprised that Sydney wasn’t home when I got back from the studio, but at the same time, she was a free spirit and often went places I had no idea about.
Part of me wished I was as easy-going as she was, but apparently, it didn’t seem to be Asher’s type, and right now, he was all that was on my mind.
Besides, it had given me some ample time to clean the house, fold Sydney’s laundry, and get some of my other usual chores done.
Glancing up from my laptop, I heard the front door unlock and paused my work. Giggling came from the one and only best friend of mine before she tossed her shoes to the side and crashed into the dining room.
“Cosi!” she squealed, carrying something in her hands. “You’ve got to see what I bought!”
“What is it?” I asked, shutting my computer and swiveling on the chair to face her. She sat next to me and slapped her package down. She pushed at the end, and the vinyl banner unfurled. My heart stopped, guilt rising in my throat.
“Ta-da!” She clapped her hands in glee as I stared at the massive picture of Void. “I’m going to get them to sign it at the double concert weekend!” She swooned, drawing a heart around Asher with her finger.
“You bought tickets already? I didn’t even know they were on sale,” I muttered.
Guilt. Guilty me.
“Of course I did! They went live at midnight, and I bought tickets for both family and adult nights. Am I going to have to beg to get you to come again?” she replied, staring dreamily at the banner.
“Actually, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that.” I tried to shove the sick feeling in my stomach out. I should just tell her about Asher.
“Ooooo, sounds mysterious.” She faced me and grinned, her eyes twinkling with delight.
“So, apparently I am the last person to know about Void because the entire school district is having a meeting on Friday about how the class schedule will be altered for the first concert,” I began, and she nodded fervently.
“Go on.”
“And my students may have baited me into saying I’d go.”
“Yes, bitch!” she squealed, shot up from her chair, and began dancing around the room.
“I’m not done yet, Syd,” I continued, and she paused.
“There’s more?” she gasped.
I nodded. “I have to have someone record me at both the family and adult nights singing one of their songs that my students choose. Would you—”
“ABSOLUTELY!” She jumped up. “At your birthday, we should make sure we take some selfies and such with them and ask them to find us in the crowd during their concerts because I got front row pit tickets again!”
Shame. I was the worst friend ever. She was nothing but excited, full of hopes and dreams that at some point, Asher would fall for her.
It wasn’t like the other members weren’t good-looking; they were, but they just weren’t the ones that she wanted, and somehow, I was entangled in this game with Asher that I would inevitably lose. Whether it be him or her, I would lose.
“Oh, and could you snag one more ticket on family night for Elysia? She asked to come since she’s trying to maintain her ‘cool teacher’ status with her students,” I asked as my phone buzzed.
“Of course! I’m going to go do that right now!” She quickly rolled up her banner and disappeared into her room. I heard her clacking away on her computer’s keyboard within another minute.
My shoulders sagged. How long would I be able to keep up this charade before someone got hurt? Reaching to my right, I grabbed my cell phone and glanced at the notification. A text from Asher was waiting.
A smile slid across my face as I quickly unlocked it and read his waiting message.
Did you look in your purse yet?
I furrowed my brows and rose from the table. Quietly walking into my bedroom, I grabbed the beige purse I’d taken into the studio earlier today and unzipped it. Digging around inside, I eventually found something that didn’t belong.
Tugging the plastic keycard from my bag, I stared at the original hotel key that Asher had given me. His number was smudged now, but still written on it.
Unlocking my phone, I quickly typed out a reply and hit send.
What’s that for?
Those bubbles appeared, and then his answer popped up.
For tomorrow and Friday. I’ll be done at the studio before you finish teaching. Come by my room so we can continue making sure that your students think you’re the most badass teacher they have;)
I rolled my eyes. Of course that’s how he would take it. Typing in an answer, I lay down flat on my stomach on my bed and sent the message.
Friday I can’t. The district is having a meeting about what to do class schedule wise the day of your concert. Apparently they don’t believe students will stay for everything after lunch because of you. And I am the most badass teacher despite any of this.
Those infamous bubbles appeared, and then his quick reply.
How could I ever doubt your badass-ness? Then the key is for tomorrow and whenever next week you need it too. By the way, did the side door work? I was worried that you’d get caught by some of our fans that were hanging around the entrance earlier at the studio.
Tomorrow. In his hotel room again. Alone. That was a recipe for disaster, no matter what I was telling myself. I quickly typed out my response.
Okay:) And yes, I came out alone and I don’t think any of the girls even bothered to glance my way.
His reply was nearly immediate, and I rolled over to my back, staring at it.
I’m glad. See you tomorrow, Princess.<3
It felt so foolish to be giddy over the fact that he sent me a heart with his text, but I was.
I was way too old to be gushing over a secret crush, but here I was, staring at my ceiling.
The world swirled slowly around me as I let myself feel this rush again.
I felt like I was back in high school, fawning over my first boyfriend with Sydney.
Except I couldn’t gossip about this with her this time.
She was seriously going to hate me when she found out.
I couldn’t let her find out. This had to come from me.
I needed to be the one to tell her. But everything was still new and fresh, so it could wait until I knew if this was something more serious or not.
At least until after the concerts. That’s how long it could wait, then I would tell her.
Placing the phone against my chest, I took a deep breath.
I would tell her after the concerts, and then whatever she decided, I could accept my fate.
The guilt I felt over this secret washed away, mostly at least, now that I had an actual date set on telling her.
Knowing that soon, she would be made aware of my deception, and if she cut me off, so be it.
I had made this bed, and I would lie in it, whatever that bed may be.