25 | Final Call
Charlotte and I settle into our spots on the bleachers, the brisk air of the rink wrapping around us. I tuck my hands under my armpits as the cold bites at them. The sound of blades cutting into the ice and pucks clacking against sticks fills the space between our conversation.
"So, without details, how was last night?" Charlotte asks, giving me side eye with a grin.
I grin softly, biting my lips lightly. "Intense."
Charlotte raises an eyebrow, her interest piqued. "Intense good or intense bad?"
"Great." I confess, watching the boys practice from the corner of my eye. We plan to tell Leon after practice, when the rest of the team is in the locker or gone home. "Asher is . . . great."
She laughs, "That is all I need to know, please do not go into details."
I laugh along with her and look back at the rink, my eyes widening when I catch Asher's eyes right before he's slammed into the plexiglass, the sound ricocheting through the near empty arena.
The sudden violence jolts us, and I stand up, my heart pounding.
"What on earth is Leon doing?" Charlotte exclaims, voice tinged with worry and confusion.
Leon skates back slightly only to slam into Asher again, shaking off his glove and grabbing him roughly, ripping off Ashers helmet before delivering a right hook to his face.
I suck in a breath, watching as the rest of the team skate forward, their yells getting louder as they pull Leon away from Asher, holding him back as he fights their grips.
Charlie and I rush down the stairs, finding our way onto the ice just before Leon shakes off the two team members holding him back and goes for Asher again. Asher doesn't react, letting Leon hit him before the team get him under control again.
The team hold Leon back, but his anger is palpable even from where we stand. Asher doesn't retaliate; he just stands there, wiping blood from his lip, looking more resigned than angry.
"He's shouting about some site?" Charlotte says, as we get closer, her eyes swinging to me. "The ranking site?"
"Oh god." I shake my head, "Somebody must've posted something, about Asher and I."
"Like who?"
"Dain knew." I whisper, "Harlowe probably knows too."
Leon's voice echoes across the rink, accusing Asher of using me. My brother's words sting, even though I know they're fueled by misinformation.
Whatever he read or was told is fake. It has to be, and I know it is.
"No, it's all twisted. Asher and I... it's real, not some points game." My defense of Asher is vehement, a reflex against the hurtful words thrown around.
"it's not what you think, Leon." Asher says strongly, looking towards the team holding him back. "Let him go and hit the showers, practice is over,"
"Asher-" Justin starts but Ash shakes his head, "I'll be fine. Hit the showers." he says once more with finality and the team listen, albeit slowly.
"What the hell are you doing with my sister?"
We make our way further onto the ice, the cold seeping through my shoes, adding a physical chill to the emotional tumult. Leon's furious, pacing like a caged animal and his eyes swing to me as I get closer.
"Leon, you've got it all wrong." I say to him, trying to bridge the gap his anger has created. "Whatever you read, it's a lie."
"So, Asher isn't sleeping with you?" His eyes move between the two of us and we don't answer so he scoffs.
"I'm dating him." I mutter, looking into Leon's eyes so he can see the truth in the words.
"No!" His rejection is visceral. "You can't date him, Ivy! I won't let you."
"You can't stop me."
"I'm your legal guardian since dad left." He says softly. "You can't."
"I'm twenty-one, you were only my guardian until I turned eighteen. You don't get to make those calls for me," I fire back, frustration coloring my tone.
He turns to Asher, betrayal written all over his face. "How could you?"
Asher's response is quiet, filled with a sincerity that even Leon can't ignore. "I love her. I've loved her for years."
The confession hangs between us, stark and undeniable. Charlotte stands beside me, her presence a silent support as we navigate the icy confrontation.
Leon looks between us, his anger ebbing as the truth of the situation sinks in. Charlotte squeezes my hand, a wordless gesture of solidarity that helps steady me.
"I'm not going to let my sister be one of your little playthings."
Asher finally looks angry, "You must be getting me confused with you, Leon, because I don't have playthings."
I squeeze Charlie's hand in mine when her grip spasms.
"Let's talk about this, Leon. Not here, not like this," I suggest, hoping to calm the storm of emotions swirling around us. "You need to calm down."
Leon finally nods, the fight draining out of him as he glances back at Asher, then at me, staring at me for ages before he nods, looking down in shame. "You've been lying to me? both of you?"
"Say that again, Leon." I mutter, squeezing Charlie's hand again. "Tell me I've been lying to you?" I glance at Charlie briefly to see her eyes wide before I look back at Leon to see his jaw tensed before he nods.
"How long?"
I sigh, "Three months." His eyes widen and he pins a glare Ashers way, but I interrupt whatever words he's about to say. "We've been seeing each other for three months and not were dating officially and you're going to get over it, now."
"Ivy-"
"No, Leon, get over yourself. I'm allowed to date, and I'm allowed to date Asher. Even you have to admit once you get over your misplaced anger that Asher will always treat me right, or are you as bad at picking your best friends as you are at picking girls?"
Leons grinds his teeth together, rolling his eyes but I see the anger drop from him like a physical entity. "Fine. Just don't lie to me anymore."
I nod. "Okay."
"How did it happen?"
I cringe, looking to Asher for help but he only grins back, the look causing my heart to pitter patter in my chest with the way he looks, wet hair pushing back from his face a bloody lip.
"You asked me not to lie, so if you really want to know, I won't lie."
Leon looks between Asher and I with narrowed eyes before he looks to Charlotte, and she gives him a subtle shake of her head. His shoulders drop. "I don't want to know," he looks to Asher, "But you better treat her right, Ash. Or best friend or not, a broken nose will be the least of your worries."
Asher nods. "Noted."
"You broke his nose?" I scowl at my brother but Asher laughs. "He wishes he was that strong, he gave me a split lip, nothing different then we get on the ice." He wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me into his side and I relax.
"Don't push it." Leon mutters, "Just because I'm coming around to the idea doesn't mean I want to witness it." He scowls but his eyes flit between us softly and he nods at me.
I smile back, tucking myself further into Asher's arms.
Leon steps forward, walking close to Charlie and I hear him whisper, "Does she know?"
"I don't keep things from my best friend." Her eyes settle on me. "Anymore." I grin and take Ashers hand in mine, dragging us out of the rink.
"Stop pouting, Leon, you'll get wrinkles."
Leon glares at me and then at Asher. "What the hell have you done to my sister?"
Asher grins. "I didn't give her an attitude, that's all her."
I whack a hand into Ashers stomach but only hard muscles meets my knuckles. Asher laughs, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me into a warm hug.
"This is fucking weird." Leon grumbles and Asher ignore him, placing a soft kiss on my lips.
The matching retreating footsteps of Charlotte and Leon rings out across the rink and Asher grins against my lips before muttering, "Leon and Charlotte slept together, didn't they?"
"I didn't say anything."
"He's such a hypocrite."
I tap his shoulder, pinning him with a look. "You do not know, okay. I promised Charlotte I wouldn't say anything."
Asher sighs ad gives me another kiss, "Know what?"
I smile into the kiss, bliss filling me.