07

Asʜᴇʀ Mɪʟʟᴇʀ

She got me a rose.

How was I not supposed to forgive her? To be honest, I forgave her the moment she said 'sorry', I just wanted to play hard to get. And I'm not even joking when I say that every time I said, 'I'm mad at you.', I was telling that to myself. It's so hard not to break character and tell her everything that's going on in my mind. Even though she isn't listening.

But I think I kinda failed. Because, of course, I can't just shut the fuck up.

Then, she hugged me. I swear my soul left my body. I, for sure, know that she doesn't show physical affection to strangers but for some reason, she did to me. God, I'm probably blushing right now.

Gwen and I are in the elevator right now, on the way to my apartment. She was quite shocked when she saw the building, saying that she thought I was broke.

We reached the floor, and I got out of the elevator with her following behind me. I opened the apartment door with the key card and entered.

I put my motorcycle keys on a table by the door as I heard a gasp from beside me. I turned to look at Gwen as she stood there, checking out the apartment.

"Bro, what are you, like, Richie Rich, or some shit?" She asked, looking back at me.

I rolled my tongue inside my cheek before speaking, "I'm not your bro."

She rolled her eyes and slumped down on the sofa that was sitting out in the living room. She suddenly sat up straight as if she remembered something.

"Wait— you live alone, right?"

I nodded my head in answer as I reached for the refrigerator in the kitchen. "Why, though? I thought you lived with your parents." She asked and I heard her voice getting closer to me in the kitchen, indicating that she followed me here.

"My parents are still in New York. They sent me here for a year. I'll go back there next year, though, you know, for NYU." I explained as I turned around from the refrigerator after getting the water bottle.

"So you just don't question them why they sent you away from them, for a year?" Gwen was now leaning against the kitchen counter.

"I know why they sent me here, just some problems." I whispered the last part, now walking towards her. She sat herself up on the counter as I leaned both of my hands on the counter beside her legs as I stood between her legs, making sure to keep my distance.

"Okay but like, you live completely alone in this big ass apartment? Don't you get scared ghosts will eat you up at night?" She asked.

I chuckled lightly, "If the ghost looks like Wednesday Addams, then I'd love it if it eats me up."

"You're disgusting."

I placed my hand on my heart and nodded my head with a smile as if she complimented me when she suddenly threw her head back in a laugh as if she remembered something.

"You just sexualised a child, you know that?" She said.

"Damn, I didn't realise that." She flicked my forehead.

"Did you just flick me?" I gasped, acting offended.

"Yes, I did." She said, flicking me again.

"That's it, you're done." I said, as I flicked her.

She flicked me back. I flicked her again.

We were a laughing mess as we kept flicking each other's foreheads.

She flicked me non-stop for a few seconds before I pushed her back with the palm of my hand on her face while laughing.

Her back hit the surface of the counter as she kept trying to flick me, ignoring the fact she just fell back.

"S— st— stop." I laughed.

"No, you pedophile!" She said while laughing.

When she didn't stop, I grabbed her wrists in my one hand and pinned them over her head as my free hand leaned on the surface beside her head, with me basically on top of her.

We didn't realise we were in such an intimate position until the adrenaline washed off and we stopped laughing.

Our faces were just inches apart with her hands trapped in mine over her head, while one of her leg was hooked on the side of my torso as I leaned over her.

Our breaths were the only sound in the whole apartment. We heard the door unlock indicating that someone just came in. A heavy gasp came from the living room and we switched our heads in that direction to see my friend Kenzie standing there, probably traumatised by what she just saw.

I quickly let go of Gwen's wrists and she got off the counter with the support of my shoulders.

Fuck.

"Kenz, it's not what it looks like—"

"Gwen?"

"Kenz?"

Both the girls said at the same time.

"Wait— you guys know each other?" I asked but got ignored.

"What are you doing here?" Gwen asked Kenzie.

"I'm Asher's friend. And you," Kenz paused as she turned her gaze to me, "must be his secret girlfriend."

"It's definitely not what it looks like, we were just—" she paused, "It's hard to explain but I swear, I'm not his girlfriend."

"Is it so bad being my girlfriend?" I murmured.

"Shut up, Asher." They both said in sync.

"Okay."

"I still don't get why you guys were in such an intimate position but alright, I'll believe you." Kenz said, "I was just here to get my keys, I'll leave you two alone now."

She picked up her scooter keys which she left the last time she came here and left, but not before throwing a smirk my way.

I turned my head to my side only to see Munchkin looking as red as a tomato. I did this? Of fucking course I did, we were basically in a sex position.

It's awkward. It's really awkward.

"We should just finish the assignment—"

"Yeah, definitely."

•°•°•°•

Gwen was passed out on my bed right now. We did, like, half of our assignment as she told me about how she knows Kenz, apparently they met in the cafe she works in. Then, Gwen was exhausted so she decided to rest but fell asleep.

Kenz was my best friend. I actually came here with her.

I was scrolling on my phone when I heard a phone ringing and I looked to my side to see as Gwen's phone lit up with the contact name 'Mom 😎'. I was quick to put it on silent so she doesn't wake up.

Pick it up.

No?

Yes, the fuck!

No.

Yes.

No.

No.

Yes.

Hah.

Fucker.

I picked up the call after a mental debate with myself, walking out in the living room for the sake of this cute girl sleeping in my bed right now. A loud noise blared through my ear as I put the phone to it.

"Gwen, it's 7 p.m., where the fuck are you—"

"Hello, Ms. Evans."

"Asher?"

"You recognised me? Damn."

"Bestie, I remember and recognise everything about the people my daughter chooses to talk to."

Milf.

"Okay, okay. Before you ask where she is, she's with me right now, completely safe, and is asleep in my bed right now."

"Asleep in your what now?!"

"I'm sorry, that sounded wrong, fuck. Um- we were doing this assignment and she fell asleep. Yeah."

"Okay.." she paused, "can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, yeah, why not?"

"Is she happy when she's with you? Like, does she smile or laugh often?"

"Yeah, she does."

"Weird. She never really talks to anyone."

"I guess she's just comfortable with someone who can prove that they're worth being comfortable with. Well, I'm not really showing off, but I'll do it from now on I guess."

I heard a groan coming from my room and I turned my head in that direction as I heard a soft whimpering sound, almost crying.

"Hey, um, it was really good talking to you, Ms. Evans, I gotta go now."

"Okay, bye bestie." She chuckled.

"Bye bestie." I said, laughing.

I ended the call before going into the bedroom. I entered the room only to see Gwen, still asleep, clutching her hoodie tightly in her fists, and her eyebrows were furrowed in worry and tension. She was murmuring something softly but I couldn't hear her.

She's having a nightmare.

"Munchkin?" I said, in an attempt to wake her up, while walking closer to her.

"Please, don't do it." I heard her whimper softly.

"Munchkin, wake up." I said as I sat down on my knees beside her, my weight making my knees sink down in the mattress.

"Please, please, please, I beg you." She cried, her tears now visible as they fell from her eyes that were clenched shut.

"Gwen, wake up, please." I said worriedly, my one hand now cupping her cheek while the other was on her shoulder in an attempt to wake her up.

Her eyes shot open suddenly as she cried in panic trying to get her off me. She sat up trying to fight me and I removed my hands from her shoulder.

"Munchkin, it's me, it's Asher, calm down." I tried to calm her down.

"They weren't listening to me. I told them not to do it." She sobbed, still in shock.

"It's okay, darling, no one's here." I assured her. "It's just me." I whispered as she buried her face in my neck as I hugged her close to my chest.

"It's okay, it's okay, I'm here." I whispered while running my hand in her hair. She sobbed and I held her close as she clutched my hoodie.

We stayed like that for a solid minute as she caught her breath slowly. She pulled away from the hug as she calmed down. She sat up on the bed, not meeting my eyes for even a second.

"I— I need to leave." She said as she stood in a hurry and started to collect her things.

"Munchkin, are you alright?" I asked in worry.

"I'm— I'm fine, I just need to go home." She muttered, her voice cracking in the end.

She collected all her things in her bag as she left the room and I followed after her. "Gwen, I'll drop you home."

"No, it's fine."

God dammit, woman.

"Gwen, please, it's dark outside, it's not safe for you to be alone. Let me drop you home."

She sighed, running her hand through her sweaty hair, before speaking, "fine."

•°•°•°•

I stopped the motorcycle in front of her house and she stepped down from it. She didn't even look at my way before starting to make her way inside her house.

"Gwen." I called out, which caused her to turn around, her eyes still fixed somewhere behind me.

What did I do?

"Stay safe, okay?" I said.

"Yeah." She muttered.

"Goodnight, Munchkin." I smiled at her.

She nodded her head before turning around and leaving. I sighed as I watched her go.

She is fucked up in her own head.

And I swear to god I'll do anything to change that.