Array
(
[text] =>

*Nolan's POV*

He liked me.

Asher liked... me.

Me, Nolan Reeds.

I could barely breathe when he dropped me off and gave me a soft kiss to my cheek. I wasn't exactly sure how I felt towards Asher. I didn't see him as

anything more than a newfound friend.

But now I was aware he liked me. So, it changed everything.

I turned around as he drove off and realized Shane's motorcycle was parked in my driveway. It had been forever since he used it, but I recognized it anyway.

Completely forgetting about Asher, my heart jumped and I rushed to open my door and get inside the house. I almost dropped my picnic basket, but I

didn't care; Shane was here.

When I got inside, there he was, sitting on the couch with a snack in his hands. Mom was on the other couch, reading a book with her glasses on.

"There he is," Shane commented when he saw me. I smiled widely, locking the door and walking into the living room.

"Hey, sweetheart. How was it?" Mom asked, smiling.

"Oh, it went great." I focused on Shane and he stood up. "Hey, Shane," I greeted.

Mom approached me and took the basket. "I'll take care of this. Why don't you two go talk?"

I thanked her and she walked away.

"What're you... doing here?" I asked.

He smirked. "Come." Taking my hand, he led me to the sofa and we sat down before he let me go. "I wanted to check up on you."

My smile slowly faded. "You didn't have to, you know."

"I did. I was a bit worried after what you told me."

I sighed and slumped my shoulders. "Shane, really. You don't need to put my dumb problems on your shoulders."

"Nolan, you don't have problems."

"Everyone has problems."

"Yes, but..." he tilted his head. "I just don't understand it. Why do you think you're not worth caring for? You come to everyone's aid when they ask.

So, everyone should come to yours."

I looked away, my heart beating quickly. "How's Jace?"

Shane sighed, throwing away the previous topic after realizing I wouldn't talk about it. "Jace is... sick. You know how that is."

"How?" I looked at him again.

"He's practically a body lying in bed all day whining about how he's about to die."

I concealed my laughter. "Yeah, now I know what you mean. You have to take care of him?"

"If I leave his sight, he'd kill me. I'll be going to his house first thing in the morning. In fact, I kinda just got back here from his house."

"With your motorcycle - Shane, are you crazy?" I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth. It seemed dramatic, but to someone with a panic disorder like me, it was reasonable.

"N-no! I took my car, Nolan. Promise." He put a calming hand on my shoulder. "I went there with my car, came back, went home, showered, and came here with my motorcycle."

I nodded, finding my breath again and calming down.

"It's okay," he soothed, rubbing my back. I stared at his gray eyes and dropped my gaze to the floor.

I missed him more than anything. My heart rushed at the thought of what it would be like to have someone that would race an hour from home just to see you, like Shane and Jace did for each other. Or what it would feel like to have someone at your side all day, taking care of you when you were lying sick in bed. I imagined Shane lying next to a sick Jace, holding him tightly and not caring if he'd get sick as well. He probably didn't care; as long as he could have his love in his arms.

"Jace worries about you, too," Shane informed, taking his hand off my back. "Have you called him?"

"Not lately, no," I responded.

"He's been wanting to call you, but he won't even move to pick up his phone."

"Unless it's to speak to you, right?" I rhetorically asked. Shane was silent.

"I'll call him in the morning," I said.

"Okay. So, you were at a picnic?"

I nodded. "Yeah, at Pine Creek."

I watched as his entire expression changed to a sorrowful one. "Oh."

"I know you have a ton of memories there. I was planning to throw a party there and invite a whole bunch of people in town. Maybe they can see how dead it is and... try to bring Pine Creek back to life."

"A party?" Shane considered. "I mean... it's not our property."

"It belongs to everyone. Someone has to do something about that place. Anyway, Asher already agreed to help me."

"Asher? The... guy that..."

"Yes, him."

"Wait, you went to a picnic with him?"

"Um...yeah..."

"Oh! Okay. I get it, you like him." Shane poked my side and I gave him a look.

"I don't," I denied.

"Oh, come on, Nolan. You can tell me. It's because he's grown, huh? Everyone likes a real man, don't they?"

"Um, stereotype much?" I chuckled.

"So, you don't like him? At all?"

My eyes roamed Shane's perfectly handsome face, and his gray eyes. I was slightly excited at the idea of liking Asher, but with Shane here, it seemed impossible.

I decided to tell the truth because it was all I could do. "It's really hard to think about him that way when I'm still in love." I huffed. "And now I understand the way you feel."

Shane glanced away for a moment. "How I feel?"

"Or felt. When you found out I liked you while you loved Jace. Now Asher likes me but I... love you."

"Nolan, please... I know it's complicated, but I don't want you to turn your back on the chance to love someone else. You love Dawn, right?"

I nodded. At this point, I could hear that name and not break down.

"Right, but you still fell for me. So don't let your feelings for me stop you from falling for Asher, too. He's single."

"He's also a good six years older than me."

"What does it matter?"

I swallowed. "He told me he liked me. I decided that we could try to... date, I guess."

"That's great, Nolan!" Shane hugged me and I sighed in his arms. How long it had been since I'd been in his embrace. I wished for the power to freeze time; I'd freeze this moment.

He pulled away, a smile on his face. "I hope you do find a way to let him into your heart, Nolan. You deserve it and more."

If it had come from anyone else, I would've cast those words away.

Because it was Shane, I took it to heart.

Asher would be a breath of fresh air for me. No matter how much my heart yearned for Shane's love, I would keep my mind on Asher. I could work on my heart later.

*** Three weeks later ***

OCTOBER

"Homecoming is gonna be amazing. I heard Jace is gonna spend it here," Tyler informed the guys as we sat at lunch. The football team and cheerleaders had decided to sit together like we used to all the time. The

only big difference was... no Jace.

I vividly remembered how it used to be before there was ever a Shane in his life. He was abnormally popular, a total heart throb to every girl in the school. He was the captain of the team, and very much looked up to.

"With that boyfriend of his?" Alan asked.

"We get it; you hate him. But he has a name." Tyler rolled his eyes.

"No offence, but I'm glad you're over him, Nolan," Spencer said to me. I gazed at him with my blue eyes and squinted.

"Assumptions," I mumbled. "Everyone seems to make those a lot lately."

"What - so you're not over him?" Kaleb queried. I knew he had a boyfriend of his own who served in the military. "I thought you had a certain someone picking you up from school every few days." He winked and I fought a smile.

"He's a friend, sort of. I mean... my brother's friend."

"Sexy," Kaleb smirked. "It's always the brother's friend, isn't it?"

"I'm officially uncomfortable," Brock pitched in. Brock was the biggest guy on the team; muscles hard as rocks and big as boulders. He also ran like a

cheetah - it was weird really.

"I know, right? How come no one ever talk about Gina's amazing tits?"

Jordan nodded over at a cheerleader at the far end of the table.

"I'd sure like to cut a piece of that cake," Spencer agreed. They did some lame bro-shake, whatever it was called, and I rolled my eyes playfully. I was glad that the team improved on the aspect of sexuality. Nobody judged anybody anymore, and that was always a plus. I wish it had been

that way when Jace started getting involved with Shane. It sure would have saved him a lot of trouble.

"But, seriously, Nolan..." Kane, Kaleb's twin, began. "Who is that guy? I caught a glimpse of his face... is he a model?"

I laughed and sat up taller. "Hopefully, he will be. At least on the side."

"You really need to convince him to model, because - no homo, that face... that face is just... I'm speechless."

"Hotter than Shane, hands down," Tyler added. "Girl, look at you, with your lucky ass. You got yourself a man!" He smiled at me.

"Let's calm down," Darren patted his hand. "And he's a boy."

Tyler snatched his hand away. "Uh, yeah, Darren. I know. 'Girl' is code for 'yass queen! Come through!'"

"You mean... king."

"Darren, in my gay dictionary, nothing's straight. Got it?" Tyler focused on his food, a triumphant smirk on his face.

"Wow, you two are so compatible," I sarcastically said, chuckling.

"I know, girl, we were made for each other," Tyler replied.

"He's a boy, Ty," Darren corrected.

"I give up!" Tyler threw up his hands.

***

I softly smiled to myself when I saw Asher's car pull up to the curb in the parking lot. I walked down the steps of my school and towards his car.

Before he could get out and open the passenger seat as he always did, I slid into the car and flashed him a grin, closing the door.

He chuckled. "Okay, then. How are you?" He drove off, away from the school.

I looked at him to see the dimples in his cheeks. "I'm good, Asher. You?"

"Never better. Zion's at daycare. He made a new friend, Jonah, so they've gotten pretty close. He never wants to leave."

"Aww," I gushed. "That's cute."

"Yeah. Those tiny little critters. So, you wanna grab something to eat? Or we could cook together."

"Cook," I instantly agreed.

"Alright. We'll go to my house."

He was still smiling, and I knew something was up. "Spit it out, Ash!"

"Ash?" he raised his eyebrow and I blushed a little.

"That's my nickname for you. Don't like it?"

"Nolan, I love it. What do I call you?"

"Just Nolan," I deadpanned.

"No, I gave to give you a little name. Something nobody would ever say."

"Oh, god."

He laughed deviously, running through a list of things to call me.

"While you think of it, can you tell me what's got you in such a good mood?" I pressed.

"Two things. First, you. Second - don't freak out, but I found a very small modeling gig or photo shoot thing, I don't know what it's called these days."

I gasped. "No way!" I cleared my throat and remembered what Tyler said. "I'm so happy for you, girl!"

Asher almost crashed in surprise. He quickly flashed me a weird look before focusing on the road.

"Girl?" he emphasized. "Do I even wanna know?"

I grimaced, feeling awkward. "It's code for um... ugh, nevermind. I'm just really happy. Just... please don't sign up or anything if it's not something

you want. I didn't get to apologize, but I'm sorry for pressuring you-"

"Are you kidding?" he laughed. "I'm applying. You want me to model, then, Nolan, I'd be anything for you."

A smile crossed my face. I was silent for a little bit and Asher got the message.

"Reflecting?" he asked me. I laughed quietly.

"Yeah... it's just... that's the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me."

"It might also be the most honest thing anyone's ever told you... because it's absolutely true." He smirked. "How about pookie?"

"What?" I burst out laughing.

"Yeah, for your pet name."

"Don't. Ever," I disagreed. "Especially not in public."

"So, in private?"

"No!" I continued laughing. "Pookie? That's your best?"

"Panda-fish?"

I gaped at him. "Panda-fish?" I repeated, testing the word on my own tongue.

"I like pandas, okay?" He explained defensively; it was rather funny.

"And fish?" I inquired. He shrugged.

"Well, I couldn't say panda bear. I wanted something unique, remember?"

"And panda-fish is the way to go?"

"Exactly."

I beamed. "I like it."

"You're lying." He grinned.

"Nope. On one condition though."

"Shit, there's a condition," Asher cursed. I giggled freely, not being able to fight it.

"Spider-pig," I named him.

"Inspired by Homer, I see."

I rolled my eyes and laid back in the car seat, feeling relaxed for the first time in a car. "You are such a kid, Ash."

*******

Hey, my little penguin-kitties!

I wanted to ask you guys for any last name ideas you may have to be Asher's last name.

I can't think of anything and this will be important in the future *wink wink* *cough cough* *nudge nudge*

Anyway, yes let me know please! Thanks.

;*

[text_hash] => b4d6caa2
)