CHAPTER 9 (MISSING PIECES)
542 Words
CHAPTER NINE
Asher sat by the campus fountain, a cold bottle of mango juice in his hands. The wind played gently with his shirt sleeves, and he let it. It was one of those quiet afternoons where time moved in long, thoughtful stretches.
He hadn’t seen Rhett since that moment outside the juice stand. No texts. No passing glances. Nothing.
Maybe that was for the best.
But his chest didn’t agree.
He was beginning to learn that feelings didn’t care for logic. They just… existed.
“Earth to Asher,” Zayn said, dropping down beside him. “You were zoning again.”
Asher smiled faintly. “Just thinking.”
“You’ve been thinking for two days. You’ll overheat soon.”
Asher said nothing.
Zayn pulled out his phone, typed something, then turned it toward Asher. It was a meme of a guy clinging to a bottle labeled ‘Denial’.
Asher laughed softly. “That’s rude.”
“But accurate.” Zayn leaned back. “He’s everywhere, you know. I’ve been hearing more stuff. Some say he’s cold, some say he’s trouble, others say he’s heartbroken.”
Asher glanced at him. “Do you believe any of it?”
Zayn shrugged. “I believe he’s human. And humans are complicated.”
Later that evening, Asher returned to the hostel alone. Zayn had gone to meet with a group for their faculty project. The room was quiet, the kind of quiet Asher once feared—but now strangely welcomed.
He sat at the desk, flipped open his notepad, and started scribbling lyrics he wasn’t sure he’d ever sing out loud.
You showed up like a crash Left me with questions and quiet I wasn’t looking for forever But now I can’t unfeel the night.
He stared at the words. Then scratched them out.
A knock came on the door.
He turned. Opened it.
Rhett stood there.
Again.
Asher’s eyes widened. “How—why—”
“I remembered the room,” Rhett said simply. “I’ve been here before, haven’t I?”
Asher blinked. “Right… you have.”
“I needed to see you.”
There was something different in Rhett’s voice. Not softness. Not regret.
Just honesty.
Asher stepped aside to let him in. Rhett didn’t move at first.
“You sure?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
Inside, the silence stretched. Rhett stood by the window. Asher hovered by the desk.
“I’ve been avoiding you,” Rhett said finally.
Asher nodded. “I noticed.”
“Not because I wanted to. But because I didn’t know what I was doing. Or what I was feeling.”
Asher folded his arms. “And now?”
Rhett turned to face him fully. “Now I still don’t know. But I want to try figuring it out. With you.”
Something thumped in Asher’s chest.
He wanted to speak. To say yes. To say maybe. To say something clever.
Instead, he just whispered, “Okay.”
Rhett exhaled like he’d been holding that breath for days.
Then he walked over, gently took Asher’s hand, and said, “Let’s not rush it. But let’s not run from it either.”
And this time, Asher didn’t want to run at all.
[TO BE CONTINUED...]
- Writer
