Chapter 12
1247 Words
Ivy
I woke slowly, cocooned in unexpected warmth.
Something solid and steady rose and fell beneath my cheek. My eyes fluttered open, and the first thing I registered was the blue Northbridge hockey shirt stretched across a broad, very familiar chest.
Asher.
My breath caught.
My head was resting on his shoulder. One of his arms lay loosely behind me, almost like he’d been shielding me in my sleep. The bus was completely silent. Empty.
Everyone else had already gotten off.
I jerked upright, cheeks flaming. “Where is everyone?”
Asher stretched lazily, looking far too comfortable for someone who had just served as my personal pillow. “They got off about fifteen minutes ago. We’re at the hotel.”
I stared at him in disbelief. “And you didn’t wake me?”
He shrugged, eyes softer than I was ready to handle. “You looked like you hadn’t slept properly in days. Figured you needed the rest.”
Something tightened in my chest.
Then immediately tangled itself into annoyance.
Since when did Asher become so... considerate?
"You should've gone with them," I muttered as I stood and reached for my backpack. "Why are you still here?"
His answer came without hesitation.
"You mean I should leave my girlfriend alone on a bus while I go settle into my room?"
"Don't."
The word came out sharper than I intended.
"Don't push it, Asher. This is fake, remember? You can drop the caring boyfriend act when we're alone."
He watched me for a long moment, expression unreadable. Then he stood too, filling the narrow aisle with his height.
“So now I’m the bad guy…” he said quietly, voice low and rough. “For caring?”
I opened my mouth. Nothing came out.
Instead, I turned and hurried off the bus.
The cool evening air slapped my flushed face as I wrestled my oversized suitcase down the steps. The moment the wheels hit the pavement, a fierce gust of wind nearly knocked me sideways. The suitcase lurched violently.
“Seriously?”
I gritted my teeth and yanked harder, but the wheels kept catching and the wind fought me at every step.
Behind me, Asher’s footsteps approached. Without a word, he reached down, his fingers brushing mine as he took the handle from my grip. The contact sent a spark racing up my arm.
He lifted the heavy suitcase like it weighed nothing and started walking toward the hotel entrance.
I stood there for a second, staring at his broad back, equal parts annoyed and… relieved.
I hated it.
I hated how easily he stepped in. How safe it made me feel.
I hurried after him, refusing to acknowledge the flutter in my chest when he held the lobby door open for me.
The lobby was quiet. The rest of the team had already checked in and disappeared to their rooms.
Asher set my suitcase beside the reception desk while the receptionist looked up with a welcoming smile.
“Good evening. Your names, please?”
“Asher Knight and Ivy Carter.”
She typed on her computer for a few moments. The pleasant smile on her face slowly faded.
“I’m so sorry…” she said. “There’s been a problem with your reservation.”
My brows knitted together.
“What kind of problem?”
“One of the rooms assigned to your group developed a plumbing issue this afternoon, shortly before your arrival. Maintenance is currently working on it, but it won’t be available tonight.”
She reached beneath the counter and placed a single key card on the desk.
“I’m afraid this is the only room we have left.”
I stared at the card before looking back at her.
“I’m sorry… what?”
“You two will have to share the room for tonight.”
“No.”
“Absolutely not.”
Asher and I spoke at the same time.
The receptionist gave us an apologetic smile.
“I understand this isn’t ideal, but the hotel is completely full at the moment due to the regional sports tournament.”
“There has to be another solution,” I insisted.
“I’m afraid there isn’t.” “All the other students have already checked in, each with their own roommates. Every room has reached its maximum occupancy.”
Asher pulled his phone from his pocket.
“I’ll call Coach.”
He stepped a few feet away while I stood in silence, praying he'd come back with good news.
A minute later, he lowered the phone and exhaled.
"He says there's nothing he can do."
My heart sank.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
The receptionist gently slid the key card a little closer.
"I truly am sorry for the inconvenience."
I looked at the lone key card as though it had personally offended me.
One room.
One bed?
I swallowed hard before looking at the receptionist.
"...Please tell me it has two beds."
The receptionist's smile turned sheepish.
"I'm afraid not."
My heart dropped.
"It's a deluxe king room."
I stared at her.
"A... what?"
"A deluxe king room," she repeated carefully. "It's the last room available."
For a second, I was convinced I'd misheard her.
I looked at Asher.
He looked just as stunned.
"There has to be another room in another hotel," I said.
Asher looked at me like I'd completely lost my mind.
"Are you a fool?" he scoffed. "The school booked this hotel, one night somewhere else and your scholarship-losing self can kiss a few more penalty points goodbye."
The receptionist gave me an apologetic nod in agreement to Asher’s statement.
"He is right. Those were the instructions your school gave us. We can't transfer individual students to another hotel without authorization from your coach."
I let out a slow breath, trying very hard not to lose my temper.
Silence settled between us.
Finally, Asher picked up the key card.
"Let's go. We're wasting time."
I snapped my head toward him.
"So you're just... accepting this?"
"What choice do we have?"
"We could sleep in the lobby."
He raised an eyebrow.
"You, maybe."
"I’m being serious right now, Asher."
"So am I."
I folded my arms.
"I'm not sleeping in the same bed as you."
His expression remained infuriatingly calm.
"I wasn't planning on asking you to."
"Good."
"Because I can sleep on the couch."
The receptionist cleared her throat.
"The room doesn't have a couch."
I slowly closed my eyes.
Of course it didn't.
"It does have an armchair," she offered weakly.
Asher let out a quiet, humorless chuckle.
"You'll survive. I'm sure you've slept in worse places."
I frowned.
“Watch your mouth.”
The receptionist handed him the registration form.
"If you could just sign here."
Asher scribbled his signature without another complaint before handing the pen back.
She passed him the key card.
"Room 412. The elevator is down the hall to your left."
"Thank you," he said.
I grabbed the handle of my backpack, still refusing to look at him.
This was going to be a disaster.
I could already feel it.
Without a word, Asher reached for my suitcase again.
"I can carry it myself."
"I know."
"Then give it back."
"No."
I glared at the back of his head as he walked toward the elevators.
I muttered something under my breath that made him smile, though he was considerate enough not to point it out.
Somehow, that only annoyed me more.
- Writer
