Chapter 2 : Sloane
1368 Words
It had been a few weeks since school had started. Sloane had gotten to know a lot of the new students, and she enjoyed hearing about their lives.
She had a few run-ins with Asher, but she tried to keep it short. Rafe still didn't like him.
It definitely didn't help that her and Asher had a class together.
Rafe has been acting super weird lately. Sloane did everything to reassure him, but nothing she did helped.
"So are we still on for this weekend?" Sloane asked as they pulled into her driveway. She had planned this really fun weekend with a couple of friends. They were going to an amusement park and then on a boat ride.
"Um- my parents are making me go to this function", Rafe stated.
"What?" She asked. "I planned this weeks ago, and you never mentioned not being able to go. It's already all paid for Rafe."
"What do you want from me, Sloane? My parents are making me go," he stated, sounding annoyed.
"It's fine Rafe, I just wish you would've told me you couldn't go when you found out about it," she stated.
"Well, we are leaving tonight so I need to go home and pack," he said, looking straight ahead.
"Okay, well have a good time" She leaned over to kiss him. As she got close to him, he jerked his head away.
"Rafe?" she looked puzzled.
"Look babe, I've had a long day, please just go in" he stated in a tone she could no recognize.
Sloane got out of the car, she turned around, "I love-" he was already backing out of the driveway.
He was gone before she could even process what was going on.
Her phone began buzzing, maybe that was Rafe saying goodbye.
It was not, it was Carmella.
"Hi" Sloane said dejectivly.
"What's wrong?" Carmella asked.
"I just had a fight, I guess with Rafe, but I don't even know what I did wrong," she said.
"Come over, spend the night" she said.
"Car I can't just come over, I don't have a ride," She said.
"Easy Asher will pick you up, he hasn't left school yet," Carmella stated.
Her heartbeat picked up. "Oh I do-" Sloane began.
"He'll be there in 10 minutes," Carmella stated.
"10 minutes!" Sloane exclaimed, sprinting inside. "I haven't even asked".
"Oh please Marjorie and Greg love me, they will say yes", Sloane rolled her eyes. She was correct. Sloane was pretty sure if they could, they would make Carmella their daughter instead.
10 minutes later, Asher was at her door.
"Hey-" he said as she opened the door, stopping mid sentence "Whats wrong?" He asked?
Sloane saw his hand rise and instantly fall. She knew she had look like s**t, she tried calling Rafe, and he had ignored every call.
"Who do we have here?" Greg asked, scaring Sloane and causing her to jump.
"Oh" she cleared her throat. "This is Carmella's brother Asher."
"Yes Asher, I believe I met you when you were younger", Greg stated, "Drive safe please, you have precious cargo."
"Yes sir I will," Asher said.
The drive there was longer than Sloane thought.
"You do this drive every day?" she asked.
He cleared his throat, not expecting to speak.
"Well, not exactly, but I have precious cargo, so I have to go the safe way" he stated with a smirk.
"I'm not that precious," She mumbled.
Asher didn't exactly laugh, it was more of a chuff, but what that sound did to Sloane's insides.
"Is that your house?" Sloane saw this massive house come into view. She had never stayed at Carmella's before, it had always been Carmella staying over.
"No, that is like a grow house," he stated.
"A grow house?" she questioned, "what is that?"
"Well" he began, "A long time ago my best friend Liam's family thought it was a good idea to build a house where all the young adults could move into, so that they could figure out how to become adults."
"So you'll move into it one day?" she asked looking at him.
"One day," he stated "I do visit quite often as is."
"Yeah? how come" She asked.
"Well as I said its a place where people learn how to grow up, so there are some adults that live there." he said.
"Who lives there?" She said looking at the house.
"My friend Liam and his family, my father, and my friend Austin's father lives there as well." he said.
"So your dad doesn't live at home?" She questioned.
"Sometimes" He sighed "But hes kind of like a sheriff there and Austin's dad is like the deputy."
"What about Liam's dad? What does he do?" she wondered.
"He's the al-" He paused looking at her, "He's kind of like the mayor, he makes the rules and my dad, enforces them."
Sloane just stared at him "Hmm that's an interesting concept." she paused thinking "Austin he's in our math class right?"
Asher just nodded his head looking into Sloane's eyes.
Sloane wasn't sure how long they sat like that, but Sloane's phone started ringing breaking the tension.
"Hello" She said in a hushed tone.
"Are you almost here," Carmella asked.
"Just pulled up" She stated hanging up.
As they got out of the car, Sloane felt like the air there was lighter.
"Hey Ash". Someone called walking up "hello". The stranger smiled a perfect smile at Sloane.
"Hi" Sloane stated shyly. The stranger looked familiar. "It's Liam, right?" She asked, extending her hand.
"It is, nice to meet you," Liam grabbed her hand.
As he did, Sloane heard that growl again, but this time she could pinpoint it, it was coming from Asher.
"Ignore him, he gets moody sometimes," Suddenly the air started to feel calming.
Asher grumbled something so low she could barely make out, but she thought she had heard the word "Mine."
"SJ!" Carmella came bouncing out of the house, "A- Liam." She paused and bowed her head?
"Car" She hugged her, she could feel the tears welling up in her eyes.
"Come on, let's go get you something to make you feel better." She paused, looking over Sloane's shoulder, "Goodbye boys."
Sloane woke up in the middle of the night, she had felt nauseous all night.
Carmella was fast asleep and she didn't want to bother her.
She stepped out on the back porch, she noticed someone sitting on the swing.
"Asher?" She called out.
He jumped, "Hey, what's wrong?"
"I wasn't feeling well, so I thought I'd get some air," she stated, sitting next to him.
She felt him stiffen as she brushed against his arm. Sloane yawned.
"Do you feel better," He asked. Sloane could feel him drawing circles on her wrist.
"I actually feel much better," She paused, she was so tired and felt so much better and now all she wanted to do was sleep.
"Sloane, I have a question," he said.
She laid her head on his shoulder. She was too tired to contemplate what that could mean, "hmm" she hummed.
"When I touch you" He began, placing his hand on her leg," Do you feel anything?" he asked.
"Umm yeah", she jerked a little bit because now Asher's hand was on her thigh. "It gives me these tingles."
"Do you want me to stop?" he asked, moving his hand.
"Honestly," she paused and looked up at him, "No, I don't."
Asher started leaning in, Sloane started to panic. Yes she wanted so badly to kiss Asher but she couldn't do that to Rafe.
"I-I'm sorry" She pulled away.
He laughed "It's okay" he stared getting up, "I think it's best if you go back inside Sloane."
"Ash, I want to I just can't right now" She stated looking down.
"It's okay Sloane, one day" He said and then started walking away.
Sloane got up to go inside, as she got upstairs, she looked outside, and could see Asher just standing on the edge of the forest staring at her, okay maybe he wasn't but it sure did look like he was.
What did she get herself into? Maybe Rafe did have a reason to be paranoid.
- Writer
