Chapter 13

Last night I couldn't fall asleep. Even though I made a promise to myself to get much much more sleep. Going to sleep at 10:00 and waking up at 6:30am.

But last night I had lied awake in bed until five o'clock in the morning. So when my alarm went off at six thirty, only one and a half hours later, I turned it off and went back to sleep.

That beautiful feeling off being in a soft, pillowy bed, topped with a nice soft blanket, mmm there's no better feeling.

I slowly open my eyes a few minutes later and glance at the clock. 7:45. My eyelids weigh down, urging me to sleep, just as I'm about to give in, my eyes widen and the realization hits me. It 7:45! I have to be in school in fifteen minutes. If I'm tardy again this week I get definition for three days, my dance coach would kill me. I quickly jump out of bed and I'm about to shake Lyra awake when I realize that she's gone at school because she had to go early for some cheerleading practice.

I race into my bathroom and skip taking a shower, my hair looks scraggly and ugly so I quickly brush through it and put it in a messy bun on top of my head, then I brush my teeth, pull on a plain black baggy hoodie, a pair of skinny jeans, and some ugg boots.

I run out of the house, looking for my car only to come up empty, suddenly remembering that fact that I had let my friend borrow the car cause I thought I'd be riding with Lyra, she must have forgotten...crap.

What am I supposed to do? I hear the sound of a door closing shut at the house beside mine. I look over to see Asher walking outside towards his motorcycle.

Ah crud. As soon as I saw him I knew my only chance of getting to school on time today was by getting a ride with him, and thanks to my whole coffee fiasco yesterday, it wasn't going to be easy.

I slowly, reluctantly, let out a sigh before I walk over to Asher's house. He's sitting down onto his bike as I'm approaching.

"Heyyy" I greet lamely.

He looks over at me, as soon as his eyes meet mine they flare with anger. Oh crap. This definitely was not going to be easy.

"What do you want?" He snaps.

"I uh" I start to fidget with my hands "I didn't get very much sleep last night because I've been imagining all these crazy things and so I was all freaked out, so whenever my alarm went off, I turned it off telling myself I'd get up in a second, but those seconds turned to minutes. A lot of minutes. And by the time I woke up I only had fifteen minutes to get ready, I got ready as fast as I could and ran out the door but then I remembered that I didn't have my car cause my friend has my car. And you see mom is already gone at work, and Lyra is already at school. I don't really have a ride and was really hoping that maybe you could bring me to school? Just this once?" I ask. That whole thing came out so fast and jumbled that I really hoped he understood it because I didn't want to repeat all of that again.

He leans back on his motorcycle as he studies me. I uncomfortably wiggle under the pressure of his electirc blue eyes.

"And what exactly do I get out of this?"

"Umm my gratitude?" I offer weakly and he gives me a look. I let out an exasperated sigh.

"I don't know. What do you want?" I ask, flinging my arms out dramatically, too exhausted for this.

I didn't have very much time and he was wasting most of it. A small smirk reaches his lips.

"Apologize" he instructs simply.

Seriously? That was it? He just wanted an apology? "For what?" I ask stubbornly

One of his eyebrow raises at this "I think you know what" he states.

"I don't have anything to apologize for. You were the one being a chauvinistic pig!" I exclaim.

At that he reaches forward and starts his engine, revving it as if he's about to drive away.

"Okay okay okay!" I quickly say.

He stops the motorcycle and looks at me expectantly.

With an overly dramatic huff I mumble a quick "sorry".

He gives me a look that says he's not buying it "say it like you mean it" he instructs.

I roll my eyes "I'm so so sorry Green Eyes...that I gave you exactly what you deserve!"

"Fine than, I guess you're not that desperate for a-wait, what did you call me?" He asks as his eyes shine with amusement, a smirk playing on his lips.

My cheeks flare as I realize I called him green eyes to his face.

"I don't know what you're talking about" I lie indignantly.

"Okay sure. I'm going to put this aside for now so that I can hear you apologize for real"

Ugh I really didn't ever want to talk about it, but hopefully he'd forget, or even if he didn't, better later than right now. I obviously had no other choice. I needed to just convince him that I was sorry, even if I wasn't.

"Asher, I am sorry. I never should have poured that drink on your head. Would you please forgive me?" I say with my best sweet voice.

He watches me for a moment before standing up and walking over to me.

He walks forward until he's only inches from my body. Our faces so close that I can actually see the small sliver flecks in his eyes as they shimmer.

"Wha-what are you d-doing?" I stutter, my voice coming out as a breathless whisper.

He breathes out. His breath spreads across my face, peppermint.

I shiver at the feeling.

He leans in just a little closer so that our noses are nearly touching.

I stare up into his beautiful eyes, unsure of what to do. I feel frozen in place, like I can't move. Like maybe I don't want to.

"Time to seal it with a kiss" he suggests with a smirk.

And just like that I'm brought out of my trance. I shove him as hard as I can in the chest, making him step back a few times in surprise. "Ugh you're a pig. Will you please just drive me to school? We only have-" I look down at my phone "four minutes!" I screech. I was never going to make it in time.

Asher laughed as he put on his helmet and sat down on his motorcycle. Patting the seat behind him.

As I sit down, he hands me a purple helmet "oh great, let me guess. This is the helmet you let all of your flings wear?" I ask, completely grossed out.

He smirks "maybe" I reluctantly slip it on "probably gonna get lice" I mutter.

"Hold on tight" he instructs. I scoot forward and wrap my arms around him lightly, he laughs at this and grabs my arms, pulling me forward so much that my entire body is pressed up against him, I doubted that was necessary.

"You know we're not even gonna make it. We have less than five minutes to get to the school which is a thirteen minute drive at minimum." I yell over the sound of the engine.

"Have a little faith" he yells just before he zooms his motorcycle down the road.

My body starts to relax from the once tense feeling. The feeling of riding on a motorcycle, its surprisingly relaxing. How the wind blows my hair behind me, and how I can hear the swirling of the wind in my ears, and when you look at the trees beside you they're all just one green blur. It's all just kind of beautiful. I close my eyes as I lean my head on Asher's back

Suddenly the motorcycle stops and I open my eyes in surprise.

I see the school. The school. We are at the school! How was that even possible?

I look around rubbing my eyes because surely I'm seeing things. But when I open again I'm still in the school parking lot. I look down at my phone, 7:59. How could we possibly made a thirteen minute drive in three minute? That was impossible, even for a motorcycle, wasn't it?

"H-how did-you just-we still have-what?" I exclaimed, unable to form complete sentences through my confusion.Asher simply raises his eyebrows at me, a smirk on his lips. "I'd get inside if I were you" he suggest.

I nod slowly "uh thanks for the ride" I say. He doesn't reply as he takes my helmet off of me. I turn around and jog towards the school. I made it, I actually made it with a few seconds to spare.

Maybe Asher wasn't that big of a jerk after all...