The Love Deal with Mr. Player

7. Scary Emotions

It's hard to move on from someone you've loved more than yourself.

7. Scary Emotions

(Liana)

After Asher got dismissed from his class and I obtained a pass to go home early, we got into his car.

"Can you please slow down?" Asher groaned from the back of his car when I slammed on the brake after noticing the red traffic light a tad too late. The car jerked, before coming to a trembling halt. A bald man in the car next to mine gave me a pointed glare. It was not my mistake that I didn't learn to drive properly.

I could not be faulted today.

After half an hour of crazy driving, I felt sick too. He looked tired and my heart melted at the sight of his exhausted face. He slumped in the cushion and glared.

I made him soup as soon as we got back. He looked at me, back at my hand and then back at me. His eyes were narrowed into slits.

"You know I spent the entire noon in the restroom. Do you think I'll drink this after that?"

"Hey! It's not like I'd planned it purposely or anything, and if you don't drink the soup you'll starve and die." I said and walked away.

"Here." I handed him the paper and pen and he looked at it curiously. He looked at me with confusion and I elaborated, "Just write a suicide note. I don't want to be in prison if you die on me." He gave me a stony glare. I shrugged.

"Ok, I hate you, but still I don't want you to be dead. Here drink it." I pushed the bowl of soup close to his face.

"Thank you for your kindness Liana, but I don't think I can take this anymore. I'm too weak, already. My body is withering in front of me" He said, trying to sound determined. Rather it came out soft and husky. And I rolled my eyes at the drama queen.

"Drama queen." I said and sighed. "But Asher, I didn't cook it. This is an instant soup and I just put something inside the packet in water and boiled it. I promise." I gave him a puppy dog look and he sighed.

"I think I can trust it then. Are you sure you haven't done anything more than what is told in the instructions?" He asked with a frown.

I nodded and he cautiously took a sip of it and then closed his eyes. While he drank his soup, I sat on the opposite couch, eating the pasta and pancake my mom made for both of us and stored in the fridge before going away.

"God, why did you cook? Why didn't you bring me that?" He pointed his bowl at my stack of pancakes.

"I hadn't seen it. Mom didn't tell me."

With every bite I took, Asher gave me a death glare. I smiled at him innocently. When I finished it, I brought his bowl and my plate to the kitchen and placed it in the dishwasher.

"So are you not going out today?" I asked after the long stretching silence.

"And then I have to eat another one of your test foods, no thank you. This is enough. My poor body can't take any more of that." He pointed to himself and sneered at me.

"Who says I'm not going to blackmail you with that one day?" I gave him a huge smile.

"You are?" His eyes went wide as he looked at me.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to waste yet another day of my sleep and cook for someone who doesn't even know how to appreciate all the hard work I have to put in to it." I sulked.

"You mean I have to thank you for making me half dead?" He groaned out loud as he glared at me.

"Don't be dramatic. It is not that bad. It must not be. I mean, you're still alive." I rolled my eyes at him.

"Yeah, next time you decide to cook, take the first bite and we will see." He groused and then we lapsed into silence once again.

Feeling extremely bored, I pulled out my phone and saw Harry's name blinking on the screen. I opened it and read the screen.

Harry-banana: Having a good time with Ash? Umm, and are u still alive?

Liana: I'm great, thanks for your concern, NOT.

Harry-banana: I'm. Concerned for Ash. I heard you have tried 2 kill him today.

Liana: Shut up, moron.

I tossed the phone to the couch and closed my eyes with a sigh. Today was just too much for me. I didn't know how I was going to survive three weeks, alone, with Asher.

"Hey!" Asher shouted at me and looked almost pained.

"What?" I shouted back. It was a reflex reaction. My brain sometimes mimicked feelings, as well.

"You threw your phone at my ..." He stuttered and blushed.

Why was he blushing now? He looked so cute when he did that, but I'd never admit it to anyone. I stared at him and when I noticed his eyes looking at my phone close to his crotch, I stopped in my tracks.

"Oops."

He coughed when I stared at it and then looked down. s**t.

He was still red when I looked at him. He handed me my phone back with a nervous look on his face.

I took it from him and almost ran to my room. I didn't want to stay there any longer and stare at him.

I liked it too much when we talked without throwing hurtful words at each other and I hated it. These emotions were scaring me.

And I can not like it. I am not supposed to.

***

I was bored within five minutes of staring at the ceiling.

I am always bored, if you are wondering. Not that you are wondering. I mean, why would you even wonder about me.

Now you are talking to invisible people!!!

I opened my laptop and found a mail from my mom. I grunted and replied to it and opened facetime to call my brother. It had been too long since we talked. I missed Carl and Brian.

"Hi little sis, how are you and Asher?" Carl, my stupid brother, grinned at me. I grumbled in response.

"Hi Bobby-box." Brian, Asher's brother, cut in and pushed his face closer to the screen. I screamed and glared at them as they laughed.

"Get your scary face off of me, you idiot." I said. They loved tormenting me.

"Is Asher still alive?"

"Of course,"

"Guys, stop making fun of her," Sam Wilber said and I was surprised to see him. It had been years since I had last seen him.

He had been Brian and Carl's friend.

He was year younger than Carl and Brian and they kinda felt sorry for him. His house was a street down. So when they were here, they would invite him everywhere with them, because he was very awkward and sometimes he even joined us for dinner.

He was always an introvert, but he was fond of me. He always saved me from my moron of the brothers when they decided to play their prank on me, even when we were kids.

After his parents divorced, he spent more and more time with Carl and sometimes he would even join us for dinner. And then when his mom couldn't afford the big house they stayed in, she sold them and they moved away.

"Hi. How are you Sam? I didn't know you and my brothers went to same school."

"It is a coincidence." Brian said. "One day we met him in the cafeteria... and I was... Sam Wilber? And wow, it was nice meeting him but still kinda creepy. Small world, huh?" Brain looked at Sam and Sam almost looked nervous before he shook his head and laughed.

"Crazy coincidence." Sam said. "So how are you Liana? And Asher?"

"I am good. Asher is a moron."

"So you are still fighting, huh?" Sam asked. I was surprised at that comment. His memory was strong. Huh.

"Yes. We will forever be fighting."

"No baby girl," Brian said. "You will never really be fighting. You two are crazy. You don't know...or see...but we see..."

"Don't say anything weird. I am still Carl's sister and you are still Asher's brother." I warned Brian.

Knowing Brian, he would probably be going to say something like ...S3xual tension or something equally stupid like that. Sometimes I wondered why everyone around me was as crazy as me. Maybe, birds of feather flock together, s**t like that.

"I am not going to say anything weird. But-"

"Nuh-uh," I warned.

Sam shook his head. Carl laughed.

After half an hour, I said goodbye to them. I smiled as I signed out and opened the bookmarked page on Google.

Twenty ways to win a boy's heart. Exactly.

Boys never speak about the mushy stuffs. But they'll feel valued when you treated them with precious gifts and heartfelt words. Tell them how much you love with a gift, and you're one point close to winning their heart.

I stared at it for a moment. I didn't know how a gift could win them over.

The best gift ideas - That was my next search.

It had a lot of gift ideas, and some handmade things are so very hard, and I rejected everything.

Photo frame sounded good, but I didn't know where I could find the picture of Asher and myself. I was about to close the screen when I came across it. I watched it with a smile. Finally.

I smiled as I got up and walked towards the kitchen. When I saw Asher lying on the couch with a hand over his stomach, I really felt bad.

"Hey, why are you still here?" I asked. He gave me a look and whispered, "go away Lia, don't make me a murderer."

"But Asher. You should go and sleep. You're tired and you need your rest." I said as I moved closer to him, "Do you need a hand. I can walk you to your room."

"You're impossible." He grunted and closed his eyes.

"Are you really okay, Asher?" Now I was really concerned.

I touched his forehead and he almost jumped from the couch. I didn't know why I cared so much, but I did. And that was fate, as well.

"I'm fine. Please leave me alone." He snapped at me and closed his eyes.

"I'm just trying to help." I gave him a hurt look.

He looked bothered when I turned and walked away.

***

My alarm rang.

I hate mornings. I hate everything morning reminded me. School. Waking up. Bathing. Ugh!

I rolled tiredly in my bed and yawned. When I tried to turn in the bed to get out of my tangled sheets, I felt something holding me in the place. It feels like someone has placed heavy dumbbells over me!

It was possible that Asher would've done something like that to get back at me. I tried to push the rod away from me and wondered why it was soft. I should just open my eyes, but I hated to see the sun first thing in the morning.

"Move. Move." I chanted and tried to push it away. It clutched my hips as if its life depended on it.

I opened my eyes slowly savouring the sleep. Bright flashes of sunlight hit my eyes as soon as I opened them. I turned back and came face to face with Asher. I screamed and he screamed back, jumping up from the bed. I tried to get down and collapsed down. Asher followed.

"Get off of me, you're heavy." I grunted. He opened his eyes and looked at me with an adorable look on his flushed, sleepy face. His eyes were confused and heavy with sleep.

"Why are you in my room?" He asked. His long lashes created almost touched his cheeks when his eyes fluttered closed. I watched him in wonder and put a leash to my wandering thoughts as I pushed him away. He grunted as he hit the floor.

"Your room? This is mine. Why are you here in my room, sleeping in my bed?"

"Your eyes are so blue, like Deep Ocean." He whispered. His eyes looked clouded and I was sure he wasn't still fully awake.

"They've always been blue. Why are you here? Did we do anything?" I looked at him and smiled inside.

"No, no, I mean I didn't do anything. I don't know why I'm here." He stuttered, looking pale in the face.

I decided to bring my act to the next level. I pouted and said to him, "I'm going to call my mom."

He ran towards me and grabbed the phone, "You're still fully clothed. We didn't do anything. See. You are dressed."

I glared at him, "You're not wearing a shirt." I looked at his defined chest before looking back at him. He looked shocked. He opened his mouth and closed and I laughed.

"I wish I had taken a picture. You looked funny. Oh God!" I chuckled when he glared at me.

"Oh." He said with a shock. "You're not funny." He snapped at me.

I shrugged.

"Like I said, I was kidding. I know you'd never want to do anything with me, because I'm ugly." I said with a wink, and he looked down at the floor.

He looked really guilty for the first time in his life.

I wished he'd tell me it was not like that. I hoped that he would stop me and say I wasn't ugly. But he was silent the whole time when we stood there standing, staring at each other.

My heart crumbled when he looked away from me. It was painful - crushing, but I pushed the feeling away as I walked past him...

I hated these emotions. I slammed the bathroom door shut behind me. I opened the shower and leaned against the wall. I closed my eyes and let the tears out, as the water and tears mixed with each other, hiding that I was crying - even to myself.

Yet, I knew... I was crying.

Who am I kidding?

I could never hate Asher enough to be indifferent to him.

My heart felt like it was ripped off from where it was originally.

I closed my eyes and sighed.

If only I can forget it, all, God, forget everything he means to me in the past.

But I couldn't. No matter how hard I tried.

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