Asher's Heart

Chapter 23

It was near dark and eerily silent in the room. The only sound was of our breathing. I could tell from his irregular breaths that he wasn't asleep yet. Neither was I. How could I even think of sleeping when he was lying beside me? So close. I was hyper aware of him.

He was staring at the ceiling then he shifted and I held my breath. He looked at me, his eyes reflecting very faint light coming from the window. I'd always found his eyes beautiful. Not just because they looked beautiful but because they were his most expressive features. Over the years I'd known him, the most common thing I saw in those deep swirl of blue was a glint of mischief. But now I saw an emotion that made my heart clench. I saw sadness. His eyes were still beautiful. Just sad.

"You know, the other day I didn't mean to actually drop you," he said softly.

"I know," I confessed. Ashton told me. After I went to my room that day they had a fight and Asher told him that he never meant to drop me. Just scare me but I slipped from his grasp. He was just being a jerk when he was feigning indifference that day.

"I just meant to scar- wait, you knew?" he asked.

I nodded.

He sighed.

"Ashton told me," I said.

He muttered something under his breath.

"You acted like you were so sure I would let you fall," he said after a moment. He sounded as if it hurt him that I believed he would do that.

"Well... you did let me fall," I said. To be honest, I did believe that. Blame it on our past but I think he could cross any limit in a prank as long as nobody got physically hurt.

"I didn't mean to," he protested.

"Doesn't change anything," I mumbled.

He ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

"I am trying to make amends here and you're not making it any easier," he said.

I propped myself up on my elbows and looked at his face.

"I forgive you okay? It isn't like that's the worst you've done to me," I snapped.

A look of hurt crossed his face but then it was gone just as quickly.

"Yeah right. Why am I even apologizing? There are bigger things I never apologized for," he said but it seemed like he was talking to himself more than me.

"That didn't even sound like an apology," I couldn't help but point out.

He scoffed.

"That's the closest to an apology you can get from me," he said and the smirk was back.

I felt my lips tug up.

I felt asleep at some point during the night. But I woke up not long after. I heard mumbling and realized that Asher was talking incoherently in his sleep. I couldn't make out the words but it seemed like he was having a bad dream. I turned on the lamp. Believe it or not, the whole concept of someone talking in their sleep creeped me out to no end.

I tried to wake him up by shaking him.

"Asher, Asher wake up," I said but instead of waking up he started shaking his head, mumbling more words.

Sweat dotted his forehead and his eyebrows were creased.

I patted his head softly and murmured words of comfort. That seemed to do the job. Soon he relaxed and his breathing slowed.

I kept caressing him and thought what was bothering him even in his sleep. Maybe this was the reason he didn't want to sleep alone.

He rolled onto his side and his arm went around me, trapping me by his side. My heart beat increased and breathing became ragged. His warm body pressed against mine ignited sensations I had never felt before.