Beyond Average [COMPLETED]✔️

Chapter 25-

"Go back home." Zoey tells me.
"Huh?"
"You heard me. We were out trick or treating for an hour. Go home and get ready for your date with Aly. You need each other."
I smile.
"Ok. So I'll walk us back."
"No. I've got Zoey taken care of. Just worry about Aly!"
I smile again, like a big idiot.
"Alright! Laters."

Wow, I remember seeing Aly that time at the Halloween store with her little brother, but who would have thought it was such a huge step for me to know her brother is living with autism... Aly has such a big heart and she shouldn't have to worry what people think or feel or do.
I just can't get that image of her sobbing face out of my mind. And how can I not help but think if anything has to do with me?

Ding dong!
Ugh. Trick or treaters...

"One sec!" I call.
"Ready to go?"
It's Aly...I don't have a car so she's driving us. Completely forgot..

She looks up with a closed smile. Let me tell ya, she really looks somethin'!
"Do you like my costume? In the queen of hearts!"
I look down at her velvety red and black dress with an embroidered heart on it. She's even got a tiara and everything.

"You're supposed to look scary on Halloween." I laugh.
"And I don't?"
"You look..anything but scary."
The smile leaves her face.
"You look very, very pretty."
"Oh you're too cute." Aly giggles.
"C'mon! Let's go, basketball player!"
"Ay, I'm a zombie basketball player today."
Aly checks me out.
"Yeah. Ok I see it...but, but what's with the bottle of pills! Put those away or they'll think you're on drugs!"
I laugh.
"It's cuz these things made a friggin zombie!"

We hop into Aly's car.
"Well, I'd love you see your family now that you know mine.."
"Well...about that.." I start.
"What?"
We pull onto the road.
"My mom is out of town..and she kind of thinks I'm grounded from this party."
"Why?" Aly says with concern.
"She's just mad because..because of these.." I look down at my pills.
"Asher, are you popping pills?!"
"What?!! No! No..well..my mom found out I've been flushing them down the toilet because I didn't want them. But she's pissed about it. Which is why I'm grounded. But she's out of town..."
"Asher!"
"It's ok, Al! I can be a little bad. Come on what's the worst thing you think I've ever done? I'm clean as a whistle!"
"Oh and I'm not? While the other girls are out doing...whatever..I'm at school running a special..never mind."
"Yeah, but you didn't grow up in philly. Pot lines every street. I'll never touch that crap!"
Aly sighs, probably relieved she didn't offend me.
"Well, I'm glad you're a good boy. You never change, Asher! So many people turn druggies and drinkers and college. I never want to see that happen to you."
"I won't, Aly. Trust me." I giggle.
Wow, normally when I'm around some chic I really dig, my Tourette's gets sooo bad, but since I'm so relaxed right now with Aly, the I barely am even ticking.
"Well it looks like we are here."
As I watch Aly gracefully spin out of the car, I have one of those moments where time feels like it is slowing down and the world around me has stopped moving...
Man, why am I getting all poetic over this...
I want Aly to feel the same way, so I try to get out in a sexy way too, but it doesn't work because I'm getting out of HER car, and I am way to athletic and not graceful for this.
I walk toward Aly and slip my arm around her.
"You are adorable." She giggles.
I ask her why, but she just giggles more and looks down at the ground.
"Oh my this is the cutest thing!" One of the chaperones greets us.
"Look, Aly Roth brought her buddy! How cute!" She tells another teacher.
Well that was a real confidence booster...
"Uh,  Mrs. Read, Asher is one of my best friends.." Aly explains.
"Ohh okay! Well you two look great!"
I blink a few times.
"Come, let's go get a snack." Aly suggests as she slips her hand into mine.
"That was really nice, Aly."
"What?"
"To say I'm your best friend so I wouldn't look like I'm 'different'." I say making quotes with my fingers.
"No, Asher.  You really are my best friend. The best person I ever have met here." Aly tells me very passionately.
I feel myself blush.
"I'm so sorry! Forget I-"
"No. I'm just...really happy. I like you." I say, sounding like a fourth grader.
"You're so cute!" Aly bursts into laughter.
"Why do you keep saying that?" I ask.
"Because I like you too!" Aly exclaims while laughing.
All of a sudden the monster mash comes on and we both get way too excited.
"The monster mash!! Come Asher, we're going!!" Aly grabs my wrist and practically drags me to the center of the dance floor.
I look around and this gym is filled! Kind of surprised at the kind of turn out at a stupid school dance. I guess there's nothing else to do here.
There's a group of girls by us all dressed as slutty vampires and they won't quit staring at us...
Aly narrows her eyes at them.
"Looking really great, Aly Roth!" One of them sarcastically sing songs.
"She looks super beautiful, better than any of you!" I exclaim in anger.
"What is wrong with him? Wacko." Another girl whispers.
Holy crap! That's Maya.
"Don't you have something better to do than talk to us? Buh-BYE!" Aly sasses them.
The two of us walk away to the side of the gym.
"Are you alright?" I ask.
Aly shakes her head slowly.
"What's wrong?"
"Asher. Remember I told you about cheerleading with Maya?"
"Yeah.."
"Well.."
We both sit on the wood floor against the padded gymnasium walls.
"When I did cheer all the girls used to make fun of my family and I..because one week when things got tight, my mom needed me to look after Josh. That was the first time they saw what our everyday is living with autism. And well.. Maya got such a charge out of it. I used to be one of them, as in part of their group. But I never liked their maliciousness. One day I just had enough. I told them that I love Josh for who he is and they can't treat us any different just because he has special needs! So then...Maya spread rumors that I am a whore and that Josh is my child and that he has autism because of insest or something! And that it must of been insest because I can't ever get with a real guy and..."
Aly starts crying again.
"Aly...I didn't want you to cry. I'm sorry I wanted to know what the story was. I never realized it would upset you this much..."
"No, no..don't worry about me. I needed to talk about it.. I was just worried about you knowing, and that's why I tried to hide it. I tried avoiding you seeing my family in temple because my brother was there and because...because I like you a lot. And stupidly I thought you wouldn't like me anymore because of him..."
"Aly! Please, I move around and make noises all day long do you think I don't know what ignorance and cruelty to is like?! And even if I didn't...I really like you. So friggin much. In my head it just would never ever match up that your brother's condition would affect how I feel about you."
Our hands interlock.
"I just never understood why what's normal to me has to be considered abnormal because it is for everyone else. It's like disabilities are just who is in the minority!"
"Exactly! I always wondered why do people get weirded out by my tics? Why do I need to take crazy pills that turn me into a zombie all day just because the people around me aren't accustomed to my blinking or shaking?! Everyone sneezes, everyone coughs, everyone gets the hiccups sometimes. But that's ok. Because everyone gets it. They weren't some unlucky soul who ended up being to one person who coughs and has to fix this terrible problem for everyone else's benefit!" I get heated up.
"It's so true! Why isn't only being able to write with one hand a disability? Why is being ambidextrous considered almost a talent? Because of the majority, man! And the majority sucks!"
"But you are amazing, Aly.."
"For what?" She laughs.
"You are the president of the Buddy club. You want people like us to have a place. I thought going into it I would be humiliated but I was dead wrong!"
"Really? I guess it was a good idea to start this."
"You started this?!" I exclaim.
"Yeah. I founded it in ninth grade."
"Aly I don't know your middle name Roth. You are incredible.."
"Alessa Iris."
"Huh?"
"Aly is short for Alessa, like Alexa but with S's. And my middle name is Iris."
I giggle like an idiot.
"I'm Asher Joel..." I mumble.
"Asher Joel Westman...Alessa Iris West-"
"You said Westman!"
"No I-"
"You said it!" I laugh.
"But I'm so glad you did.." I mumble as I wrap my arms around Aly.
We look into each other's eyes and just sit here for a while.
It's as if we were the only ones here. We forgot all about everyone else. Because..I can't believe this would ever happen but.
I. Kissed. Alessa. Iris. Roth.
"What is it?" Aly whispers.
"When we just did that...we were no different than anybody else. We were the average person. I was average for the first time in this new place."
"Asher. People like you don't fit the mold because you aren't just average. You are even better. You're...you're beyond average..."
--------------------------------------

Woah! I've been DYING to write this part since I started writing this book!!! I'm really happy with it☺️ (but use your imagination for the kiss because I can't write a good kissing scene LOL XD)