I notice Asher drift off as I tell Clay about the book, I don't know why but I am super aware of his every movement. For the first time, I want to know what someone else is thinking, especially about what he thinks of me.
I look back at Clay as he elbows Asher, he smirks as he turns back to me.
"How long have you been deaf?" he asks me.
"Since I was seven, I was in a car accident," I explain. Clay is the one asking the questions but something tells me it's Asher that wants to know the answers.
"Are you reading my lips right now?" he asks, his face lightens up when I nod. "Can you read everyone's lips? How close does someone have to be?" he asks eagerly.
Asher pokes him in the ribs, stopping him from talking. I look at Asher just as his dark eyes turn to look at me. For the first time since they sat down, Asher actually looks at me.
'It's a good job I'm already sitting, why do my knees suddenly feel like they're going weak?' My heart races, my cheeks flush and I want to look away but I can't, it's like I'm held in place.
"Don't mind him, he's a bit of a nosy idiot," he says with a smile. I'm lost in that smile. I feel a blush rising after I realise I've been staring.
Suddenly I see both boys turn towards the school before I feel my watch go off. I gather my things and turn back to them to see them watching me.
"How did you know it was the end of lunch?" Asher asks. I show them my watch.
"It's a smartwatch, I programmed alarms to tell me when classes and lunch end," I explain as I show them. Asher nods looking a bit disappointed, I'm confused by his look but I don't say anything. I'm unsure if I want to know the answer or if he will tell me.
I say goodbye and start to walk away, there's a deep ache in my heart as I start to leave. It quickly goes away once I realise that they are walking with me, I can see and feel lots of eyes on us.
I lower my head to avoid their looks. I want to move away from the two alpha type guys. This is too much attention for me, pain always follows this type of attention.
I'm starting to panic as the memories begin to flash through my mind.
'Hard punches, silent taunts, head slammed into metal lockers.'
I'm so lost in the memories that it takes me a minute to realise that I have been pulled into a hard warm body. Asher is holding me, his strong arms are wrapped tightly around my small frame.
I panic for a minute thinking he has done this in front of the whole school. I glance around us and sigh, slightly, in relief. We are down a small hallway that is empty.
I stare up into his eyes and my mind goes blank. His eyes are filled with what looks like worry.
I feel him stroke my cheek as I try to focus on what his lips are saying.
"What's wrong?" he asks me worriedly. I close my eyes and shake my head. I gently try to pull myself away, I can tell he doesn't like that. I feel a rumble and it shocks me.
"Did you just growl?" I ask him as he drops his arm allowing me to step away. I instantly miss the warmth and strength surrounding me. He shakes his head ignoring my question.
"Are you ok? You suddenly looked so sad, what were you thinking about? Was it something I did or said? Did I upset you?" his brow is crossed as I can imagine he is trying to think of what he might have done wrong.
I smile warmly up at the big guy. For a large alpha type male, he is surprisingly a big softie.
"I'm fine, you didn't upset me. I just don't like people staring at me like that, it usually leads to them beating me up," I explain. His eyes flash like two pools of raging fire.
"Who was it? Tell me who and I will beat them up for hurting you, " he demands as he grips my shoulders. To say I am shocked at how angry he is would be the understatement of the century.
'Why does he care? Why is he angry at someone he doesn't even know?'
He looks just like those bullies from back then. I remember his fight earlier and an image of me on the ground bloodied and bruised as he stands over me angry pops into my head.
It's almost like he senses my fear because he instantly softens and wraps his arms around me, enveloping me back into that warmth and strength. He tightens his grip as my arms lay idle by my side.
"I'm ok, you don't need to beat anyone up," I say to him.
He eventually moves back, not quite releasing me fully, which to be completely honest I am really happy about.
When I finally look up at him I'm a little disappointed to see that he isn't looking at me, he's looking behind me. I turn to see Clay stood watching us with a smirk.
"Damn! I only went to the bathroom and you're making out already," I see him say. I instantly step out of Asher's arms, ignoring the urge to step back, and blush.
"No! We weren't, he was just …" I trail off, I can't finish the sentence. I stare at Asher as he glares at Clay before rubbing the back of his neck. When I turn back to Clay he is smirking at Asher even more.
"Well sorry Alpha, but I need to get him to his next class, we are already late." I check my watch and gasp.
I blurt out a small goodbye before rushing to my next class. I'm looking at the map when I feel it pulled from my grasp. I'm about to shout and snatch it back until I realise it was Clay.
"This way," he says and I follow him. We stop outside the door and he turns to me, his eyebrows wiggle at me mischievously.
"Do you mind if I use you as an excuse?" he asks me. I'm confused, unsure of what he means but I nod anyway.
He smiles at me, opens the door and I follow. After shutting the door I turn in time to see our teacher asking Clay why we are so late.
Clay turns his body slightly so I can see what he is saying.
"Sorry sir, Nai was lost. I saw him walking around, so I followed him and brought him here once I realised we had the same class. You know it's only his second day."
'That's what he meant,' I thought, shaking my head slightly. He lies so easily, I'm not sure I like it but then again if he told the truth that would have been mortifying.
'Sorry sir, we're late because Nai here was wrapped up in the arms of my best friend making out.' Ok so the last part wasn't the truth but Clay had joked about us doing that.
The teacher nods and tells us to sit down. I go to the back and Clay sits next to me. I wish he didn't, it makes people stare at us even more.
--
At the end of the day, I'm unwillingly walking with Clay to my truck. I can see Asher leaning against it. As I get closer I realise that he isn't leaning against my truck. I can see mine further back.
"Is this your truck?" I ask Clay as we walk up. Clay shakes his head and points at Asher.
"It's his," he says with a smirk. I can feel my cheeks heating up.
"Oh ok! I have to go now," I say quickly trying to go around them. Asher steps in my way so quickly I almost crash into his chest. I see him chuckle as my cheeks burn hotter.
"Do you have to get home?" he asks, he rubs his neck like before. If I didn't know any better I would say he's nervous. I nod and like it a little too much when he looks disappointed.
"There's still a lot to unpack," I explain quickly, for some reason I don't want him to think I am avoiding him or something. He perks up a strange sparkle in his eyes.
"Do you need any help?" he asks me. My eyes go wide and my mouth hangs open.
"You want to help me?" I ask incredulously. He tilts his head to the side like dogs do when something baffles them.
"Yeah, why wouldn't we?" he asks, obviously not understanding why I was looking at him in disbelief.
"Well, it's just … I mean …" I stammer. I'm starting to feel flustered and I can't understand why he wants to help me. I'm the deaf new kid and he's the hottest guy in school.
Plus this is only my first day. No new kid ever in the history of high school gets to hang with the cool guys in their first week.
He pinches the bridge of his nose and takes a step back. I can tell he is getting annoyed with me. When that happens I usually get hit.
My small step back doesn't go unnoticed and I swear I saw a flash of hurt cross his face, but I must have imagined it.
"Why are you afraid of me?" he asks, I can almost imagine the sound of the pain in his voice.
"I'm not," I say quietly. My heart stutters as he glares at me. Clay punches him on the shoulder breaking the glare. I turn to look at Clay, thankful that I can avoid seeing the pain in Asher's eyes.
"Ash! He literally saw you fighting on his first day. Plus he moved here because he'd been bullied in his other school. Also if you glare all the time why wouldn't he be afraid of you?" he says laughing. I smile at him as he teases his friend.
The pair is contradictory. Asher is the dark and brooding type and Clay is bubbly and light. I bet if it were anyone else teasing him, then they will be in a world of hurt for even thinking about it.
I chuckle a little until I remember what Clay said.
"Wait a minute, how did you know I was bullied?" I ask him, he smirks at me and taps his nose. I look at Asher with my eyebrows furrowed, he chuckles and shakes his head.
"Don't bother asking, even I don't know how he knows things," he tells me. I chuckle too, feeling more at ease. Asher's face then turns serious and I instantly miss his smile.
"Nai, I don't know what happened to you before, but I promise I really do just want to help," he says with eyes pleading with me to believe him. I nod not trusting my voice.
"Good, do you have a phone?" he asks, I raise one eyebrow and nod slowly. He holds his hand out asking for it, I tentatively give it to him and watch him type in his number.
"Send me your address, I just need to go home first then I'll be over," he tells me.
Again, I nod before quickly sending him my address. He gives me the sexiest damn smile I have ever seen when he looks at his phone. My dick stirs in my pants.
I watch him take a deep breath and impossibly his eyes got darker. He steps closer to me, into my personal space.
"I'll see you soon," he says, his face an inch away from mine.
I nod and quickly move away from him. My truck has never seemed so far away before. I check my reflection in the rearview mirror, my cheeks are bright red. I've never wanted to turn back and look at someone so much in my life, but I don't instead I turn on my truck and drive off.
I park in my driveway and groan into my steering wheel. The cool leather does little to soothe the heat.
What the hell is wrong with me? He's making me feel all these feelings I've never felt before. It's like I've gone from one extreme to the other. One minute no attraction and the next I want to rip his clothes off and mount him right there.
------
Twenty minutes later I open the door for Asher and Clay ….. Wait! It's just Asher. Where's Clay?
My eyes widen when the realisation hits that I'm going to be alone with Asher.
"Where is Clay?" I ask, my throat suddenly going very dry.
Asher smirks at me and steps closer which forces me to take a step back, then another. It only takes two steps and I'm trapped. My back hits the wall but he doesn't stop. I can feel the heat from his breath against my face. Soon his breathing seems to be in sync with mine. All it would take for our lips to touch would be for me to lift my head slightly, he is that close.
I lick my lips then gulp. Asher follows the movement, his eyes darkening again.
"Why do you want to know about Clay? You scared to be alone with me pup?" he asks with that damn smirk.
'Pup?' Who's he calling a pup?'
"N… n... No," I'm stuttering like a fool, I want to punch myself. I sound exactly like I'm scared to be alone with him.
His smirk is wider now as he steps back, letting me out of my misery. I have no doubt my face is the colour of beetroot.
"Clay has to help his Mum with something," Asher explains, finally answering my question.
I avoid his smirking eyes and move into the kitchen. I start opening boxes before Asher comes up next to me. Our hands touch briefly as he reaches in to take something. I gasp as an intense shock goes through me and travels straight to my dick, heating me to the core.
I stare at him wide-eyed, I can tell he felt it too. I stare transfixed at his lips imagining the feel of them, the taste.
"Fuck it!" I see him say before he turns and pulls me flush against him. I feel him walk me backwards until I am against the wall with Asher's body crushing mine.
He bends his head down slowly to the crook of my neck. I can feel his nose moving up and down. The small puffs of air I feel tell me he is sniffing me. I can feel that rumble again in his chest and I know he is growling.
"Asher?" I say. I feel like I am breathless.
His hands are on the wall on either side of me. A part of me wants them on me and another needs him to step away. My dick hardens even more than ever before.
I try to shift to ease a bit of the ache but that was a bad idea or a good one depending on which way you look at it. I rub against Asher's erection. He's just as hard as I am, but with a big difference, a really big difference.
"Asher?" I say again hoping I don't sound as affected as I am. He eventually steps back, eyes closed, fists clenched. I try to ignore his obvious bulge and my own, as I move around him.
Neither of us speaks as we silently unpacked the rest of the boxes in the kitchen before moving into the living room. Every now and then I point to where I want him to put things but that is the only time we interact.
We've just finished downstairs when Mum comes home.
'Love! You should have waited for me,' she signs not realising Asher is there. Her smile widens when she does.
"Asher, hello! it's nice to see you again. Have you been helping Nai?" she asks. Asher nods and smiles at me. She looks around the living room approval in her eyes, I tell her we've done the kitchen too.
"Oh great! Do you want to stay for dinner Asher?" she says before disappearing into the kitchen. I'm disappointed when he shakes his head.
"No thank you, Mrs Li, I should get home."
"Oh, I insist," my mother tells him leaving no room for argument.
Asher looks at me with a smirk, I know he saw my disappointed look, that smirk tells me that clear as day. He turns back to my mum, his smirk turns down into a smile.
"Ok then, I would love to join you for dinner," Asher says politely.
-----
It's late when we finally finish dinner, I walk him to his truck. He looks just as reluctant to leave as I am for him to go. He slowly opens his door and turns to look at me.
"Do you want to come to my house tomorrow after school?" he asks me, he avoids my eyes a little, looking nervous again.
"Oh! Ermm… o..k..," I say slowly, feeling just as shy as he was nervous. His head shoots up and I laugh at his wide-eyed look. It's like he expected me to say no.
"Really?" he says, his face lightening up. I smile and nod feeling giddy. The smile that spreads across his face makes my heart jump and my cock twitch. I'm still smiling as I watch him drive away.
Mum notices my ear-to-ear smile when I come back in.
'What?' she signs with a smile.
'Nothing,' I sign back. 'I'll go and finish my room.'
She smirks at me knowingly.
'Did she already know I'm starting to feel something for Asher? That isn't possible, I'm not even sure if this is real.'