ASHER P.O.V.
I hastily open my eyes at the moment I smell something most likely prickling my nose. A scent of baby cologne I used when I was a kid and a smell of baby powder that as far as I know, I'm using before I proclaimed myself that I am an adult after hitting puberty. I gasp as I realized that I am not at home that's why I dramatically sit down while pulling out the blanket and I suddenly see Shiro in front looking at me whereas she's combing her wet hair.
"Are you alright?" She asked me calmly and tilted her head as I rapidly moved my eyes from the embarrassment I had caused earlier.
"Uhm, I'm fine..." I answered back. She stands up and walks towards the bed and I'm still looking down while playing on her blanket, she sits down beside me and stares at me before she takes her deep sigh.
"Mom prepared us dinner." She said to me. I never said a single word and just nod my head and kept on deep sighing that's why she holds my hand and helps me to stand up.
"Let's go," she calmly said to me as she is thinning her lips. I eventually stand up mending my bushy hair and still holding her hand.
Together, we walked downstairs and I immediately saw Auntie Quennie preparing us for something, and she smiled at me very gently.
"Go and help yourselves," she told us. I quickly went to the table and was still shy about what happened and it is making me crazy that I cannot talk casually to them. Her mom gave us a plate and looked at us as I was biting my lips and deep sighing deeper than before. As I looked at their front door I suddenly remembered what I did while crying hysterically in Shiro's arms and her mom immediately in panic touching my face asking what was happening to me.
I've never experienced that even before for I am an only child being neglected by my parents when I cried before, we have maids to make me tame and they will eventually give what I wanted if I wish for they are too busy to mind my emotional distress.
"Do you want coffee?" Shiro asked me, that is why my mind suddenly twitched and I went back to reality. "
S-sure," I said to her even if I am not drinking coffee at night for I know that will give rise to my hyper self and that thing won't make me sleep. Shiro stands up and goes inside their kitchen and auntie Quennie puts some brown rice on my plate and she places the fried chicken near me.
"Get some," she sweetly said to me. I don't know why this is happening to me that I became emotional when she said those words to me, I was honestly afraid to go home, and my butler will see me not okay and he will probably say it to my parents, and they will get mad at me again for being weak.
Finally, I never helped myself to cry quite a bit, and she noticed that while Shiro finished preparing our coffee.
"Your phone keeps on beeping earlier that's why I answered it. I already said to your butler that you will stay for a night here so finish your dinner and ready yourself for a bath, Shiro will lend some clothes for you," Auntie Quennie instructed me. We just quietly had our dinner and I felt easy after that, even though they are not talking about what just happened they comforted me and I felt relieved for a moment.
As I got the clothes lent by Shiro, I went to their washroom and got ready to sleep with her. I honestly get excited about this sleepover even though I still have a heavy heart. Before I left the shower room, I checked my phone if Xavier reached my contact but there were none and only my best friends had their missed calls especially from Austin and Mark. I directly opened my messenger and confirmed to them that I am okay.
"I am at Shiro's home... you have nothing to worry about me!" I enthusiastically said to them and I know they will doubt my message for a hundred percent. Silly me, they will surely be worried about me for it's my first time on a sleepover with a friend and I never did this with a close friend girl before.
I decided to come out and I saw Shiro fixing the bed and immediately went to her study table while putting all of her books inside her bag. I soon came near to her; I've noticed she left one of her books that's why I fetch it and I see Lynx's name on it.
"Oh he left his Steno book," she said and got it from my hands.
"He came?" I hastily asked her while widening my eyes from shock.
"Yes he got to... we have recitation tomorrow," she responded without looking at me and still cleaning her table. I sat down on her bed while taking a deep sigh.
"Did he come exactly when I passed out?" I asked her again and she immediately looked at me and she also sat down beside me.
"Uhm... he carried you in my bed earlier," She told me in a calm manner that's why I covered my face with both of my palms from the embarrassment I felt right now. I immediately said sorry to her for I disturbed her and Lynx and even to her mom.
Shiro just pats my head and comforts me more, "Let's take a rest," she calmly told me and she stands up pardoning herself for she will brush her teeth before going to bed.
I clasped my hands on my lap and took a deep sigh again as I have no idea how to face my friends tomorrow or how I am able to explain why I end up being here at Shiro's home. I don't want to lie to them and also I don't want to end up with Xavier like this, I honestly have no idea what else he got from Lean and Kate, and I did not know how long it was. If explaining our sides will be the best way to make things alright between us, I will do my best to confront him without saying it to Yangyang, Austin, Nana, and Mark; I know it will be more complicated and of course the never-ending overthinking from them will make my decision difficult. They hated Xavier from the very beginning but what should I do? I love him so much more than they knew.
As I heard the door opening I quickly lean towards the bed and pretend to sleep and I peek at Shiro again going to her drawer looking upon herself in the mirror and spraying her baby cologne again. I chuckled a bit and she heard it, so she immediately looked in my direction.
"Why?" she asked me in a childlike tone but for sure she's unaware of it.
"Is it normal that you are almost taking a bath with a baby cologne?" I exaggeratedly said to her while smiling.
"I can't sleep if I am not using it and even the powder. It's been part of my routine since then," she seriously informed me. She closes the main light and finally goes beside me whereas she is flapping the other blanket she will use. I mend my hair again and touch the red silky terno pajamas she lends for me.
"Shiro thank you," I shyly whispered to her.
"No worries," she said without looking at me and she eventually turned her back.
"So what's your plan now?" I gasped when she spoke up a little louder and I turned myself looking at her back.
"Shiro... I know you hate Xavier right now but for the last time... can you help me? Can you help me explain to him that there was nothing about Lynx and me? Xavier... I know he is a little insecure to Lynx because he never had a chance to be a player at UAA even though he's already in 4th-year college now. That's why I understand his actions somehow for I have no idea when Lean and Kate started the rumors..." I told her and I can see her eyes peeking at me and I can feel she's mortified.
"P-promise Shiro if our confrontation won't work I will never ask for help again!" I said with my trembling voice and she suddenly took a deep breath.
"Okay... but don't blame me if I get annoyed with him." She said with an authoritative voice and I quickly turned my back from her.
I can feel my cheeks turning red because I sense the warmth on my face. I know Shiro is furious about him besides Lynx being involved in this, I also know she's concerned about me. I am anxious about what might happen tomorrow, therefore, I know this is the best way to make things right or not.
Morning came, I and Shiro had our breakfast before leaving their home since it's still too early for the first class, I convinced her that we had to go first to our mall because I have access to it anytime.
"I have to change clothes Shiro but don't worry I will dry laundry before giving it back to you!" I happily said to her while I was steering the car carefully.
I saw in my peripheral view that she looks at me quickly and goes back to her phone before she agrees with me. I halt my car in the parking lot and we amble our feet on the back door which only the owners and other employees have access to. When we are finally inside, Shiro begins to wonder how we can go inside the store if it is already closed.
"I own a boutique!" I wink at her and wave the key card then I hold her hand walking towards my store.
I grabbed a silky white long sleeve crop top and high waist jeans and I told her to wait for I am going to change quickly. But before I enter the dressing room, I've seen a denim jacket near Shiro and I get it by giving it to her.
"I guess you like that!" I said to her enthusiastically and she was dumbfounded for a moment.
"I don't need one," she responded hastily but I am persistent to give it to her since she is just wearing a plain black shirt with her light blue jeans.
"I know you like a denim jacket so wear that for me please!" I begged her while I exhibited my puppy eyes on her and I heard her chuckle a bit.
"Fine," she said and removed the price tag on it giving it to our assistant and she immediately wears it. As I am finished dressing up we swiftly walk towards the exit and I've seen her reaching Lynx's contact to wake him up for school. I drive my car going to University and we instantly go inside the private room and we are surprised to see Austin sleeping on the couch.
"Shiro wake him up," I said to her, and she was a bit surprised about what I said then I went inside the storage where I placed all the dirty clothes I used yesterday.
"Hey wake up..." I heard Shiro that's why I peek a little and I've seen Shiro awkwardly nudging his shoulders.
"5 minutes!" Austin mumbled with his closed eyes. Shiro just take a deep sigh and lowered herself almost near Austin's ears.
"Tss..." Shiro whispers and she flicks her fingers on Austin's forehead that makes his wavy hair go up.
"OUCH!" Austin shouts and stands up in a hostile way even though he is half asleep. I heard Shiro chuckle while Austin held his forehead that turned into a pinkish hue from Shiro's flicker on it.
"Hey, Asher how-" Austin stops as he sees Shiro in front of him, and I notice his cheeks turning red beside the blister on his forehead that's why I hysterically laughed at him and closed the storage room.
"Okay, this time I'll take Shiro with me so you can wake up quickly like that!" I teased him while his cheeks were turning redder this time as he rapidly moved his eyes.
"S-stop pranking me!" he stuttered like a kid and looked at Shiro once again.
"D-do you have your breakfast already?" He asked her awkwardly.
"Yeah I'm done," Shiro answered him and she immediately sat on the couch and Austin instantly sat beside her.
"Then good," he said without looking at her. As I joined them I noticed Austin looked at her and he is observing her while she's browsing something on her phone.
"Hey, how did you know I'm wearing a denim jacket too today? Are you copying me?" Austin let out his tease and smirked at her, and it gave rise to Shiro to look back at him.
"I'm wearing like this since then!" she said and rolled her eyes.
"But that one smells brand new!" he stubbornly said.
"Asher gave this earlier, you assuming freak! You never saw me in the first year and I'm wearing it like this because I'm comfortable with it!" She responded as if they are inside of a debate and Austin keeps on answering her back and it causes more arguments between them, that's why I quietly laughed at them.
As they are still bickering with each other that thing makes me relieved a bit, I am anxious about what will happen later after his class, and I am not sure about his response. I am ready about the hurtful words he might say but surely I will get emotional by it.
The boys check on me before the class starts but I still lie to them about what we will do for I know they will disagree about it; I can sense Lynx not agreeing about this but he is doing it for the sake of Shiro.
After a long class, I waited for Shiro and Lynx near the College of Tourism building and I try my best to hide a bit for Austin and Nana are suspicious about me and I know they feel something bad about it but I did my best to make an excuse to them for I almost spill what just happened yesterday. From afar I sighted Lynx and Shiro and they are somehow frowning or maybe that is just my point of view to them. I am also scared of what they will do, but I know or I think Shiro will never make a scene like Austin if she is mad? Besides that, if Lynx gets furious and wants to punch Xavier, maybe Shiro will stop him. She hates scenarios like that.
"Where is he?" Shiro asked me.
"Let's take an elevator," I said and thinned my lips.
I try to reach Xavier's phone but he is not answering and the time the elevator stops, as the door opens widely after the ring sound we immediately see Xavier happily talking with his friend in front of their class. He is beaming like he is okay and exhibiting his eye smile while brushing his hair up. I gulped from my anxiousness and I felt Shiro gently push me in his direction.
"X-Xavier... let's talk," I said in my nervous tone whereas Shiro and Lynx were quietly at my back.
"Talk about what? We are already done! Besides that bold of you to take that violent guy you are flirting with!" He said while pointing his finger at Lynx. And I've seen Lynx smirk at him that's why I hastily hold Xavier's arm.
"NO! We are here to explain!" I explained to him.
The other students are already gawking at us as I louden my voice again from being frightened.
"Please Xavier... just for a moment!" I said to him.
"There is nothing about us... only a simpleton will conclude immediately like that!" Lynx suddenly speaks up.
"Are we done now? Can you talk to her now calmly?" Lynx added.
"Huh..." I heard Xavier and he arrogantly smirked at him. As I am still holding his arms he aggressively removes my grip on him and I stumble down and fall on the ground.
I heard other people murmur about what he did and some of them chuckling around as they saw me on the ground and helplessly looking at him like he never regretted what he had done to me.
"You deserved it, plus tell your spoiled brat friends that I am not scared of them! I hate you Asher and we are done! Stop lying! You can flirt with that guy anytime you want because I don't fucking care!" He said and his friends started to laugh at me that's why I never helped myself to cry.
"Why Xavier, why-"
"Bold of you to say that. As far as I know, you are the one who's flirting with your groupmate, and instead of studying, you have your own experiment at your home knowingly you are committed with someone... I think that's grosser than a misinterpretation you idiot sad boy!"
Shiro surprisingly interrupted me and I've seen Xavier get furious at her and he hastily walks towards her but he was too late when Lynx stopped him.
"Shiro!" Lynx shouted after he smirked at him and he strangled Xavier's arms and his friends got furious about what he did.
"GET OFF ME! YOU SON OF A—"
I widen my eyes as Shiro stops his words by punching his face so badly, "Free massage shithead!" Lynx said to him and he dropped him on the floor as he passed out from Shiro's punch.
Shiro helped me to stand up and I was shocked to see Austin, Nana, Mark, and Yangyang watching us near the next classroom. Yangyang tried his best not to laugh along with Austin who looked so proud about what Shiro had done to Xavier.
"Xavier!" A girl with long straight black hair, monolid eyes with her small face immediately runs towards him, and surely that's Katherine, that bitch.
"How dare you do that on him! You cheated first—"
[SNAP] I hardly slap her face and grab her hair for I am so fed up right now. Shiro and Lynx stop me as she is already crying.
"We're done here let's go..." Shiro said and as we turned our way, we saw Prof. Younghyun who passes by along with the College of Tourism Dean, and the dean is in shock looking at us.
"Let me handle this sir..." Professor Younghyun insisted while thinning his lips.
"Shiro and Lynx follow me right now," he calmly said to them and I've seen them scratching the back of their heads.
"NO SIR IT'S MY—"
"Shhh," Lynx stopped me and patted my shoulders, and finally walked away from us.
Yangyang, Mark, Nana, and Austin came to me and they assisted me in going to the elevator, "Asher I told you to stop lying to us! Look what you have done!" Yangyang demanded on me, that's why I immediately cried because I messed up with Shiro again and she will probably get her second detention because of what I did.
"Will Shiro get mad at me?" I cried out while Mark is holding my shoulders tightly for I am stumbling from the weakness I felt right now.
"Don't worry I know she's sure about what she has done! Hahahahahahaha!" Austin burst out his laugh and it amplifies the building when we are already on the ground floor.
"Did you haha! Did you see that Xavier face earlier? He... he became like a human stick from Shiro's punch haha! That freak! What a weak fucking guy! Hahaha!" Austin continues and is still laughing while holding his stomach.
"I'll go to Shiro!" I said and ran towards the Main Zhong Building.
They also followed me and I can hear Mark shouting my name because I can't relax this time and I even stumbled down because of my heels. I swiftly run towards the people passing by as some of them are ready to go home. As I am already inside the school going to Professor Younghyun's office, I sighted Shiro and Lynx already went outside of his office and they were obviously, done talking with him. I stopped for a moment, nervously gulping as I saw them frowning and scratching their heads. I walk little by little and I heard Lynx speak out.
"That was embarrassing..." Lynx said.
"Yeah," Shiro said and she exhibits her deep sigh.
"Pffffft...." I was surprised and I get dumbfounded when I see Shiro chuckle and push Lynx aggressively.
"He deserved it!" Lynx said while he is also chuckling, "Die sad boi diiiie!" Lynx exaggeratedly said and it gives rise to Shiro to laugh hysterically.
"I want another round, that was not enough!" she said to him and that makes me touch for she is not mad at me and I began to realize that she did that just for me.
"Shiro!" I calmly called her that's why they instantly stopped laughing and looked at me, "Ash..." She called me back and she smiled a bit at me. I walk towards her and Austin pats my shoulder running beside Shiro.
"I told you! She's okay! Right?" Austin asked her and he places his arms around Shiro.
Shiro began to roll her eyes, "Why the hell are you holding me?" Shiro demanded and hit Austin's tummy using her elbows and Austin dramatically held his tummy whereas he was chuckling before he removed his arms on her.
"Can you see that Asher? She's violent enough to handle it! Thank goodness I am stronger than that idiot Xavier!" Austin said to me that it makes them laugh at him and even Yangyang and Nana smiling like they are relieved about what happened.
I look at Shiro for a moment, "Shiro!" I said to her and helplessly got emotional and hugged her tightly.
"You are really my best friend right?" I asked her like I'm a kid. There was a second of silence before she responded.
"Uhm.." she said awkwardly while patting my back very gently.
"H-HEY!" Austin shouted and separated us apart.
"WHAT? Stop ruining our moment!" I demanded while pouting my lips and hugging her waist while I exhibited my tongue out to Austin.
"Stop doing that! So gross!" Austin said while crossing his arms.
"What? It's okay! Hug Mark if you are envied by our friendship!" I said to him and stick my tongue once again. I heard Shiro chuckled a bit and I looked at her more. I just love to see Shiro like this, her smile always surprises me even though I've seen it several times. It makes my heart light and I hope to see those smiles every day.
As we decided to go home, Yangyang and I had a conversation as he volunteered to take me home since it's already late. I'm still staring at my phone where I take a selfie with Shiro at the mall along with the lovely denim jacket I gave her.
Yangyang is quietly maneuvering the car, "Hey, what do you think about Shiro?" I surprisingly asked him.
"She's fine," he answered quickly to me and I chuckled a bit as I leaned myself on the chair while touching the seat belt.
"I remember when we were in elementary, the way you stood up for me... Shiro reminds me of you earlier and It makes me happy that I have friends like you... I just did not know what to do these days, that's why I get shy asking you for help," I calmly said to him and looked out the window.
"Huh... I am worried honestly but you know me I have a strong instinct about things... it's just you know, I denied to myself once that I trust her but I wasn't wrong anyway. I'm kind of relieved." He seriously said to me.
"I've thought she will bluntly say I TOLD YOU SO but it was different, and an indirect one, or maybe she is not aware that she loves me already isn't it?" I responded and I heard him crack up a bit.
"She's surely fed up because you know, you are important now to her and she is undeniably part of our circle..." he said.
After the words that he said I began to smile like crazy; as if Shiro is my new crush or what. I am fond of her and I was not wrong in choosing her as my friend and the fact my friends are changing towards her plus trusting her more makes my broken heart mend little by little.
I quickly get my phone and start to type my message.
"Shiro thank you... for being my friend," I chatted with her. She had seen it immediately and responded with a simple sticker.
"No problem!" she insisted.
I smile before I close my eyes and think all about what just happened today and for tomorrow I will face but this time, I am not afraid anymore because I know that I have them, and having Shiro beside me makes me stronger than I have been before.
This situation hurts me so much, but at least I have you all.