'I used to ride around

I didn't wanna settle down

But now I wake each day

Lookin' for a way that I can see your face.'

*ASHER'S POV*

December 9, 2016.

"She'll come." I nodded, my attention flickering from the glare of the palette clock on the wall to the Queen of Hearts' squinting eyes.

"You've been repeating that for almost a month now, Mr. Rohan."

Yeah, that was what the little voice in the back of my head was telling me too, its echo almost as nagging as the art teacher's threatening tone.

"Her quota of nonattendance has been reached. If she doesn't show up in the next ten seconds, then—"

She didn't get to finish her death warrant when three knocks resonated against the open door, so perfectly on time I had to pinch myself, the peachy figure standing there still having the same effect on me as the first time I'd seen her.

"Hi, I'm sorry. I hope I'm not too late?"

Fuck, no, actually, my grin was even hungrier now that I knew those rolling lips tasted sweeter than they looked. My mind was running wilder as the fantasies forming there mixed with flashbacks of those soft curves under my hands, and now that I'd had a glimpse of what those dark doe eyes were hiding, it wasn't only the world that stopped when they met mine for a split second. Before Althea turned to Mrs. Hearts and whatever the evil queen was saying.

I didn't hear her pestering voice anymore, nor any whisper of doubt when Althea walked to a seat on the opposite side of the room, and I joined her, sliding smoothly onto the seat next to her, though still making her jump.

"Hey, glad to see you back here." My hands reached for the folder she was about to drop, her sweet fruity perfume already invading my nose. "Those past weeks have been hell without you, and I'm not only—"

"I'm only here because I don't want the art club to be canceled now that I've put it in my college applications. Nothing else." She quickly tightened her grip on the piece of green cardboard, trying to pull it away while I tugged back for the sake of it—and to bring her a micro-inch closer.

"So you got my messages finally?" Meaning she hadn't blocked my number.

That was hope enough for me to keep my smirk when Mrs. Hearts appeared in front of us, and I released my grip on the folder.

"You better be ready to work hard and catch up on the time you've missed, Miss Vesper, because I have an important task for you, and for Mr. Rohan too." The old woman barely threw me a glance, clearly as fed up with those Friday lunch breaks alone with me as I was.

"After some great negotiation with the dance committee, I obtained that some of your artworks get displayed as part of the decoration for one of their upcoming events. It will be an important project, which you can feature in your college applications."

"Really?" Althea's peachy lips stretched into a smile, the first smile I witnessed in a month, and Mamma Mia, what a smile. It was beaming with that spark of creativity she always had when it came to her passion, so bright that it even reflected on Mrs. Hearts' usually gloomy features.

Wait, was the old witch grinning too?

"Yes, and it will also give exposure to the art club, and hopefully attract new members, so I'm counting on you."

That was why the Queen of Hearts was in a cheerful mood. Everyone was getting something out of this, except me.

Unless...

"You have one week to prepare the—"

"One week? You mean it's for the Winter dance next weekend?"

"Yes, Mr. Rohan, it was what I was about to say, if you could be patient for once."

No, I couldn't. My patience had been wearing thin for more than a month, and right now, my thoughts were already spinning too fast, the thuds of my heart quickly following.

That was my perfect opportunity. Not to show my drawing skills, which apparently were too 'abstract' for this project, as Mrs. Hearts subtly mentioned, announcing I would have to use a different 'medium of art' like photography. But my opportunity to win Althea back.

After all, those dances were all about that romantic shit, weren't they?

Just this morning, Christina had been telling me how important it was to have a date, rambling about wearing opposite colors or something like that.

So my outfit would be matching that luscious peachy shade Althea was sucking eagerly between her teeth as the teacher explained we had free rein for the subject, and she could use some drawings she'd already made.

Yeah, that night would be a success. I could picture it all: her dark eyes shining with as many colors as the sketches in the folder she opened, my arms wrapping around her dizzying silhouette, and...

Like Mrs. Hearts concluded, "I'll leave the rest to your imagination."

You could say mine was wilder than ever as the teacher headed towards the storeroom.

"I have an idea." I leaned over Althea's shoulder, trying to catch her gaze, which was carefully focused on the sheets of paper her fingers were flipping. At least, until I added, "How about we go together to the dance?"

"I've already told you I don't want to be your girlfriend." She snapped her head so fast towards me that I could almost taste her annoyed sigh from how close she was, though she was even quicker to pull away. "Go find another girl. I'm sure you have plenty of other options waiting in line."

"I don't want another girl!" The words fired out of my lips with enough strength to make her eyelashes flutter, and still, it was nothing in comparison with what was rumbling inside my ribcage. "I want you. I—" Slow down, Ash.

I could hear my brother's voice like a little angel on my shoulder.

'You're gonna scare her away for good if you keep going.' 'Remember you have a player reputation, so you'll have to prove to her that you've changed.' 'Actions are more meaningful than words.'

The last sentence wasn't from him, though. It was from the two college chicks I'd been meaning to fuck at one of his frat parties, and I didn't know what was the most pitiful: the fact I'd asked my brother for relationship advice when he was crushing like a lost puppy on his 'friend' Kylie, or how I'd gone out in the hope of forgetting Althea and finding back my old ways, but all I'd ended up doing had been spilling my guts—figuratively, and then, literally since I'd got drunk, as if the alcohol could have cured my dry spell. News flash: it didn't work.

Now, three weeks later, I reached a new level of desperation during that endless second of silence, where her wide eyes flickered to the door and I raked my brain for something smoother to say.

"I can go as your art buddy. You know, to celebrate the task's success."—With a dance... a kiss... or more...

"How can you be so sure it will be a success?" She cocked an eyebrow as if her intense gaze could pierce through every sinful image crossing my mind, or at least, catch my stare at her plump lips.

"Because I know you're talented and hard-working, and I'm always right." And that would make us the hottest pair of the Winter dance. "You would see it too if you weren't too blinded by your fears."

"We're still talking about the art task, right?"

"Of course, what else? I was even thinking you should use the Cheshire dress you drew on the first class, and..." I let the corners of my mouth stretch into a sly grin as I leaned closer to her open folder, and coincidentally, to her too, my chest brushing her shoulder every time I moved a piece of paper.

To be honest, I could have picked any drawing because she was fucking talented, yet I took my sweet time, enjoying every piece of art and every hint of warmth of her tempting body so close until I found the sketch of a dress that caught my attention almost as much as each shallow rise and fall of her chest.

"This one."

"It's not even finished. I don't know what to do with the neckline." She pointed to the top of the dress, which I hadn't even noticed, too dazzled by the gradation of dark blue and purple ending with a line of vivid red, orange, and yellow that made the fabric as unique as a late sunset, one you could only see in one place.

"Why not something with a lotus flower?" My fingers reached over hers, guiding it to trace the petals on the paper—my best 'abstract' representation of it, at least—and if she couldn't see it, she definitely felt that spark igniting between our skins.

That past month without touching her hadn't dimmed the electricity between us, on the contrary. One mere brush with the tip of our fingers, and it was brighter than the whole city lights of Lotus Bay at night.

Mamma Mia, what would it be with other parts of our bodies?

It was burning me to find out when I turned to her hypnotizing eyes so close, and she made no move to pull away, her distant facade slowly melting down with every flicker of touch between our hands.

For a moment, I could even glimpse beyond. No fear, no walls of excuses, just my Peachy, me, that tug drawing me to her parting lips, and...

"Um, I almost forgot. The committee only has one request: The art has to be in black and white to go with their theme."

... And Mrs. Hearts.

The old witch waltzed in like a freezing shower on our kindling fire, and whatever daze we'd been in washed away as Althea quickly shook her head, whispering under her breath,

"See, you're wrong this time."

Were we still talking about the art task?

Despite her mumble about having a lot of work to do since she didn't have any drawings without color, when she closed her folder, it wasn't only the colorful sketch that slipped through my fingers, but also her soft skin, the images of us at the dance, and... my one chance to win her back.

I wouldn't let all of that go, though, and staring at the portfolio she put away, a flash of inspiration struck me.

Life imitated art. Wasn't it what they all said?

***

*ALTHEA'S POV*

December 17, 2016.

'Hey, I can't go to the dance tonight. I'm not feeling well.

Could you send me photos of the art exhibition?

Thanks

Althea.'

Staring at the text I'd just sent, I tried to silence the small voice of my conscience and repeated what I'd been telling myself every time I'd missed the art club in the previous month: I wasn't completely lying.

After all, my heart rate would be throbbing erratically the second I would cross a particular pair of jade eyes, and my stomach would twist with flutters at the sound of his smooth voice.

Even now, alone in the comfort of my bedroom, my chest was tightening as my fingers unconsciously slid out of the current chat and found their way back to another contact, hovering over the dozens and dozens of texts left unanswered that I almost knew by heart.

From the basic 'hey, whatcha doing?' to more elaborate paragraphs on why I should give him a chance, there hadn't been a day where Asher hadn't texted me since he'd asked me to be his girlfriend, and I'd run away.

Well, except today.

He'd surely understood it was a lost cause, and he was probably busy getting ready for the formal, smoothing the white tux that would highlight each of his assets from his slicked brown strands to his strong shoulders and lower down his tall figure... Or he was already creasing it with his date, seeing the time.

Thankfully, Troy's reply flashed on the screen before I could try to picture with whom he could be. Though it didn't prevent the clench in my guts, another symptom of the Asher-itis I was developing, and I wasn't sure Troy's well-wishes would help me cure it.

'Sure. I hope it's nothing serious?

Don't worry about the photos, we have plenty for the newspaper.

Here's one to make you feel a little better.'

The class representative was so nice, and it wasn't his fault if my heart stopped when I opened the picture of... my Cheshire dress' design.

"No, no, no, it's not possible." I blinked at my phone screen as if the colors could have vanished in between one of the furious flutters of my eyelashes.

Yet they only appeared brighter, like the panic invading me as I pulled out my portfolio and found the black and white drawings that I'd prepared in the past week and brought to the dance committee just yesterday.

I'd even double-checked each paper to make sure I hadn't forgotten one before delivering at the end of the lunch break with...

The vivid panic quickly turned to anger in a fierce shade of green, like Asher's twinkling eyes when he'd insisted on going with me to carry my bag and sweet-talk me into accompanying him to the dance.

I couldn't see anything else right now, not even the flashing red warning signs as I typed blindly on my phone.

'What did you do with my drawings?'

If I'd had any shadow of doubt that it was all his doing, it was cleared with his instant reply.

'Hello to you too 😏

Glad to hear from you again, Peachy.'

'Is it your scheme to make me come to the dance?'

As soon as my fingers clicked 'send', I realized my mistake in the choice of words, and I didn't even know why I read his next text.

'I don't know what you're talking about. I don't need any scheme to make you come... at the dance or anywhere else.'

This conversation wouldn't lead anywhere. He would never admit he'd exchanged my drawings, and even if he did, I still had to get the right sketches to the dance.

So I'd rather not waste more time. The sooner I would come—arrive there, the sooner I would leave because whatever plan he had wouldn't work.

I was only going for the art task, and to make it clear to him—and my fluttering heart—I didn't bother replying or even getting changed.

However, being so focused on putting out the sparkle in his jade eyes, I'd forgotten that the black and white requirement wasn't only for the decoration.

Until I reached the function room entrance, where everyone was dressed in achromatic shades, including Christina, who was wearing a skinny satin black dress under her crossed arms.

"As the committee president, I'm not letting you in with that... outfit."

A mere flicker of her gaze down her scrunched nose, and I was reminded how out of place I was in my electric blue sweatpants and hoodie.

"I'm just here to change the drawings displayed." I quickly lifted the portfolio in my hand to prove my words like a suspect in front of a police officer as she looked as imposing as a security guard at this instant, even from a few inches below me. "Because there was an... error."

An error named Asher, but there was no need to mention him when he was already underlying with the venom in her words as she seethed,

"Oh yeah, I noticed Miss 'I do everything differently to steal the attention'. Your 'error' ruined my aesthetics, and I won't let you steal—"

"The crowns! They've disappeared!" A strident voice interrupted her from somewhere down the hallway, and as her glare narrowed into accusatory daggers at me, I quickly justified,

"I just arrived. I have nothing to do with that."

Although the incident worked in my favor, as after a quick second of dilemma trying to decide what was more important and a warning for me to not move, Christina ran down the hallway, letting me sneak discreetly into the ballroom.

Well, as 'discreetly' as I could be in my bright blue outfit in the middle of all the white balloons and draperies hanging from the ceiling, the black tablecloths and Christmas trees, and also the immaculate tuxedos and the dark formal dresses.

Nevertheless, I wasn't the only piece of color in the room, and the drawings displayed on the white wall seemed to catch attention as people were taking selfies in front of them.

It surely had a lot to do with the lighting of the fairy lights around and the currently out-of-service photo booth on the opposite corner. Still, when I overheard two girls saying they would love to have a gown in the exact same shades as one of my designs for prom, my chest filled with the pride of a designer witnessing their first fashion show.

It was the first display of my creations, the ones I'd drawn freely, each sketch telling a story close to my heart, and in comparison, the simple charcoal silhouettes in my portfolio appeared so dull.

I didn't even try to open the folder in my hands actually, too awestruck in front of all the artworks on the wall because there were my drawings of course, but also Asher's black and white pictures, and although they seemed to be here only to highlight my designs, the simple photos were the ones catching my breath, especially the ones of a sunset on the Lotus Hill surrounding my Lotus dress sketch, as if the fabric had taken the colors straight from there.

He'd known my inspiration had come from our first date. It was why he'd instantly suggested a lotus flower shape for the neckline, and looking at the unique design, I could almost hear his smooth voice over my shoulder saying...

"See, I'm always right."

Between the loud thumps of the music around and my heart, it took me a second to realize it wasn't just another illusion of my astray mind, the shadow of his tall silhouette hovering over the photos in front of me clearing any remaining doubt.

"They look good, don't they?"

"But it isn't what the committee asked," I protested, not even sure why.

It was as if my defenses were rising in an instinct to hold myself together when his warm presence so close was quickly melting everything inside, including my reasonable arguments.

"Who said we have to do everything by the book? We can just be ourselves." He stopped behind me, a millimeter away from touching me, which my nerve endings were trying to cross, while I stayed unmoving, staring at the pictures before me.

"Are we still talking about the art task?"

He was so close I could sense the faint shake of his head before his open palm appeared in front of me, and he leaned down to whisper three little words in my ear.

"Dance with me."

"I can't in this outfit..." I replied, my voice growing thinner, like my resolve as my gaze flickered between my hoodie and his extended hand, and the electric blue fabric was outshone by an even brighter color around his wrist.

He was wearing the peach wristband I'd made for him, and it wasn't the only thing that was in this flashy shade.

"We don't have to do everything by the book," he repeated with a lopsided grin as I turned around, his held-out hand and casual stance not even wavering at my widening eyes.

Well, he already had a lot of large eyes on him, and he owned it. Just like he owned and flaunted his peach-colored suit, the orangey color fitting him better than I could have imagined, from his slicked brown strands to his strong shoulders, and the devious sparkle in his eyes as they met mine along the way.

In his whole appearance, the jade shades were the most striking as they traveled across my body, turning more and more ardent as if he was trying to burn down my outfit, though in a completely different way than...

"Christina will go crazy if she sees us breaking her aesthetics."

"Don't worry about her. She's too busy looking for her tiara right now."

"Wait, it's you who..." I stopped my gasp before bringing more attention to us, Asher's dimple already flashing too obviously with his answer.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Of course, and something told me he didn't know about the out-of-order photo booth either.

"You're trouble."

"And you're a goodie-two-shoes," he retorted playfully, his hand tugging mine as if to illustrate his opposites attract theory with the clash of orange and blue fabrics, or maybe just to prevent me from running away when he added, "That makes us a hot pair. Don't you think?"

I couldn't think at this instant. The little oxygen that seeped through my lungs was all pumped down to my weak legs with the urge to escape, although I couldn't go anywhere when his other hand snaked to my back, and he leaned his forehead on mine, leaving me trapped between his warm touch and the fiery look in his eyes.

"I know you're scared, and it's all new to you. Hell, it's new to me too. I've never stayed with a girl for more than a night, never wanted anything to do with relationships and all of that shit."

Was this supposed to reassure me?

Because strangely, the thumps of my heart were steadying, finding a rhythm between the gentle strokes of his thumb in my back and his blunt words.

"But I also know that I can't stay away from you, and I'll do everything to have you in my life—even hide the formal crowns in the men's bathroom," he whispered the last part, managing to tickle my lips ever so lightly.

"And if you don't want to be girlfriend and boyfriend, we don't have to. We can just go back to what we were before: going on dates, hanging out only us two... You can be my Peachy, and I'll be your friend... who really likes to kiss you."

It sounded so simple through his confident smile so close, a lot like the 'push out the tensions... pull in the air...' he'd invented on our first date.

In fact, nothing was much different from that night. He was still diving his clear gaze into mine, piercing through all the darkest parts of me; my breath was still hanging on everything that came out of his lips, and... he offered me to take another path to avoid the ghosts from my past, one that looked sinuous and slippery, yet I remembered too well the dazzling view we'd reached at the top of the Lotus Hill.

"What if you get bored of your Peachy? What if it doesn't work?" I murmured, my right hand sliding up to his neck as everything was starting to spin with something similar to vertigo: my head, my heart, and us too when he turned us around.

"You can never know if you never try, just like with your drawings." He nodded to the Lotus dress design behind him, like to give me a glimpse of what would be waiting beyond if I followed this path.

However, I wasn't looking at the sunset gradient. It was another infinite that pulled me in as I carefully lifted on my tiptoes, my gaze holding onto his like my only landmark until I felt the sparking touch of his velvety lips.

I still had no idea where I was going with this, but he was quick to take the lead as his mouth returned the kiss, taking my heart in a free fall.

There was no other way to describe the sensation gripping at my chest: dizzying, breathtaking, and as irresistible as gravity. Yet I didn't think one instant about a possible crash on the ground as his fingers grasped my hips firmly, and every caress of his lips was catching my breath, keeping me floating with this familiar taste of burning peppermint, which I would never admit how much I'd missed. Not that I had time to talk anyway.

His mouth barely broke away from mine to rasp an 'I'll never get bored of this' before he jumped on my lips again, sweeping me off my feet—figuratively and literally, as he lifted me in his arms, twirling me around in something surely too messy to be called a dance move. But it was just us: Peachy and her friend... who really liked to kiss her, and whom she really liked to kiss too.

Maybe it could work that way...

Author's note: And we all know the rest of the story... 😉

Now, I know you're eager to find out if they'll work in the present, and we'll find out soon... 🤫🤭

In the meantime, tell me all your thoughts on this chapter and what Asher did for Althea! Weren't they so adorable? 😍😍

And as always, if you like the story, don't forget to vote ⭐!

I love you my little Peaches and stay unique! 😘🧡✨