✧

Since her date with Asher, the two had been spending an incredible amount of time together not wanting to leave each other's side. Even when Spencer had asked Evelyn if she'd help him pass out tickets for Coop to perform at some roller rink, she of course said yes. But, only if she could bring Asher along with her.

"We're late," she giggled, pulling away from the kiss.

"Come on," he groaned, pressing his face against her neck, lightly brushing his lips against it in a teasing manner. "What's 5 more minutes?"

"Asher I'm not gonna keep making out with you in your car," she chuckled. "We're basically in front of Spencer's house."

He held his hands up defensively. "Fine, fine. If you insist. Let's go."

The two walked up to the house, Asher slightly annoyed that he was being dragged their instead of spending time with Evelyn and knocked on the door.

Olivia opened the door sending the two warm smiles. "Hey."

"Hey, Liv," Evelyn said, bringing her friend in for a hug and stepping into the house. "Ricky? What are you doing here?"

"I was with Jordan," Enrique answered, shrugging his shoulders. "You stole our other half so we've been hanging out more."

"Alright, the squad's all here," Spencer said. "We appreciate y'all."

"Yeah, no problem," Asher said, wrapping his arm around Evelyn's waist. "What's the plan?"

"Divide and conquer," Kia answered.

"So, you and Evie are a thing now, right?" Dillon asked Asher. "Like, forreal, forreal?"

Asher looked down at the girl. "Um..."

Evelyn spoke up. "We haven't really put a label on anything."

"We haven't put a label on anything, yet," he corrected. "But, we will."

"Well, you better treat her right because as soon as I turn 18, she'll be the first person I call. I already got one guy out of the way," Dillon grinned, pointing over at a frowning Jordan. "I will happily make it two."

"You know you're gonna have a fight on your hands, though," Asher teased. "Not letting my girl slip away that easily."

"Ooh, sorry, to break it to the both of you. But, Olivia Baker has the key to my heart," Evelyn giggled, grabbing her friend's hand. "Come on, let's go pass out tickets!"

☆☆☆

Liv hummed lightly as she swung their hands back and forth. "You and Asher seem to be doing good."

"Yeah," she grinned. "He hasn't left my side in like three days."

"I know," she said. "You missed our appointment at the rehab center with Layla. She was really looking forward to seeing you, Evie."

"I wish I had a better excuse but, I don't," Evelyn mumbled. "I'm just not ready to see her. That's all. I'll talk to her another day...I just couldn't. Sorry."

"Don't worry about it. I don't know what exactly went down to make you so upset. But, clearly, it was something big. So, talk to her when you're ready," Liv sighed, squeezing her friend's hand. "Um, Spencer just texted, said that they're meeting at some frozen yogurt place. Come on."

Evelyn happily skipped over to the frozen yogurt shop, seeing Asher brought a smile to her face as they crowded by one of the machines making googly eyes as Enrique would say.

"You're so pretty," Asher cooed.

"You're not too bad yourself," she blushed, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"And you two are gross," Dillon interrupted, as he walked up to the two. "You're standing in front of my favorite flavor."

Asher lightly pushed Evelyn away from the machine, giving Dillon a mock salute. "You heard the boss."

"Hey, I'm paying for everyone," Spencer announced, approaching the woman at the register.

Dillon moved his attention off of the frozen yogurt and approached Spencer. "So, you're big-time now?"

"What? Nah," Spencer said. "Just taking care of everybody for looking out today."

Evelyn widened her eyes at the scene, stabbing her spoon into the cup of yogurt as she watched the mini argument forming between the two brothers. The argument somewhat getting heated as Spencer raised his voice at the young boy until Enrique stepped in, telling him to calm down. As Dillon tried to walk away, Spencer attempted to pull him back, and he dropped his frozen yogurt on the ground. Spencer quickly scrambled to clean the mess up.

"You know what?" the owner told him. "Just leave it. It's fine."

Spencer held a hand up quick to apologize. "No, it's all good. My apologies. I got this."

"Actually, I think it's time for all of you to leave," she weakly chuckled.

"What?" Liv questioned. "We just got here."

The owner looked around as she stared at the teens. "Well, as the owner. I reserve the right to dismiss from the premises. So..."

"What?" Spencer questioned. "We're paying customers. I told my brother I was gonna buy him fro-yo. So, I'ma buy him fro-yo."

She motioned her hands toward the group. "Just please go, I don't want any problems with you...people."

"Us, people?" Kia crossed her arms. "You mean the black people in the neighborhood you just moved into?"

Spencer made a comment telling them to leave as they all stood in shock at her comment towards them. Dillon sat beside his brother as the rest of the group basically crowded around them watching as he ate his frozen yogurt.

They attempted to leave as Dillon made a comment telling them he wanted to go home. As they got up to walk away they saw a police car approaching them.

The white police officer being the first one to stop them. "We need to see some I.D."

"May I ask why?" Spencer said.

"According to the owner of Bunch-o's, a person fitting your description was loitering and causing disorderly conduct," the other officer, who just so happened to be black informed him.

"Loitering?" he questioned.

Kia stepped in telling him to not answer their questions. The officers began talking to him, indirectly accusing him of being in a gang. While the others stood slightly behind watching the events unfold, Evelyn who hadn't said a word since the police came, gripped tightly onto her brother's arm watching as Asher stepped forward to intervene.

The white officer places his hand on his gun, watching as he does this, Dillon ran forward scared for his brother. Spencer pushed his brother behind his back, standing in front of him and holding his arm out.

"Don't run, you hear me. Don't ever run," Spencer said, pressing his forehead against his brother's. "Come on let's go."

The black officer stepped forward. "No one's leaving till you finish answering our questions."

"Your partner almost pulled a gun us!" Spencer said.

The same officer raised his voice stopping them from leaving. "We either finish this here, or we take this to the police station."

Spencer gave in, not wanting anything to happen. He and Kia ended up sitting on the curb to deal with the cops as the rest stayed back watching the scene unfold in front of them and knowing that there was literally nothing they could do to stop it.

☆☆☆

"Why did Enrique leave?"

Despite the hectic and slightly traumatizing day that happened. Everyone had still pulled up to Bella Noche for Coop's show.

"Um, today kind of brought up some stuff that he thought he'd never have to deal with again. So he went home," Evelyn said, looking down as she laced up her roller skates. "The both of us actually."

Asher quickly shook his head. "You don't have to tell me anything."

"No it's fine," she sighed, leaning her head against his shoulder. "Um, one day when Ricky and I were walking back from school. I think we were maybe, 12? Uh, my dad had just changed the gate code and me and Ricky were struggling as we kept punching in the pin. Two police cars pulled up and they asked what we were doing and we told them we were trying to get inside the house. They didn't believe us...they were white and saw two little Mexican kids standing in front of a mansion attempting to punch in a code. They made us lay on the floor...and we were in tears with our faces down on the floor. My dad had a break for a couple of days from the football season and we were lucky that he came home and...he told them that we were his kids and we lived there. So, they left. But, we were traumatized. I mean, 12 years old and being told to lay face down on the ground by a bunch of grown men who were carrying guns...it was scary."

"Wow..." he breathed out, rubbing her back as she told him the story. "Enrique never told us...I'm so sorry."

"Yeah, we didn't tell anyone. I think it affected him more than me. So, that's probably why," she said. "But, I don't want to think about that right now. Can we just skate?"

"I've never skated a day in my life. So, if I fall on my ass, don't laugh. Got it?" he laughed, grabbing her hand as they approached the rink.

"Well, you're a natural," she teased, as they did a couple of laps.

"Yup. A natural," he nodded uneasily as he became unsteady on his feet quickly reaching for the belt loop on her jeans and pulling her down with him. "Ow!"

"Damn it, Asher!" she groaned, placing a hand on his chest and lifting her head up from their position on the floor. "I bruise easily! And you ripped my belt loop!"

"I'm sorry!" he winced.

"Oh, God!" Jordan laughed obnoxiously, as he skated up to the two. "I just watched that whole thing go down!"

Evelyn held her hand out, rolling her eyes at him. "A little help?"

"I'm sorry!" Jordan laughed, as he grabbed her hand and helped her onto her feet. "It all happened so fast. Asher was all like...and then you two...BAM!"

"Shut up, man," Asher grumbled.

"We're gonna go do stuff in that corner," Evelyn wiggled her eyebrows, grabbing Asher's hand and dragging him away from Jordan. "Have fun with your dad!"

"Are you sure you're okay?" Asher asked, resting his hands on her hips.

"For now," she chuckled. "I'll probably have some bruises but it was kind of funny."

Asher lightly squeezed her hip. "So, I know, this probably isn't the best day or...maybe even the right time. But, I was wondering if you'd be my girlfriend? You know, like officially?"

Her arms wrapped around his neck and she gave him a bashful grin. "Of course, I will be your girlfriend, Asher. Now, kiss me!"

2x09