CHAPTER XXIV

BROOKE'S P.O.V

It was exhausting day and Diner had more customers than usual. I was on the verge of passing out when Asher came inside.

He waved at me from the corner and took a seat there.

"OH! Handsome hunk is here." Mary wiggled her eyebrows while eyeing Ash.

"Yeah!" I was suddenly jolted back into reality.

It was the time when he wanted to talk. I had no clue what he wanted to talk about.

"Ummm... how much time has left?" I asked her.

"You can go. I'll take care of it now. Don't want to make him stand there now, do we?"

"He is sitting." I deadpanned but she glared at me.

"If you're not interested please introduce me." she smiled sweetly at me and I flipped her off. I took off my apron.

"Where to?" I asked Ash.

"Let's go somewhere." He took my hand and walked out.

Soon we were in an abandoned park with pizza boxes in our laps.

After some time of silence he turned towards me.

"Actually, I..."

He was nervous and so was I.

"Ash, what's wrong?"

"I remember everything that I told you last night."

I took a deep breath.

"Brooke, I know I'm stupid and you deserve someone better but I just had to tell you that. I don't know how you entered my heart but I can't help but feel like this. I like you really like you. Even though I'm not good."

"What if I don't want better?" I squeaked.

"IT's okay.... I..." then his eyes went wide and he looked at me.

"Ummm... that means... you..." he stuttered.

"I think I like you too, Ash."

He opened and closed his mouth trying to form words but no word came out.

After a minute he just gave up and pulled me on his lap, pressing his lips on mine.

I was shocked and it took me few seconds to respond back. But when I did it felt like heaven.

It wasn't our first kiss but this time it was filled with passion. Asher just confessed his feelings and was kissing me.

Our lips moved in sync. After few seconds, we pulled back. He rested his head against my forehead.

A small smile graced our lips.
"Wow. You don't know how much I wanted to do that." he sighed and kissed me again.

"It's beautiful." I breathed out.

"I'm handsome." He chuckled and flicked my nose playfully.

"Shut up." He threw his head backwards while laughing.

"So Brooklyn, would you go on a date with me?"

"If you are going to call me that, then no." I crossed my hands over my chest but he pulled me closer with his hands resting on my hips.

"Go with me, please?" he pouted. Small chuckled left my mouth, I nodded.

"Yes! I was scared that you would reject Me." he laughed out loud.

"Idiot." I mumbled.

"I was....." but sound of my phone ringing stopped him. I pulled out my phone and was surprised to see it was Nathan. Ash frowned and asked me to answer.

"Brooke!" his voice came out more frantic.

"What happened?"

"Do you know where Allie is? I can't find her. I even went to your house but she wasn't there and now I'm so worried..."

"No! I don't know anything. You were supposed to pick her up from library, right?"

"Yeah! But we..."

"What? Nate, you are scaring me."

"We had a fight." He blurted out and my eyes went wide.

"You had a fight? Are you kidding me? Are..."

"It was my entire fault. I didn't even listen her and now I can't find her." his voice came out as if he was on a verge of crying.

"Where are you? We are coming."

He gave me an address. Soon we met Nathan. He was pacing frantically and was dialing Allie's number constantly.

"She is not answering." He threw his phone away. I was worried and scared for her. She never did well under pressure or stress.

"What happened between you two?" Ash asked him.

"I was an Ass. I saw her talking to a guy and it looked like he was trying to force her into doing something. So I went and hit him. I asked her about him but she didn't answer so I just lost my mind and.... But if something was wrong, she would have told me right? I acted on impulse."

His head fell in his hands.

"We need to find her." I fumbled with my phone. I was about to call Max knowing maybe she contacted him but before that Caleb came into my mind. Maybe Allie was with him. I called Caleb.

After few rings, he answered,

"Brooke..."

"DO you know where Allie is?" I asked in jiffy.

"Yeah! I was about to call you. She is at my house actually she is sleeping. She looked really stressed but didn't tell me anything."

"Okay. We'll be there." I cut the call and turned around to find Nate and Ash looking at me with hope.

"Caleb. Let's go to Caleb's place. She is there."

Nathan frowned but went to car. We reached Caleb's place in 15 minutes. He answered the door and let out a small sigh.

"She is upstairs." He told to very impatient looking Nathan.

Without wasting a second, he ran upstairs to find her followed by all of us. But when we reached there, we found her sleeping peacefully. Her eyelashes were wet but other than that she was sleeping.

Nathan looked real heartbroken as he softly caressed her cheek.

"I was an idiot." He mumbled.

"Where did you find her?" Ash asked Caleb.

"She called me and she was crying. So I brought her home. I asked her but she just told me about the fight you had. Then she slept so I brought her here." Caleb explained.

"Did she tell you who was the guy?" I asked him but he shook his head.

"No. I didn't."

"Okay." I rubbed my eyes. Ash put his hand around my waist and pulled me closer.

"You okay?"

"I have a bad feeling about this." I mumbled but he just rubbed my back softly trying to comfort me.

"Everything will be alright." He said quietly watching Nathan who was looking at Allie with a sad look.

But his words didn't work. I was scared for her, for us. I didn't know what she was hiding from us but I had to know that. I had to.