Lawn Boy

Things with Asher were undoubtedly a mess. They didn’t go very well. That’s why I didn’t let you in on the situation. I couldn’t let you bare to see it. But I’ll give you a summary.
Basically, Asher rightfully wanted to know what was up with me and why I was ignoring him. I couldn’t tell him that I was staying away from him because of Shane. What if he got mad at Shane and then never spoke to him again? Then Shane would be pissed and never speak to me again. So, I told him that I couldn’t see him at school anymore. I told him that anytime outside of school was fine, but during school, I needed to be by myself.
Of course he wanted to know why and of course I couldn’t tell him. He was nearly yelling in class and I had to shut him up because I could tell that Mr. Perkins was getting annoyed. He wasn’t lecturing, but he we were supposed to be working silently on our journals.
It was also a good thing that both of the other people in our group were absent. That would be a guy named Kelly and a girl named Charlie—funny huh? Anyway, if either of them were there, they would’ve guess what was going on between us. Then again, if they were there, Asher might not have asked me. But I’m sure he would’ve asked me eventually.
By the end of our little conversation, Asher was pretty pissed off and couldn’t even look at me. I hope he doesn’t break up with me. I don’t think I could handle that at this point. I just need to hold out as long as I can. Hopefully, Shane will come around and things will get back to normal—if there’s even such a thing.
Ashley had cheerleading tryouts that afternoon and Jack had training. So I went home alone that day. When I got home, Jamie was there trimming in the bushes in front of the house. Apparently my mom asked him and he was happy to comply. He said hello to me as I past him, but I didn’t pay any attention. I just walked right past him and into the house. He followed me, though.
“What’s up with you?” he asked.
“What’re you talking about?” I asked.
“I know that things with us are kind of shaky, but that doesn’t mean you have to be rude.”
“Right, sorry about that. I’m just not in a very good mood.”
“Did something happen?”
“I guess you could say that.”
“You wanna talk about it?”
“Not with you,” I answered bluntly.
“What’s up with you? I don’t deserve this attitude. I’m just trying to help.”
I walked to the living room. He followed me again. I sat down on the couch. He sat down next to me. We were in the spot where we kissed. I noticed that right away.
“Sorry,” I let out with a sigh. “I’m just really emotionally exhausted. Things like this never happened to me in LA.”
“So what makes Bend so different?”
“I don’t know.”
“Max, I’m asking as just a friend,” said Jamie. “There’s no agenda, here.”
I looked at him and then out to the back yard. I looked back at him and he pressed his lips into a friendly smile.
“It’s Asher,” I finally said.
“I knew it.”
“Okay, well…my cousin Shane is his best friend and Shane doesn’t like the fact that he and I are together.”
“That’s not good.”
“No,” I said.
“Well, fuck your cousin. If you really like Asher then you should be with him.”
“Really?”
“Well…I would’ve liked you to myself, but…”
“Jamie…”
“Okay, okay…” He smiled and I remembered why I was so drawn to him. He’s beauty is simple, yet so damn complicated. I still haven’t really figured out Mr. Jamie Bly.
I smiled back at him and I felt that spark between us that I haven’t felt since our kiss in this exact spot. Sure we were switched around on different sides of the couch, but it’s the same couch and the same house and even the same time of day.
“You feel it, too. Don’t you?” he asked.
“Feel what?” I asked, staring into his eyes.
“Well, it’s starts with a twitch in your crotch area,” he scooted closer, never loosing eye contact. “Then, the twitch turns into a tingle and moves up to your stomach.” He put his hand gently on my knee. “Then your heart starts to beat really fast and you feel like there’s a lump in your throat the size of Texas.”
“Yeah,” I said, looking into those ocean blue eyes. “I feel it, too.”
“I don’t know how you can’t. This thing between us, Max, is unavoidable.”
He started leaning in towards me like he was gonna kiss me, but I stopped him. “Wait.”
“What?”
“I’m with Asher.”
“But you just said—“
“I said that my cousin doesn’t like us being together. That doesn’t mean that we’re not together still.”
“You obviously don’t love him as much as you say you do, or else you wouldn’t feel what you feel for me.”
“What I feel for you is lust, Jamie. You make me nervous because you’re extremely beautiful.”
“So, what exactly is it that you feel for Asher? Is it love?”
“I—I don’t know. I just know that he really means something to me.”
“I don’t mean anything to you?”
“I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant that I barely know you.”
“So if you got to know me, would your feelings for Asher change?”
He was making my head hurt. “Stop asking me all these questions!”
“They’re simple questions, Max.”
“Aren’t you with my sister anyway?”
“No, why would you say that?”
“Because you’ve been on more than one date with her and you even bought her a bracelet.”
“Because she saw it in the window and liked it. Look, Max, I like your sister, but she’s just a friend. It’s you that I want?” He put his arm around me.
“Does she know that?”
“No”
“Why not?”
“Well, have you told her what’s happened between us?”
“No, because it was just one kiss.”
“But it was a really hot and sexy kiss.”
“Yeah, it was.” I agreed. I couldn’t deny that.
“Fine, I’ll tell her tonight.”
“No! She really likes you, Jamie. She thinks you’re like her boyfriend or something. She’ll never forgive me and probably out me to my family.”
“So, is that so bad?”
“Are you out to your family?”
“No but—“
“Don’t tell Rebecca.”
“Fine, but I want you, Max and I’m not gonna stop until I get you.”
“What does that mean?”
“Just what I said—that’s what it means.”
Jamie got up and went outside to finish trimming the bushes. I let out a big sigh of relief. I don’t want to cheat on Ash, but I have this ugly feeling that it’s only a matter of time. I’m just glad that it wasn’t today.