Under the City Lights

Bridger's POV

Asher's been acting... strange lately.

Stranger that usual, I mean.

He hasn't been coming over to bother me every day like he normally does and Abby won't tell me anything about what's up with him, even though I'm sure she knows. Those two tell each other everything.

You'd think that Asher wouldn't be able to keep a secret to save his live, because he's so hyper and spirited all the time, but when he wants to, he can be like Fort Knox. But with information, not gold.

It gets really annoying sometimes. Especially since this secret obviously has something to do with me.

I was currently sitting in my room, bored as hell. My mom and stepdad were still on their "second honeymoon". My stepdad isn't home much because of his job and I guess they wanted some more "alone time" or something, because my stepdad somehow got 3 months off so that he could spend the whole summer with my mom. So, they went off on a second honeymoon and left me here so I could learn to be independent or some shit before I went to college. They didn't even get return tickets, so there's no way to know when they're coming home. They sent postcards twice a week and I wrote them back at least once a week, just so they know I'm not dead or anything. Apparently there's terrible cell reception in the Maldives. I was almost 18 anyways, so it's not as if I can't take care of myself.

But with them gone, Callum, Asher and Abby are the only people around to keep me from absolute and total boredom. And with Asher and Abby being all secretive and Callum not able to talk all the time, I'd gotten really bored.

The most excitement I've had today is discovering that the color of my ceiling is almost the same color as the skin on the back of my hand.

Yeah, my life is that exciting.

The doorbell rang, and I jumped about 30 feet into the air and fell off of my bed. After I picked myself up off of the ground, I ran down the stairs, taking two at a time, eager to finally have something to distract me from my boredom.

"Abby?" I said, slightly confused, as she'd come alone. "Where's Asher?"

"He's running some errands."

"Asher? Running errands? If you're gonna make up a lie, at least make it believable. I have known him his whole life, you know."

"Well, really, what he's doing could be classified as an errand." she said.

"Is this something to do with what you two have been so secretive about all week?"

"Maybe." Abby said, dragging out the a. "But that's all I'm going to say, so don't even try to weasel anything else out of me. Besides, when Asher gets home, the secret will be revealed. So calm yourself."

I sat down on the arm of our sofa and pouted.

Something about surprises and secrets just turns me into a two year old. I throw fits, and pout, and demand answers from anyone who knows what's going on, not that I ever get any. I just hate the waiting and the expectation and the not knowing.

"Aw, poor Bridger." Abby said. "That's why I'm here. I'm to keep you entertained while Asher is away."

"And how do you propose to do that?"

"We could always play video games?"

"This is true. Do you promise to be a little more of a challenge than Asher?"

"I won't go easy on you, don't worry."

---------------------------------------------------
"No, no, no!" I said, pressing buttons wildly, resorting to the "Asher technique" as Abby's character killed mine one last time, winning the round.

"Haha, suck on that!"

"Okay, I'm officially never playing Halo with you again. You're too good and it does the male ego great harm to lose to a girl."

"All right, we'll hold off on the Halo. Besides, I think Asher should be back soon."

"Really?" I said, getting excited. "What is he bringing me? Something awesome?"

"How do you know he's bringing you something?" she asked.

"Well, errands generally mean shopping or picking something up. No one comes home from running errands empty handed."

"Well, of course I brought you something back." a voice said from the doorway. "Can't disappoint."

"Asher!" I said, running over to him and bouncing around like a puppy. "What did you bring me?"

"Go downstairs." Asher said.

"You couldn't just bring it up here?"

"But, Bridgey! That would kill the suspense!" Asher said, laughing at my desperation. "Besides, it's a little big for me to carry up stairs."

I rand down the stairs, eager to see what was waiting for me.

My jaw dropped when I saw what Asher had brought.

Yeah. Definitely too big for him to carry upstairs...