*Ophelia*I am such a hothead. Sometimes, I forget just how different our worlds are and the various ways we’re relied on. He just made me so ANGRY. Asher has expectations he has to live up to, but saying what he did? It hurt me. And I wanted him to hurt, too.But the phone call, while explosive, also revealed my heart still isn’t over Asher. It’s so nonsensical to be into a guy who clearly doesn’t want to continue this relationship, but I’ve learned that when it comes to Asher, my heart never makes any rational sense.Jake has never been an option. I see him as a musician and a person, but I’ve never looked at him and imagined a future. He’s a great and talented person, but no romantic feelings have blossomed in the few years I’ve known him. Why doesn’t Asher believe me?It’s always been important to me to be upfront and candid with other individuals. Even when we were essentially strangers, I told Asher about my mom, something I don’t trust others to know. Camila was the except
*Asher*I haven’t heard from Ophelia in days. I want to allow her time to cool off and talk to me when she’s ready. But here I am, struggling to get through every day while she’s gone.Mark’s been trying to talk with me since that first day in the changing room, but nothing has come of it. I don’t want to deal with this without talking to Ophelia. Mark is my best friend, but he doesn’t get it. He’s never understood the pressure, even if he claims to.My sleep has been essentially non-existent, making focusing on the game impossible. Coach continues to scream at my mistakes and attitude. I give him nothing back—no words, no thoughts, no insults. “Slater, if you don’t figure out your bullshit by Sunday’s game, we’re going to have a real problem!” he barks in the locker room. The other players stay silent, too, but I watch them exchange worried glances.I only nod to Coach, not wanting to dig myself into a deeper shit hole. But what does everyone expect from me? I’m a human being, a
*Asher*I park my car in the driveway and sit back, listening as the noise around me fades. I’m exhausted, and the only thing on my mind is taking a hot shower and smothering myself with a pillow.My muscles are sore from the practices and today’s game. I haven’t even answered AJ’s messages since I departed from the stadium. I can’t get into it with him right now. I can’t imagine he understands the nuisances I’m struggling with. Groaning, I finally gather myself to get out of the car, slamming it closed as I lock it and walk up to the front door.Something else feels off. I glance around me to pinpoint the gnawing sense in my brain, but the surrounding area was as I left it. I shake my head. God, I’m genuinely losing it.I put my key in the lock, but the door’s already open. What the hell? I know I locked it when I left.I slowly pushed the door open, peering around the corner to avoid colliding with the burglar. But it’s not a burglar. The alarms in my head that were going off
*Ophelia*From the moment I touch down in L.A., everything becomes a blur. Mac Daddy has set up what feels like a million meetings with different producers, record labels, and other famous individuals who all want to help me and work to build on the momentum of the newfound fame I’ve achieved. It’s strange to hear people want to capitalize on my voice, mostly because these producers and such know me from Asher, or the stunt I pulled at Camila’s big show.I feel like a different version of myself, the grown-up one I didn’t expect to ever meet. But even though I feel this way, everything still makes me feel like my life isn’t my own.In our third meeting, after I talk about what I’m looking for, the men continue talking as though I’m not truly there. So, I aggressively put down the Starbucks cup to garner the attention of the room. “I don’t think you heard me. I said I want to be known for my own talent?”One of the producers nods his head, turning to look at my manager. “The idea
*Ophelia*I don’t answer any calls from Mac Daddy until I’m in a taxi.“I’ve been trying to get a hold of you all morning. Where have you been?” he snaps.“Busy,” I deadpan. “I’m going to Little Rock.”I’m sure if he were standing before me, I’d watch my manager’s jaw hang down to his feet. I’d thought long and hard about what to do since my last call with Mac Daddy yesterday. I'd been sitting in my hotel room, repeatedly reviewing our phone call in my head.And then, just like always, Asher’s face appeared. I hadn’t heard from him in a week, and I did as Mark asked, I gave him space. But I thought Asher would have finally called me by now. I thought maybe, just maybe, we could talk things out over the phone.I saw he lost his game over the weekend, and it was just another reason I wanted to call him. But I didn’t. I left him alone.And now I can’t do it anymore.“What the hell are you going to Little Rock for?”“Asher Slater,” I confirm.“You’re choosing the playboy quarterb
*Asher*She’s a wreck as she stands in front of my door. However, seeing her beautiful face and body, and yes, even the tears wretches in my heart. I can’t believe she’s here. Why is she standing at my front door, distressed?Instead of answering me, she shows me some pictures online. I stare at the phone, confused at what I’m seeing. It’s me and Courtney? It’s from over a year ago, and I reach out and take her phone. She crosses her arms and blurts out, “Why the hell didn’t you call me back?”“What?” I look at her like she asked me where babies come from. I’m still trying to get it through my head how she’s in Little Rock. Millions of questions fly through my brain, but I can’t settle on one. All this silence, and here she is, looking right at me with tear-stained cheeks.She huffs. “I gave you space like Mark asked. It was fucking torture, but I did it because I understood how important it was that you needed to work things out on your own. But you never called me back and—”“Ma
*Ophelia*We spend the night rediscovering one another, moments of sleep intermixed with sex, tumbling through the sheets with one another as we laugh into each other’s bodies. It’s a blur of ecstasy, moments of clarity pinpointed when I’m falling over the edge that Asher has evoked. His strength, his heart, and his body are all overtaking him. It’s a loving blur, and I wake in the morning with stiff muscles, having done more with my body in the past twenty-four hours than just serving food.It’s nice to wake up with Asher next to me, softly breathing as he gives me a soft smile. I cuddle closer, not wanting any space to sit between us as we lie together on his king-sized bed.We’re quiet for a while, but I don’t mind it. I just want to enjoy this moment, and I am. It’s so calming after the heavy storms we’ve been through recently.“I told you last night, but I mean it. I want this, Ophelia,” he whispers as he runs his fingers down my arm. “I know things started rocky, I know the
*Ophelia*Asher’s home less than an hour later, walking through to the living room with sheer annoyance on his face. “What a waste of time. She’s fine; I don’t know why they bothered calling me.”I shrug. “Maybe Courtney was afraid of something being wrong.”He sighs, plopping down next to me on the couch. “Well, I’m back now.” He looks over at his television, turned onto a sports channel. “What are we watching?”I sigh. “Bullshit. Just passing the time while waiting for you.”Asher kisses the side of my head. “That’s sweet. Any way I can make tonight up to you?”“There’s nothing to make up,” I insist, nudging his ribs. “Courtney needed you.”The thing I don’t say, however, is that I’m still skeptical of how tonight’s events played out. I don’t want to sit around accusing people at all costs. I WANT to trust Asher when it comes to all of this. We’ve battled enough since the start. I know after this brief separation that I want him in my life, and I’m willing to put in all the wo