Chapter 5
Chapter 5:
I was surprised to see Ethan standing beside Asher, his dark brown eyes scrutinizing Sandra and me. He coughed loudly again, making it clear he was the one who had interrupted us earlier.
I rolled my eyes. “Ethan, relax. It’s not like I’m trying to steal your girlfriend or something p>
He simply smiled, flashing his sparkling white teeth. “Isla, even if you wanted to, it wouldn’t be possible, because she’s already mine p>
“Aww.” Sandra blushed, and I rolled my eyes again as the two of them leaned toward each other. I knew what was coming, so I looked away.
I heard the smooching of their lips, and for some reason, goosebumps prickled all over my skin. The raspy sounds felt uncomfortably close to listening to moans echoing from a porn video.
This should have been normal. Ethan and Sandra kissed around Asher and me all the time. But right now, with Asher’s body a couple of meters away from mine, every nerve in me silently begged them to stop.
“Hey guys, take a break,” Asher cut in, swinging his arm over Ethan’s shoulder. “We’d better dive into all this food right now. Then afterward, you can continue your fun somewhere private, if you wish p>
I exhaled, gently rubbing my chest to calm my thudding heart. Thank God Asher had snapped them out of their make-out session. I didn’t know what would have happened to me, sitting so close to him, if they had continued.
Sandra grabbed my hand and led me to the chair bearing my smiling picture at the head of the table. I was certain she was the mastermind behind the idea, but I voiced the question anyway.
“Who came up with the idea of making this chair look like this?” I asked, plopping down into it.
Asher and Ethan immediately pointed at Sandra, who accepted the glory by lifting her chin and flipping her chestnut hair over her shoulders. “You know me, Isla. I love making special things… well, special. The chair is fluffy enough, and don’t lie—I know you love it p>
I smiled. “Of course I do, Sandra. I love it p>
She tried to keep a fake stern face, but I poked her ribs and she burst out laughing.
“Alright, ladies,” Ethan interrupted, raising a corked bottle of wine. “Let us make a toast to the birthday girl p>
Sandra squealed and grabbed an empty glass from the table before sliding into the seat at my right. Asher sat at my left. I didn’t look at him, but I could tell from my peripheral vision—and from the way my cheeks burned—that he stared at me.
I reached for the empty glass in front of me. My fingers trembled, but I managed to wrap them firmly around the stem.
Ethan popped the bottle open and launched into a funny toast about me, one that somehow made sense and yet no sense at all. I mean, how the hell did he still remember that time in college when I nearly performed a drunk strip show in front of everyone at Asher’s party?
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God, I didn’t want to remember the details, but Ethan wasn’t helping me forget.
That night had been the second time I was truly heartbroken. The first was losing my mom. My dad was practically nonexistent—I had never met him. According to my mom, before she died, he loved me but not enough to stay. I didn’t even know if he was still alive, but honestly, I wasn’t sure I wanted to meet him or have anything to do with him if I ever did.
The second heartbreak was that night at Asher’s party. I had walked in on a blonde girl named Emily from the music department leaning in to kiss him. Back then, like now, girls couldn’t seem to think straight whenever Asher was around.
Even me.
A slight tap on my knee snapped me out of my thoughts.
“Hey, are you alright?” Asher’s voice whispered. I turned sharply toward him, trying to ignore the swarm of butterflies unleashed in my stomach by the low, sexy rumble of his tone.
“Yeah, I… I’m fine,” I whispered back. “Ethan sounds ridiculous p>
Asher’s lips curved into a smile, and as I was about to give in to the urge to stare at them a little longer, Ethan’s voice rose in pitch, jolting me back.
“To the birthday girl!” Ethan yelled, clinking his glass against mine, which was now miraculously filled with red wine. When had that even happened?
It must have been during those few seconds when I was too lost in my thoughts—thinking about Asher, and about that almost make-out scene that nearly happened between him and that blonde Emily back in college. Way to go, Ethan. Thanks for the reminder. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder how my hand hadmanaged to stay steady enough to keep the glass from slipping while my mind was miles away.
Sandra clinked her glass against mine, and Asher did the same. He leaned in close, too close, and whispered, “Happy birthday, Isla p>
I smiled, but deep down, I felt like I was going to explode from the warmth of his lips brushing my ear. When he finally pulled away, it felt like air rushed back into my lungs. God, I needed more air—air that wasn’t laced with his scent and presence.
I grabbed a foiled chocolate bar from one of the plates on the table and stood. “Guys, can you give me a moment? I want to see the beach for a while p>
My voice was strained, but Sandra and Ethan didn’t seem to notice. Asher, though… The way he looked at me made it feel like he knew something was off.
And yes, something was off with me. It always had been, because of him.
“Alright, baby girl,” Sandra chirped. “Please don’t stay too long p>
I nodded and forced myself to walk—not run—away from the table.