AllFreeNovel
Share Us
How could I say yes? Asa and I weren’t friends. We barely knew each other. Brady had misunderstood him, and now I was going to show up at a party that Asa was at as his friend. Oh God. What was I thinking? I hadn’t been thinking. I had been in shock. Unsure how to verbalize a simple word.
This was going to be a disaster. I had to get out of it. I had to find Brady and tell him I couldn’t go but thank you for the invite. I had to actually speak words this time.
Maybe my parents were right and I was too immature to leave home. Heck, I was struggling to leave the damn store lately.
I rolled my eyes at my own stupidity and tried to figure out how and where I would find Brady Higgens so I could fix this.
Mr. Do-Gooder Higgens CHAPTER 13
ASA
Tomorrow a few lucky ones were going to return to their apartments near campus somewhere outside Lawton. Those of us who were headed to dorm rooms when and if classes resumed in August were having to wait. Sure, I would miss them, but more than anything I was envious that they were going to get out of here yet again. Things felt like I would be stuck here forever. I still didn’t know if Ole Miss would be opening their campus this fall, and no one had any idea about football season. Thanks, Covid.
Nash’s mom had brought over a spread of food to the garage apartment. Everything from mini pizzas to crab dip to brownies. Nash and West were already deep into Madden NFL 21 on the Xbox. Threats and taunting were being thrown back and forth. It had been a while since West and Maggie were in town. It was good to see him. Everyone had made an effort to come back and have some time together this summer for Ryker’s sake. He needed it more than any of us.
I grabbed a bag of Doritos and headed for the sofa to watch the animated football game on the massive flat screen. Soon all the “couples” would be here, and I had almost invited Bexley again but had backed out because she didn’t fit. The girls who would be here were part of the story. Our story. It was an odd way to look at it, but I just wanted it to be us tonight. No extra person who wasn’t in our group.
West scored another touchdown, and Nash tossed the remote on the beanbag across from him and cursed. I smiled while shoving chips into my mouth. This felt good. It was fleeting, but for this moment I could pretend it wasn’t all about to end. We were really all going to split up and start a life outside Lawton soon. These moments were going to be hard to come by.
“You talked to Brady?” West asked me as he stood up and stretched.
“Why, is he not coming?” Nash asked, sounding concerned. Tonight was important to him because he knew it was something Ryker needed.
West smirked and looked back at me. “He’s coming and bringing a friend… of Asa’s.”
My hand paused halfway to my mouth with a chip in it. Frowning, I tried to figure out what West was getting at. When he gave that cocky smirk, it meant he was amused.
“My friend?” I asked.
He gave a nod. “Nash, toss me a water,” he then said instead of clarifying.
“What friend does Asa have that we don’t?” Nash asked as he took a bottle of water from the table and did as West asked.
West shrugged. “Never met her. Don’t know.”
Her.
The motherfucker had invited Ezmita.
Why the hell had I confided in Brady? I knew better than that. How had he invited her and what had he said to her?
“Are you fucking with me?” I asked West, thinking I needed to call Brady.
West took a drink of his water slowly before acknowledging my question. “Why would I fuck with you over something like this? And why would you tell Brady your shit? You know he’s Mr. Do-Gooder Higgens.”
Swearing under my breath, I put the bag of chips on the side table and dug my phone out of my pocket.
“Why does Brady know about some girl and I don’t? You fucking live with me,” Nash asked, sounding offended.
“You sound like a girl,” I told him, then stood up and headed for the door. I didn’t want them staring at me and listening while I bitched Brady out.
I heard West agree with me and Nash tell him to suck a… before I closed the door behind me.
Brady answered after three rings.
“Yeah,” he said.
“Did you invite Ezmita?” I asked, getting to the point.
“Yes,” he said slowly.
“What the fuck, Brady? Why would you do that?”
“Because you weren’t going to.”
Sighing, I closed my eyes to keep from shouting my response. “No shit. Tonight is about our group. Seeing each other one last time before it all changes… again. Not about me dealing with the awkwardness of a girl. I can’t ignore her. I like her. You know that. But I don’t want to have to babysit someone tonight either. Besides, she’s dating douchebag.”
