I want—no, need—to comfort him. To tell him everything’s fine and being a bit panicked over a near miss like that is totally normal, and that it’s the adrenaline hitting his system. But his eyes have taken on this savage look I’ve never seen on him before, and I’m feeling a little out of my depth.
It physically hurts to hold back from offering my support.
It takes a good ten minutes before his breathing sounds normal again.
“Are … are you okay?”
He nods and turns to look pointedly out the window.
Message received.
Since he’s okay, I give him what he needs and back off until we reach the CU campus. I plan to just move on and pretend like it didn’t happen. Except when we climb off the bus, Asher still doesn’t look at me.
He grabs his bag from under the bus and beelines it straight for his car.
I’m supposed to make sure everyone gets their shit, but instead, I dart after him. “Hey, what’s going on?”
He doesn’t stop, so I grab his arm and force him around to look at me.
“What the hell?” I hiss.
“It’s nothing.”
“Sure as shit doesn’t seem that way.”
“I freaked out. It’s no big deal. Why can’t you let it go?”
“Because you’re acting weird.”
“And since when does that have anything to do with you?”
I reel back for a moment. “Since we’re friends, asshole.”
“Friends?” he snarls, and the ruthlessly haughty look I’m used to seeing him direct toward other people crosses his face. “Yeah, because what we did last night was so fucking friendly, wasn’t it?”
I don’t catch on with what he’s saying at first. “So what, you freaked out today, who cares? It could happen to anyone.”
“Leave me alone, Kole.”
“Not until you tell me what’s wrong.”
“I don’t have to tell you shit. Don’t come at me like a stage five clinger because we had sex. Don’t make this into something it’s not.”
Something it’s not? I cross my arms. “So what is this, then?”
“You’re there and convenient. And hooking up with you is obviously helping me win games.”
The nonchalant way he throws it out there should be raising red flags, but even though this wasn’t anything beyond sex and platonic friendship, I’m hurt. “I was an easy lay.” This whole friendship, was it just a way for him to bang the coach’s son and win some hockey games?
Asher shrugs, and his complete lack of emotion makes me angry.
I turn my head to make sure the team can’t actually hear us. “You know what, fuck you. Just because you got what you wanted, that’s no reason to be a stereotypical dick over it.”
He looks like he wants to say something but must change his mind because he heaves his bag over his shoulder, spins on his heel, and heads for his car before I can swallow down the lump in my throat. He climbs in and starts the engine, and the wheels kick up dust for a second as he takes off out of the parking lot.
What was that?
It was like a flipped switch with how quickly he did a one-eighty, and I’m still struggling to even figure it out. All my brain seems stuck on is that we made it back here, and he ditched me as fast as he could.
It’s not supposed to hurt.
“Hey, Kole?”
I quickly relax my features before I turn to Dad, but he doesn’t look much better. He’s staring off at the place where Asher disappeared, eyebrows drawn in worry.
“I wanted to catch Asher before he left. Is he okay?”
I try to play it off. “Just Asher being a dick like usual.”
Dad shakes his head, and something strikes me as odd. Normally seeing a player act like a testosterone-filled meathead would have Dad turning red and ready to bench them, but instead, his face pales.
“I’m gonna call West.”
“Why?”
“Give him the heads-up.”
“I’m pretty sure he knows what Asher is like.”
Dad steps closer. “Has he told you how his folks died?”
I’m not expecting that question. “N-no …” But I’m starting to get a gross sinking feeling that maybe … that really was Asher being Asher. Not him being a dick, but him trying to protect himself. I almost don’t want to ask. “How?”
“A car crash. They hit a moose and drove off the road.”
Fuck.
Dad leaves, and now I’m the one struck dumb.
My heart gives this painful little throb, and I jog up to where Dad’s walking back toward the arena.
“Can I take your car?” I’m seriously regretting getting a lift with him. “Mom can come and pick you up.”
Dad looks confused. “I’ll only be half an—”
“Please, Dad.”
“Where are you going?”
Hmm … truth or lie? “I need to find Asher.”
I’m expecting him to tell me that West will handle it, but instead, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out his keys.
“Let me know he’s okay. And drive safe.”
I promise I will before I cross back over the parking lot and jump in Dad’s car. My hands are tight on the steering wheel as I drive, and I remind myself to calm the hell down because that’s what Asher needs right now.