Unexpected

I nod as he presses play.

My mind runs as the movie starts, wondering if this is one of those movies where the couple ends up together. Is he trying to tell me something? Or am I overthinking this?

“Oh, my god!” I squeal when I realize what’s happening on the screen. I zoned out the first few minutes, but now I cover my mouth with my hands as an Australian dude, who looks like he should be a Hemsworth brother, offers his date forty dollars in front of her parents for quote, “Coming in her mouth.”

“He took the pants!” Asher laughs. He leans closer and puts one arm over my shoulders. His other hand reaches into the popcorn bowl that has somehow found its way into my lap. I thought I put it on the cushions, but at some point, the space between us was eliminated.

I swallow hard and shift to comfortably rest my head on Asher's shoulder. My pits are sweating to the point where I can feel the wetness on my shirt and I hope to god my deodorant works because if this stress sweat makes me smell bad, I might die from humiliation.

By the time the on-screen couple makes it to St. Patrick’s day, our bowl of popcorn is empty. Asher moves it from my lap to the space beside him. I stare at the TV, unable to focus because his fingers are twisting a lock of my hair, giving me goosebumps.

“Ellie?”

I turn my head to look at Asher and he’s close. So close I can feel his breath on my face. I look up into his eyes and bite the corner of my bottom lip, hardly able to breathe. This could be our moment, the one that takes us from fake to real. All the signs are there: the stupid movie, the closeness, how he’s found a way to touch me nearly all afternoon.

“Yeah?” I whisper.

Asher leans closer until our lips are almost touching. “I…” He tilts his head and I suck in a breath, then close my eyes.

“Lainey!” Mom hollers as she unlocks the front door. Asher pulls back and scoots a few inches away. His arm leaves my shoulders and he clasps his hands in his lap. Seriously, Mom? I'm so frustrated I could scream.

“Can you…oh.” Mom stops yelling and smiles. “Hi, Asher. Do you think you kids can help me with the groceries?”

“Sure thing, Mrs. Walker,” Asher replies, rising to his feet. He holds his hand out for me. I used to think the gesture was him being kind, but now I wonder if it’s another way to touch me. If he feels the same pull I do.

“Asher, hun,” Mom states with a grin, “if you’re going to keep seeing Lainey, we might as well get rid of the formalities. Call me Susan. “

“So, you approve?” he asks, one brow arched.

Mom giggles and opens the fridge to put the milk away. She ignores the question and reaches for another bag of things to put away. “Will you be staying for supper tonight?”

"Oh." Asher smiles politely and shakes his head. He hands over a tub of butter and says, “I don’t want to impose.”

“James and I have a date tonight, so it’s no opposition.” Mom tosses an empty shopping bag into the recycling bin, then smirks. “Just no hanky-panky. Clothes must be on at all times tonight.”

My jaw drops. I'm mortified. I cover my face with my hands and mumble “Oh, god. Mom!”

“It’s getting late,” Mom whispers, rubbing her fingers across my scalp. When I was little, she used to wake me up for school that way, playing with my hair and singing a song. I smile at the memory and rub my eyes. “You should probably get to bed.”

Asher and I ordered a pizza and watched both Princess Switch movies. They were cute and have the chick from High School Musical. Mom was obsessed with Zac Effron, so anything she could put on that was appropriate with him in it, she did. Asher and I must have watched those movies a million times when we were little. So, when we saw that chick was in the princess movies, there was no question what we'd watch.

Once I finished the first one, I had to know what happened next. I’m pretty sure I finished the last movie, but considering we fell asleep we might not have. Oh, well. The second one was predictable. Girl’s evil cousin tricks guy. Guy leaves girl. Girl finds him just in time. The end.

“Okay.” I yawn. “‘I'll wake Asher.”

Mom looks down at him, asleep on my lap. She’s got that proud mother look in her eye, even though he’s not her kid, and smiles. “No, he can stay, but you need to go to your room.”

“Are you sure, Mom?” I ask, already knowing her answer. “Doesn’t that break your sleep over rule?”

"Like that's stopped you before?" Mom arches her brows. "I know about you and Liam, Lane. He's been coming through your window for years. "

I stare at her, jaw dropped. "You never said anything."

Mom shrugs and brushes her fingers over Asher's hair. She smiles, getting that look again, and says, "I’ll tell your father about Asher so he doesn’t freak out in the morning.”

I guess that's the end of that. “Thanks, Mom.”

She pats my shoulder then disappears down the dark hallway. I slip out from underneath Asher, careful not to wake him, my mind still spinning. Mom knew about Liam sleeping in my bed, which means she probably knows that we were doing more than sleeping. I swallow hard. Eventually, she's going to get the EOB from the insurance about today's visit at Planned Parenthood. I just hope when it comes, I'll be off at college and she can put two and two together. At least that way I won't have to explain anything.