Chapter 4 4- A Shirtless Asher In My Bathroom

I blinked several times to clear my vision, which had blurred from the rain. The moment my vision cleared, my eyes met a playful pair of brown eyes. Ethan Kingsley stood in front of me, his umbrella protectively shielding me from the rain while his shoulders were getting soaked from the lack of an umbrella. 

It always surprised me how people like Ethan helped strangers like me so effortlessly. Because I could never be this selfless with anyone. 

"What are you doing here so late? Didn't the school end an hour ago?" He asked me curiously, and I shrugged my shoulders in answer. 

"Got a detention to serve after school." 

He laughed at my answer, shaking his head as he took a small step forward to shield me from the rain properly when some droplets rolled down my neck, making me shiver. 

"You got detention on your first day of school? Well, I must say, Monroe, you are indeed getting a really warm welcome at Greenfield on your first day. First, getting detention; and now getting drenched in rain." He joked, laughing softly. A reluctant smile spread on my face at his words. 

A warm welcome, undeniably. 

"Well, I was serving a detention, but why are you still here at school? Did you get a detention too?" I asked him as he laughed loudly, throwing his head back and shaking his head as we started walking forward. 

"God, no, no, no. As surprising as it may sound, I was actually studying in the library for the upcoming exams. And professors don't really punish you with detentions in the Senior year, unless you are very lucky, of course." He said, and I snorted, looking around. 

Greenfield High was definitely built in the most posh area of the city. Huge buildings surrounded it, expensive cars effortlessly moved around us, and extravagant cafes lined up every corner of the street. 

"You don't play hockey?" I suddenly asked him, never once seeing him in a hockey jersey. 

Considering how good of a friend he is to Asher, I thought he must be on his team too. But I was surprised when he shook his head. For a second, his warm brown eyes sank with desolation before he quickly masked it with his signature smile. 

"Not really. I am not a sportsman kind of person. I am just a nerd." He joked, and I narrowed my eyes at him. 

"You don't look like a nerd to me." I said, and he chuckled, nodding his head at me. 

"I don't look like a nerd even though I am one." 

"Well, being a nerd isn't a bad thing. Having knowledge and intelligence is something one can always boast about." I said when he looked a little embarrassed, and suddenly he looked at me. Something crossed his eyes before he smiled gently at me. 

"I guess it's not such a bad thing, after all." He said, and I laughed in response. A second later, he joined me. 

Seconds turned into minutes, and soon we were standing in front of Asher's house— and my supposedly new place. He only stepped when we were under the protection of the roof. The light outside the house made his damp hair more visible. The sides of his shirt had turned dark from the rain drenching it. 

"I believe we reached your destination." Ethan said, motioning towards the main door of the house. His lips curled up in a lazy smile. 

"You are drenched, Ethan. Why don't you come inside? I can get you a warm cup of coffee." I said, and his smile widened as he shook his head. 

"Next time, Monroe. I am getting late now. My parents must be waiting for me. But don't worry, I'll be holding you to that coffee." He said, and a small smile slipped on my face as I nodded my head. 

"Deal," I said, mock-saluting him. 

He stayed there until I walked inside the house and closed the door. 

Alyssa was working on her laptop when I walked inside. A soft smile spread on her face as soon as she saw me, but her smile melted into concern when she saw me soaked in rain. She immediately stood up, pulled out a towel from a nearby cabinet, and handed it to me. 

"God, Scarlett, you'll get sick, kid. Go and take a warm shower. I'll make something warm for you." She said, and I looked at the towel in my hand with an unsettling ache in my chest. 

Her small gesture reminded me of my dead mother. The mother who was once alive and cared for me similarly, if not more. 

"Scarlett," Alyssa gently shook me when I sank into the past. I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced a smile on my face, clutching the towel closely to my chest. 

"Yes, sorry. What were you saying?" I asked her, and she stared at me worriedly for a second before speaking again. 

"Have you seen Asher? He should've been home an hour ago." She asked me, and I narrowed my eyes at her. 

Has Asher not reached home yet? 

"I— I didn't really see him after our lunch break, Alyssa. I am sure he must be—" I trailed off when the loud noise of the engine blaring echoed, indicating Asher's arrival. 

And just a minute later, Asher walked inside. Drenched in rain, his jersey clung dangerously close to his body. As he started walking upstairs towards his room, barely acknowledging anyone in the hall, he stopped to stare at me for a couple of seconds briefly. 

His dark eyes bored into mine mercilessly. His jaw clenched when his eyes shifted down to my body before he walked upstairs. 

"This boy," Alyssa murmured under her breath as she walked inside the kitchen. 

When I got to my room and walked towards my bathroom to take a warm bath, unlocking the knob, a small scream escaped my mouth. 

Because in my bathroom stood Asher Callahan, shirtless, with just a pair of sweatpants hanging low on his waist, staring at me blankly and coldly.