ASHTON

In the parking lot of the corner store, Dad lights up a cig while I settle in the passenger seat. He never lets me drive. 

"Real easy on the eyes, that one," he says, revving up the truck. "You nail her?"

"Nope."

"Good." He points back at the store. "Girls like that, those fresh-faced pretty little things, they're the most dangerous. Fuck the soul out of you and hang you out to dry. Trust me."

My eyes wander to the faint reflection of myself in the street-lit window, the dark hues on my skin distorted but visible. 

I've never trusted you in my life.

"Noted."

I catch a glimpse of Summer in the store as we drive away. I hate that he met her. I hate that he knows what she looks like. I hate that her name has left his mouth. I'd keep them on different sides of the earth if I could, just how I keep my life across the bridge we're driving on separate from everything else. The further apart the better.

With how dark my mindset has been in these last couple days, it feels like all my thoughts have sunk deep into murky waters. And while those thoughts of Summer are still persistent, they're not in the depths with the rest. She's above the surface. A sliver of sunlight breaking through.

A reminder that there's a way out.

❖❖❖

I examine my face in the bathroom mirror at school. At least I can fully open my eye since most of the swelling is down now.

At this point, it's habit to mask whatever I'm feeling and wear a carefree disguise in front of people when this shit happens. But sometimes I slip up, like yesterday. I let my mood affect my focus. I can't let that happen again. 

Nick finishes at the urinal and washes his hands, eyeing me in the mirror and shaking his head.

I make a start for the door. "Don't say anything."

"I wasn't going to."

"You were thinking about it."

"Ashton, you're nineteen." He exhales, making me pause. "You don't have to live there."

It's impossible to count the number of times I've had this type of conversation with Nick.

"Yeah like he wouldn't drag my ass back if I lived anywhere else in this town." I swing the door open. "C'mon, I'm starving."

The beginning of fall is unpredictable in Cloverbrook. Some days are boiling and some days it's like stepping into the tundra. We take advantage of the hot weather and eat lunch in the courtyard, along with a dozen other students who have the same idea.

Nick quietly listens to me and Diego in a heated debate about the ultimate cooking shows and movies (the top contenders are The Bear, Chef, and Burnt) before Ryan storms over and slams his tray between us on the wall.

"Geez, what's up your ass?" Diego shifts over.

"I just struck out with Charlie. Rejected, flat out."

I almost do a spit-take over my fries, trying to reel in my laughter as Ryan stares daggers. He couldn't be further away from her type. Honestly, if I knew then I would've warned the poor guy before he threw himself to the sharks.

"I'd like to see you do better." He growls.

"Oh, you would, huh?"

Mine and Diego's laughter dies down. If I play this right, I could really make this work in my favor.

"Sure, why not? With that pretty boy face all busted up, you don't stand a chance."

"Wanna bet?"

Nick opens his mouth, but I subtly shoot him a look to shut up.

"Fine. Five bucks."

"Twenty."

His mouth tightens, thinking it over for a moment.

"Deal. Twenty bucks if you hit on her right now and don't get rejected. And I'll be watching." His eyes get distant, like he's having a war flashback. "Her face was... really different when she turned me down. Stone cold."

I laugh as we shake on it. "Just so you know, looks aren't everything, man. You gotta have game, which you severely lack."

This is going to be some of the easiest money I ever made.

I catch her walking to a quiet area for a smoke. "Charlotte."

She turns, eyes bright. "Ashton Lee. Awfully formal for someone with such a dirty mouth."

Lee. She only knows my middle name because she saw it once on a class register in school. I never would have told her voluntarily. 

"I am perfectly capable of being a gentleman, thank you." I light her cigarette for her. "See?"

She moves closer, her body language in my favor for the guys watching.

"Heard you shot down Ryan."

Her eyes roll. Not so in my favor. "Dude tries way too hard. You're not trying to be his wingman or something, are you?"

"Please, think I know you well enough to know that's a lost cause."

"I should hope so." She tilts her head. "What kind of girl would I be if the guy who sees me naked on the regular didn't even know me?"

That sly smile is definitely in my favor.

"About that..."

"Yeah, yeah. Last time was the last time. So I'll see you back at my place in another two weeks, then?"

My firm silence says it all. 

She clicks her tongue, flicking ash aside. "Let me go over your plan then. You don't want distractions, right? And I'm a distraction, along with any other girl?"

"Right... basically."

"So what, you're planning on being abstinent for three years?"

She's got me there. "Yeah when you say it out loud it sounds crazy."

I've already figured my no distractions plan couldn't be long term, and even if it was, Summer makes me want to change it. I can't tell Charlie that though. She'd act like she didn't care, but I feel like it's got to the point where it would hurt her no matter how I phrased it. Summer stays out of the picture.

"I guess I want to establish myself here, you know?" I say. "Stay on course and ease up in a couple months when my grades are steady, or whenever it feels like the right time to let myself be distracted again."

"Well, as your friend, it's only fair for me to respect what you wanna do." She sighs. "And you know where to find me when you're looking for some fun again."

I open my arms wide. "No hard feelings?"

She gives my stomach a light slap, like the insinuation that she even has feelings is ridiculous. But she hugs me back, solidifying both the end of our arrangement and my twenty bucks.

With her arms around my neck and body pressing into me, I slightly turn us so Ryan can see my hand resting on her ass. He visibly curses in the distance.

"Pay up, hotshot."

Ryan bitterly smacks the note into my hand.

Once it's secured in my pocket, Nick speaks up. "You gonna tell him or should I?"

I nod to him and go back to eating my fries.

"Tell me what?" Ryan's puzzled face looks between us.

"They're friends with benefits."

You'd swear the world shatters around him. "Cheater! Give me my money back."

"Too late. Mine now."

Nick and Diego snicker as we watch him kick a tuft of grass from the ground. Steam may as well be whistling from his ears.

"All right, well, you know what?" Ryan faces me, skin flaming. "All this really proves is that you have no game. That wasn't even a challenge."

"Sure, but nothing's really a challenge for me. How'd you think I landed her in the first place?" I push my empty plate aside and pick up my water. "Wasn't hard back then either."

"You really think you're that good." He looks at me in thought before a flicker of a smile crosses him. It grows with the idea he just seemed to get. "Since you're so confident, then you shouldn't be worried about making another bet."

I shrug a shoulder. "Lay it on it me."

"Summer."

I chew on the inside of my cheek, watching his pleased expression. "What about her?"

"If you can hit on Summer, and get her number, I'll give you another twenty. If you can't, you give mine back."

"She hates my guts." I'm not sure if that's entirely true anymore, but he doesn't know that.

"Hey, weren't you gonna change partners in class?" Diego asks. "What happened with that?"

"Kent changed her mind about us switching." I lie through my teeth.

"Great, so she probably hates you even more." Ryan widens his stance. "So? You still confident you got enough game?"

I consider him for a moment, then look back to where Charlie was standing. Her seeing me hit on another girl minutes after I ended things would be a major dick move, even for me. But she's nowhere in sight. She must have gone back inside.

"Fine, it's a deal." I jump off the wall and peel off my hoodie.

"Oh c'mon." Ryan groans.

"What?"

"You know what you're doing. Fucked up face can't do the trick so you're bringing out the big guns, huh?"

"It's hot as balls." I throw the hoodie in his face. "Dunno what you're talking about."

Another lie.

I absently press the bandage down on my elbow as I walk further down the courtyard to Summer. She's sitting on the grass with Crystal, Fawn and Lola, her tanned legs stretched out in the sun.

"Cupcake. Can we talk for a sec?"

She stands and dusts off her denim shorts, following me out of earshot from her quizzical-looking group, and in view of the guys.

The thing is, I decided I was going to do this at some point anyway. The extra money I'd win from Ryan would be sweet, but winning over Summer would be a hell of a lot sweeter.

"How'd the late-night baking session go?"

She lifts a brow. "That's what you wanted to talk to me about?"

"So a massive failure, I take it."

"Wrong." She's quick on the draw. "It was a massive success... until Lola's little sister got into a bowl of frosting and was bouncing off the walls for an hour. But aside from that: success."

She smiles proudly, and I lose my train of thought when I notice how the sunlight affects the color of her eyes. Gold rings frame her pupils, and delicate flecks branch out among the green.

 So much more complex than I'd initially thought.

"Okay, so why'd you call me over here?" she asks, placing the train back on track.

"Right, so..." I fold my arms across my chest, and her focus lands on my biceps for a lengthy moment before it shoots back to my face. "You know, after everything that happened on Friday, I was thinking we could..."

I trail off when her eyes flit behind me now, lips pursing.

Summer lets out a long, tired breath. "All right, what's the deal here?"

"Uh, I'm not following..."

She rests her hands on her hips. "Your friends may as well be gawking at us through binoculars. Unless two people talking happens to be the most interesting thing in the world, they sent you over here to do something. Which is?"

Damn those idiots.

"To hit on you and get your number." I admit.

"In return for?"

My face scrunches. "Twenty bucks."

She turns away, fingers raking through her caramel strands. I can't tell if she's pissed or amused.

"Okay, well you have two options," she finally says. "You can either go back with your head hung in defeat, or I can play along."

"This a trick question? Second option, obviously."

"Not so fast." She stops me from taking out my phone. "I'll want something in exchange."

"Ah, gotcha." I hum. "If you wanna kiss me again then all you have to do is ask, sunshine." I start to brush aside a lock of her hair before she flaps my hand away, unable to hold back an airy laugh.

"Nice try, Banks, but what I want is the twenty dollars."

"Do you even need it?" I scoff.

"Nope, think of it as a symbolic victory. You know, for using me as a little game with your friends. So take it or leave it." She shrugs. "What means more to you, the money or your pride?"

I draw by bottom lip between my teeth as I watch her. "You're pretty happy with yourself, aren't you?"

"Can't complain."

"Fine." I grumble. "You get the twenty, I get your number."

"And you think I'll just take your word for it?" She chuckles. "I'm gonna need collateral."

"You can't be serious."

"Yeah, you're right. Guess you don't need me, then."

"Whoa, okay, okay." I catch her arm, and she turns back with a smug expression. "Here, take this."

I pull my Zippo lighter from my back pocket, discreetly handing it to her. "It's worth more than twenty bucks. Not to mention sentimental value, too. Believe me, I'll keep my word."

She runs her thumb over the metal as she studies the lighter I've kept on me since I was thirteen, then pockets it. And just like that, the show is on.

She naturally steps to the side so she's more in view of the guys, shifting her weight on one leg and giggling like I've hit her with my best joke. It's not over-the-top, though. I'm so taken aback I almost don't notice her hand playfully gripping my arm.

"Anyone ever tell you you could be an actress if culinary school doesn't pan out?"

She laughs her honey-soaked laugh again, squeezing my muscle painfully hard before letting go.

"Ow! Was that on purpose?"

"Maybe." She bats her long lashes. "Now get your phone out."

I draw it from my front pocket, unlocking it before she types in her number.

"How do I know you're not giving me the fake number you give to creeps you wanna ward off?"

Summer dials it, the buzzing in her pocket proving it's real. "Happy?"

I hold out my palm to take it back, but she ignores it. With a mischievous glint, she hooks her finger through the belt loop of my jeans and tugs me closer.

Man, she's good.

Not breaking eye contact, she then slides the phone into my pocket herself, her hand dangerously close to my crotch. "Pleasure doing business with you."

A/N: ending on a lighter note this time :) thanks for reading! remember to vote, comment, and add to your reading list if you haven't already ♡