Aly-Oops!

Chapter 5-All They Ever Talk About

"Aly, Aly! Slow down I can't hear a word you just said!"
"I hate Philadelphia!" I yell into the phone as tears pour down my face. I am literally slumped against the wall outside an office building in the rain on some street I couldn't tell you the name of..
"Aly! I'm coming right now to find you! Can you at least tell me where you are?!"
"I don't know Asher!"
"Then what are you near?! And why are you by yourself?"
"Asher! I don't know!...I see a post office..."
"Post office? Ok, we are getting somewhere. Just calm down, alright?"
"Asher! Don't tell me to calm down.." I cry.
"I'm sorry." He sighs. "I just want everything to work out for you. I'll come and find you don't worry, Aly."
"I know you do, Asher.." I take a deep breath.
"And the sound of your voice is very soothing..."
"Ayee."
I know Ashy cares. And I feel bad that I'm stressing him out, and I can tell because I can clearly hear his tics through the phone.
"Aly?"
"Yeah?"
"Just stay with me, alright? I'll be there soon."
"You're sure?"
"Yes, I think I can figure out where you are."
"Ok.."
It looks like it won't stop pouring until hours from now.
"Aly? Is that you in the gray sweatshirt? I think I see you."
I look down the road and spot an adorable dark haired, bright eyed hunk jogging down my way.
"Asher!" I yell as I run down the street and into his arms.
"Aly! See, there was no need to freak out!"
"I was not freaking out!"
"Oh, really?"
"Well..I'm just not used to the city and well..I guess I don't have the best sense of direction and I'm by myself and...I don't know. But thank you for coming, honey suckle!"
Asher smiles at me.
"Of course I would. Why were you alone anyway?"
Asher says, followed by a grunt.
"My mom asked me to go pick up a few things and she was kind of caught up at home."
"You could have asked me to come." Asher tells me.
"I thought I knew my way."
"Well did you end up going?"
"Yeah I got it. But I don't really know my way home."
"Are you in any rush to get back?"
"Not really.." I say as I think about anything I should be doing back home.
"Want to come back to my place?"
I told my mom I'd be back soon, but Ash just looks way too good to pass up right now.
"Yes.."
Asher gently slips his hand into mine.
"So do you really hate Philadelphia? Because that would make me really sad." Asher says as he makes a pouty face.
"Not if you're here." I giggle.
"It's just a little bit overwhelming for me, that's all. But I guess I'll get used to it soon."
"Don't worry, Al. You will."
I smile.
"I have an idea!" Asher exclaims, pulling out his phone. It has an orange basketball leather case with a Villanova silicon pocket on the back.
"Let's plan a day for me to show you around everywhere. I'm the best Philadelphia tour guide you can find." Asher winks on purpose at me.
"Ooh, someone's confident!" I tease.
"That sounds..amazing."
"Great! Just find a free space in my calendar." Asher hands me his phone.
"Dude! How busy are you?! You have no free spots! Look, basketball...basketball...oh wait. Ok I found a half hour space in two weeks..why are you so busy?!"
"I'm have to practice a lot because not only am I practicing for the school team, but since I'm local I'm starting to practice with my Villanova team."
"What are they like?" I ask.
"I don't know, I've only met one of them so far and he seems pretty cool. I just am worried if I'll be able to keep up, you know?"
"Asher, you literally breathe basketball. I really don't think you have anything to worry about."
"I know but.."
Asher looks down.
"What?"
"That was in high school. Villanova is a college, varsity, division 1, top seeded, march madness winning team and...and what if I'm not good enough to keep up? What if I end up a bench warmer? I mean look at me, I'm not even six foot."
"But that makes you special. You're still great at basketball even though you may not be the tallest, Ash."
"I don't know."
"Asher, you really need to stop doubting yourself."
"I'm not, Al.."
"Asher..."
"I just over think. A lot. It...it kind of goes with my medical problem.."
I sigh.
"I don't like to see you stress, Asher."
"Now you shouldn't even be talking! How do you think I felt with a phone call like that just now!" Asher giggles.
I smile in embarrassment.
"It's not a problem. I'm just teasing. Come, my crib is this way."
"Crib?" I narrow my eyebrows.
"Ok, that may be a bit extreme, but my place is pretty chill."
"Ok, cool."
We walk into the building.
"Hey, Eddy." Asher greets as he sniffs twice.
"Hi, Asher how are you?"
Eddy must be the doorman, but I'm not much of a city girl so who really knows.
"Good, and you? This is my girlfriend, Aly."
"Oh, look she's beautiful! Welcome!"
"Hi." I say shyly.
"Go enjoy. Have a great day, stay young.."
"He seems nice." I say as we enter the staircase.
"He's great.."
We walk up the first three flights and I'm out of breath.
"Asher what floor are you?"
"Sixth."
"Then why did we take the stairs? Don't you have an elevator, I feel so out of shape right now.." I pant as I buckle over out of breath.
"We do, but I can't take that. I need to prepare for basketball."
I narrow my eyes.
"The elevator won't hurt you, it just won't benefit you. Won't benefit you physically, that is. But right now your girlfriend has-"
"Alright alright! Quit being so moody today, Aly!"
"I'm sorry." I admit.
"I'm just having a kind of sucky day.."
"I know. And there is no need to apologize." Ash reassures.
Ash stops walking.
"Asher, what are you doing?!"
Without notice, Asher grabs onto me and plops me over his shoulder.
"ASHER!" I yell out as I giggle.
"Well, this will help me even more for b-ball, and this will get you to stop complaining."
"Asher! You're such a little-"
"Cutie pie hunk? I know bae."
The rest of the way up we are completely silent...that is except for a few sniffs, grunts, and other random noises. But Asher's tics never ruin the moment, if anything they enhance them.
We reach the sixth floor and Asher places me down gently.
"Ok. This is our place. But I really need to warn you." Asher smiles as he leans against the door.
"Just move, Ash. What can it possibly be?"
I try to reach for the knob but Ash is so swift he jumps in front.
"That's what happens when you date a basketball player." Ash sticks out his tongue.
"Just tell me, will ya!" I stick  my tongue back at him.
"Well.." he starts whispering because we are right outside his door.
"My whole family should be home, and they are friggin NUTS about you. No joke. They can't believe I found someone like you.."
"Stoop!" I giggle as I hop around.
"Don't say that, Asher!" I laugh.
"But it's true! And they like always talk about you..and..ok, whatever I just want you to be warned. So prepare to be slobbered over pretty much."
I start laughing.
That is actually really cute that the Westmans love me! Score for Aly 😂
"I'll do the best I could do."
"Oh, don't worry. They already won't stop talking about you."
"I mean the best I can do preparing." I explain.
"Ready?" Ash smiles as he slowly turns the knob.
"Stop it, Asher Joel! You're making me nervous!" I laugh hysterically.
"Ok! I'll stop I'm sorry!" Asher starts laughing too, and then opens the door.
"I'm back!" Asher calls. "I have Aly with me."
We both walk inside and then he closes the door behind us.
"Bubbala! You're back!" Sienna, Asher's mom calls as she walks towards us.
"Yep.." Ash mumbles as he kicks off his shoes to dry on the rug.
"Hi, Aly! How are you?"
Asher falls back onto the couch.
"Asher, aren't you going to ask Aly if she wants to sit?"
"Why would I need to ask? Don't mind my mom, she likes to tell me how to host."
I smile.
"No, it's fine. I won't get caught up in a Westman feud!"
"Aly, you are way too funny! Ash, you are laying across the entire couch? Move down, will you?"
Asher rolls his eyes and jerks his neck.
"Don't be rude, Mister!"
"That was Fred!"
"I'm sure it was.."
Asher does that a lot to me too. But for all he has to put up with, I don't exactly blame him.
"Hi, Aly."
"Hey, Zoey, what's going on? Looking very stylish."
"Oh, thank you. My friends took me on this huge shopping spree once we got back here!"
Zoey actually looks amazing! Her once scrunched up hair is now straightened, and she's wearing a sparkly cardigan sweater with a black crop top and high waisted jeans.
"I should take you there sometime, Aly. You would really like it a lot, you appreciate a good sense of style."
Asher perks up.
"I appreciate style too!"
Aww, isn't he adorable?! Trying to impress me...
"Really, Asher?..." I laugh.
"Yeah! Look at me!"
"You're wearing a Villanova t-shirt that they gave you for free. Very on point there, Ash." Zoey laughs.
"So, Aly. Have any big plans for the summer?" Sienna asks me as she sits down next to me.
"Umm..I'm not really sure. I'm going to have to explore Philly a bit first." I giggle.
"What about you, Asher? Any plans?" I ask him. I'm hoping he's planning on long summer days and nights with me😎
Zoey smiles at him.
"Uh,..basketball.." Asher laughs.
"Do you have practices over the summer?" Scott, Asher's dad asks.
"A crap ton...I have to prepare for varsity a bit, captain stuff, Nova practices, team building.."
"I didn't realize you're going to be team captain! How are you going to find time to breathe?!" I exclaim.
"That's Asher for you..." Zoey tells me.
"So you were this busy before Clifftown, Ohio?"
"Well, basically..and this was all during the school year then. But then again that was without Villanova."
"So you're the real deal, Wildcat." I gush.
"You all must be so proud to have a division 1 college athlete. And isn't Nova pretty good?"
"Number one seed and march madness champion..." Asher mumbles.
"Don't remind him, Aly. Ash is a bit of a bragger!" Zoey complains.
"I am not a bragger!"
"That's very kind, Aly. We are very proud of Asher. But we are even happier he met you."
I spot Asher blushing!
"He always would tell us about you. And we are super duper happy that he met a good one for once!" Zoey adds.
"Ok, ok! You can all stop embarrassing me!" Asher says as he scrunches his eyes.
"Want to come see my room, Al?"
"I'd love to." I get up.
"See you, Westmans!"
"Bye sister in law!" Zoey calls.
Asher ignores them as I follow him to his room.
"I warned you, you are all they ever talk about!" Ash huffs as he falls back onto his bed.
"Well I'm sorry I'm such a boring topic of discussion.."
"No..no..you're not. Come here..."
I sit on the edge of Asher's bed and he pulls me in for a cuddle.
"I love you...."
"Aw, Ash. I love you.."
I look up at Asher's walls and his room is amazing!
"So is this your childhood bedroom? Was this always it?"
"Always it...changed a bit through the years with new posters, but not by much."
He has navy walls with so much Villanova!! Pennants, a fading looking number 8 (his number now) and a brand new number 3 (college number), white wooden letters on the wall which spell out ASHER, a pile of trophies in the corner, tons of more Villanova pennants, and some stickers and posters he must have collected through the years like a Tourette Syndrome awareness poster and a "Happy Hannukah" cut-out from the 2008 Philadelphia Times.
"I love everything..."
"Thanks. Oh I need to show you something, close your eyes."
"Asher, I'm not really that into surprises.."
"But for this one you will be. So shut."
"Fine.." I throw my legs up into a pretzel and bury my head in my hands.
"Can I open?"
"Al, it's been like five minutes!"
"Ok, I'm sorry!" I laugh.
"Why do I hear munching?"
"Aly! Anyone who knows me knows I dig goldfish crackers."
"Asher!" I yell.
"What?!"
"Give me some!" I exclaim in a baby voice.
"In a minute, my goodness...oww!"
"What now?"
"I walked into the wall.."
"You're such a klutz!" I tease.
"I was blinking so I didn't see it!" He protests.
"Yeah, ok...just get on with it I want my goldfish."
"Ay gavalt, Aly! Give me a minute...ok. You can look now."
I open my eyes slowly.
"Oh my goodness..."
"What do you think?"
I don't even know what to say..ok, to put it as simply as possible..ASHER LOOKS HOT.
I am face to face with Asher Joel Westman in his spanking new Villanova uniform and he is really sexy...
I know I sound kind of silly, but I'm honestly super overwhelmed. I know I've seen Ash in a t-shirt before so there's not too much to the imagination, and I've seen pictures of him in his other basketball uniform. But because of the emotional ties of everything we have gone through together and everything I know about him, I am just super proud of Ash for making Villanova. Also, those pictures do not do justice at all! His arms are muscular and built, and Asher is already a very cute boy to begin with. He is kind of tan, and his dark golden-brown hair swoops down onto his forehead, and he's got the most adorable freckles with grayish eyes that always change from a grayish blue to a grayish green.
"Aly?"
"You...you look amazing..."
"Aly? Are you ok?"
A blink a few times to try and snap out of it.
"Yeah. I'm fine. You..you look really great, Ash."
He smiles.
"Thank you. I really wanted you to be the first to see it. I'm still waiting for my sneakers to come. We have these custom Jordan's that only our team has and they are super sick!"
"I'm..I'm not talking about your uniform."
"No?"
"I'm talking about you, Asher. You look great."
Asher looks into my eyes, speechless.
KNOCK KNOCK!
"Asher! We want to talk to Aly more!" Zoey exclaims through the door.
"I'm telling you, it's like they want to adopt you or something." Asher whispers, his voice filled with slight annoyance.
I smile.
"I guess I better get to know the fam then. I'll see you, Hotstuff."
"Hotstuff?!" Asher raises an eye brow.
"Your name is Asher, and ash comes from fire. So it's hot."
"Sure..I know you think I'm hot, Aly."
I smile.
"I can't lie.." I giggle.
"Neither can I, Beautiful. Go enjoy my family."
I smile as I leave his room.
He sure is hot-stuff....