15

"Your lips look so familiar."

Joshua

The air was crisp as the sounds of skates slicing through the ice echoed in the rink. I geared up in my equipment before joining the rest of my team for warm-up drills. The blades carved smooth lines behind us as we skated from end to end. My legs felt like Jello once coach told us to take a break. I squatted onto the bench with a groan as my muscles pulled. I couldn't get my helmet off quickly enough.

"Who are you taking to the dance?"

Anxiety knotted in my gut. Our school hosted dances for fundraisers - this one was to refurbish the library. That's not what made me sweat.

How would I tell Noah I've been wanting to ask his sister?

I found myself in a silent battle between conflicting emotions. My thoughts were a restless storm of unease. My hands clammed up.

"I was thinking of asking…" I trailed off, chickening out. Noah and Kellan raised their brows. I sigh, knowing I'd have to rip the band-aid. "Sawyer."

Shock reflected in their enlarged orbs.

"Sawyer, as in my sister?"

I nodded.

"I know it's unexpected, but I like her."

Noah leaned back as he tried to process the information.

"She's never been to a dance before."

This time, I'm the one to recoil. Is she not interested in dances? It's the only logical explanation since it seemed absurd that she hadn't been asked before. I would assume she had guys lining up for her back home.

"Why not?" Kellan asked.

"No one has asked her before." Noah shrugged. "She's not very outgoing."

Coach called for us to get ready for the next round of drills. I grabbed my equipment before trailing behind them on the ice. Despite Noah's displeasure, I wanted nothing more than to go to the dance with Sawyer. And I was going to make it memorable.

??

There was a designated place for students to hang out during lunch hours. It was an open space at the heart of the campus. It served as a central hub, connecting all the buildings. The major attraction was the fountain, serving as a backdrop for the calming aura. It was a place to unwind. I knew I would find Sawyer there.

She was sitting on the weathered bench beside the fountain, engrossed in her book. It rested in her hands as her eyes moved across the pages. She would often tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear or bite her lip to hold back a smile as she delved into the world of fiction. The pages fluttered as a gentle breeze brushed through the area, but it didn't disturb her.

"What are you looking at?"

I jumped at the sudden voice. A hint of a smirk played on Asher's lips as his rebellious eyes fell on Sawyer. I scrunched my nose at the faint scent of cigarette smoke and cologne.

"When did you start smoking again?"

His smirk widened.

"Who said I stopped?" He had a firm gaze on Sawyer. "Are you stalking her or something?"

"What do you want, Asher?"

His mere presence cast a shadow over my vibrant aura. He always had that effect on me.

"I bet you one hundred bucks she would never go out with you."

A moral crossroads unfolded. The opposing sides of right and wrong clashed like thunder in my mind. One part of my mind was telling me it was wrong to place a bet about another person, but the immoral side was telling me I was going to ask her out, anyway. Why not profit from it? The seductive whispers assured me I could use the money to take her out before the dance.

"You have a deal." I said. "I was going to ask her out, anyway."

He crossed his arms over his chest, a half-smirk plastered on his face. His gaze was piercing, as if he was trying to claim superiority. He extended his hand to seal the deal. My brain warned me, and told me I could still back out, but the innate desire to win against my brother was stronger. I clasped his hand in mine. He leaned in, invading my personal space to radiate dominance.

"Good luck, little bro." He said. "You're going to need it."

??

I took a deep breath as I stood outside the Whitlock's door. The air was stuffy with nervous energy as I raised my hand to knock, but I recoiled. I glanced down at my shoes and straightened out my jacket. My fist hovered.

Asher's face entered my mind with that arrogant grin that made me want to punch him. I could hear his voice mocking me. It was enough to give me the courage to knock. The seconds that followed felt like an eternity, but the door eventually creaked open.

"Hey, Josh." She said with a welcoming smile. "Noah isn't home."

"I know." I cleared my throat. "I wanted to give you this."

I extended a copy of Gone with the Wind to her. Her eyes lit up and a subtle smile graced her lips as she took the book.

"What's this for?"

"Don't open it until I'm gone." My face was flushed. "It will make sense, I promise."

I walked backward, hoping to escape the tense interaction, but tripped over a rock. I caught myself before I could fall. She bit her lip at my clumsiness.

"Let me know what the answer is," I called from her driveway's end. "I hope it's a yes."

??