CHAPTER 2

Asha's POV

Walking back home was quite an impossible feat. I still couldn't believe that the Riley Phillips, just talked to me. Well not talking exactly since she just told me her name, teased me a bit, got a call and had to leave but still she talked. To me.

My heart was still beating erratically. I was in some sort of daze, my head felt woozy and I couldn't get this stupid giddy smile off my face.

I can't believe she affects me that much, I thought to myself. I wonder if I have the same effect on her.

I chuckled loudly, instantly shooting down that idea and any other of its semblance. Why would someone like me, an ugly blob who's only saving grace is my quirky attitude, have any effect on such a beautiful creature.

I bet she's modeled on some fancy sport gear, or underwear–I should go check that out immediately.

For the short time I've spent here, I have seen Riley and a bunch of her friends play basketball at the local court. They are really good and the games are usually pretty lively even though most of the time I have zero idea on what's going on. I heard they even played in the national championships recently and were among the top five. They are that good.

Which makes the idea of me being with her that much more impossible. Picture this okay, a short, very chubby, very overweight me with this stunning, borderline drop-dead gorgeous, tall, tanned, curly haired beauty with her piercing eyes and a body that's to die for.

Does that look like a good match? No? Didn't think so.

Anyway, I walked back home with all these thoughts in my head that still wouldn't stop bugging me. Mom had already left for her shift at the hospital. She works at the referral hospital in the city as a senior laboratory technician. Something about venturing into the world of research.

Though I don't understand why anyone would need a lab tech at night but she doubles as a lab tech and a clinician, which I think is beneficial for the hospital considering alot of people use its services.

I walked up to my room after locking everything downstairs but leaving most of the  lights on, I'm not such a huge fan of the dark. Feeling how tense my shoulders were, I decided a shower was necessary. Shower cap on so my shoulder-long, thick dark dreadlocks don't get wet I walk inside the shower and turn the heater on.

I've had my locks for about two years now, they are way easier to maintain and take care of  than free hair and plus I don't have to go the hairdresser after like three weeks.

Turning the knob on I let the water heat up for a few seconds before going directly under the spray of warm relaxing water. Moaning out loud as it hits my body and making my tense body relax. I stay under the heavenly spray for a while before getting to the actual showering.

Fifteen minutes later I was out of the shower and dressed in my long, black AC/DC t-shirt and some shorts I found laying around.

My tummy started growling and I realised just how hungry I was. I went downstairs and I heated the dinner mom had left for me in the fridge.

Sitting down on the couch with my plate, I switched on the TV looking for something interesting to watch. As soon as I was comfortable and snuggled in a blanket on the couch, my phone started ringing.

Now, the only person who would call me, especially at this time, would be my mom asking where I was and quenching her paranoia like always but then I checked my phone and it was an unknown number.

"AAAAAAASSSSHHHHHAAAAAAA!!!!!"

I already knew who that loud obnoxious voice belonged to. I removed the phone from my ear to prevent my ears from bleeding.

"Jesus, woman! Calm the fuck down!"

"Can you really blame a girl for missing her best friend. Cut me some slack would ya!"

I sighed loudly and pinched the bridge of my nose. Kio was my best friend from way back in our diaper days. She's the loudest person I have ever met, I mean I never knew a person could sound like a fucking stadium filled with little kids and monkeys at the same time until I met my best friend.

She knows everything about me, and when I say everything I mean everything, except for maybe the fact that I happen to have a huge crush on another girl. Does that make me lesbian or bisexual? Are those the only ones that exist or are there other labels? I'm I even supposed to label myself based on a stupid crush?

"Why are you calling me with an unknown number?"

"I lost my other phone"

"Liar.I'm pretty sure you had one of those temper tantrums and smashed it on your wall. Again. And then puppy-dog-eyed your sweet ma into buying you a new phone, which is probably the new iPhone which I honestly have no idea what it is and I honestly don't care. "

She just chuckled lightly and muttered something incoherent under her breath. Pretty sure she cursed at me.

" Hey don't curse at me! "I tell her, rolling my eyes at her with a huge smile on my face.

" And you quit rolling your eyes at me. I can practically feel you doing it right now, "she retorts back, amusement in her voice.

" So? Made any new friends yet? "

" You know what my answer is every single time you ask me that question. "I tell her. She's been bugging me to get new friends but I just can't. Making new friends at this age isn't as easy as it was when we were six where you just meet a new kid at the playground, say hi and then you play together at the teeter totter.

" I know Ash. I know it's hard but you have to at least make the effort. You never know, maybe one day you'll meet someone who makes you feel happy and less insecure and makes you see you the way I see you."

I can't help but smile at her words, she always knew how to make me happier whenever I'd get a bit low.

" And how exactly do you see me? "I ask, knowing the answer already but needing to hear the words again, especially tonight after whatever happened earlier this evening.

" Beautiful with the prettiest eyes ever, eyes that light up the entire room when you smile, a strong heart and an ever ending supply of giggles and fun. Smart, sarcastic as hell and my bestest friend ever!" she said giggling at the end.

"And anyone out there would be lucky to have you as a friend, trust me. So try okay? Just a little effort and you'll be fine," she said,  making me feel ten times better than I was three minutes earlier.

We continued talking throughout the night. I was glad she had called, God only knows how badly I needed the company right now. She told me how much she misses me and what was happening back home, not that I cared that much but I enjoyed listening to her making fun of everyone.

She also spilled the tea on who's the newest couple with the cutest couple goals and how her brother came out to their family as gay, and how her homophobic parents didn't accept him and he ended up moving out to his boyfriend's place.

She said that she doesn't see any problem with not being straight and that she still loved her brother the same way and that got me thinking.

Maybe I should tell her what I'm going through and maybe she could help me. But then again I'm not even sure what my sexual orientation is so what's the point. I didn't tell her anything about that, I didn't feel ready to tell her that.

She hang up later on telling me how she had to get up early the following morning for work, some volunteering work at her church.

If you're wondering, her dad is one of the leaders at my dad's church. So yeah, we were both raised surrounded by a religious environment. I wonder how her brother managed to come out to their parents considering how homophobic they are.

I couldn't sleep, insomnia is a bitch so I continued watching TV and then a few hours later darkness engulfed me in a deep sleep that didn't last that long. Fortunately this time round I didn't have any nightmares or any dreams either.

I woke up later to a ticklish feeling on the soles of my feet. I tried jerking my feet away but then that ticklish sensation was still there. Then it stopped. I thought it was over. Boy was I wrong. Soon I was being tickled on my sides and even in my armpits. I couldn't control my laughter and I had to wake up.

"Hey sleepy head, wake up. It's almost noon!!" my mom's voice sounded so far away and I felt tired, my back screaming at me for sleeping on the couch for the nth time

"Five more minutes, " I groaned and tried to go back to sleep. But oh no, my sweet mother, who at times was the spawn of the devil himself decided to sing for me.

Have you ever heard a whale giving birth to an even bigger whale? I kid you not, my mother sounded like that. It seems since I refused to wake up she decided to change her strategy and torture me awake.

I sat up, yawning while rubbing the sleep off my eyes.

Click.

Whirl.

Turning to look at my mom, she had an old fashioned camera in her hands, taking a picture of me yawning with my mouth open wide, looking like an ugly dinosaur roaring.

She once said she lost all my baby photos during the incident so she'll use whatever opportunity she has this time round to get embarrassing pictures of me to  show when I bring my boyfriend home.

Boyfriend.

My heart rate picked up quickly when she said that, flashes of Riley holding me close to her yesterday crossing my mind and making me feel nervous all of a sudden.

I laughed nervously and rubbed the back of my neck, avoiding my mother's gaze.

"Boyfriend? Mom!" I sputtered, trying to make my woozy mind work properly enough to look for something else to talk about.

Unfortunately since I couldn't do anything else, I left her to her motherly instincts and went upstairs to fix my messy look. I brushed my teeth, changed into cute white shorts and a baggy black t-shirt and tied my long dreads into a messy bun.

I went back downstairs finding my mom on the kitchen counter, I hopped on my stool finding my own plate filled with four thick golden brown pancakes, a strip of bacon on the side and a mug of hot, steamy black coffee.

Digging into my food I couldn't help but love my mom a little bit more with how good these pancakes tasted. I can't cook as well as she does, plus I don't even like cooking in the first place but I think mom got this covered.

Speaking of mother, she cleared her throat and looked at me, "So today we're going to church for the weekly fellowship at 5:30 in the evening. I hope you still remember that. I heard the youth pastor has a younger sister almost your age. Maybe you know her. I think she's called Ryder or Riley or something like that. It'd be great to have her as a friend don't ya think? "

I choked on my coffee when she mentioned Riley's name.

What. The. Actual. Fuck!

Riley was a preacher's kid. The same Riley who got me all flustered yesterday, oh fuck me. Hello universe, why are you trying to make my life living hell?!

Why have I not seen her in church so far? Or maybe I wasn't keen enough? But how could I not have seen the pastor's own child? My crush?! It doesn't make any sense.

" Honey are you okay?" my mom asked me while rubbing my back as I continued coughing. I told her I was fine after I settled down.

"Did you say Riley? As in Riley Phillips?" I ask to just make sure we're both talking about the same person.

"Oh yes. Mr Phillips is the head of that church and he has two children. Riley and the youth pastor. Oh dear I seem to have forgotten his name," she says, confirming my suspicions.

Oh my God, I still can't believe my crush is a freaking preacher's kid-not that it's a bad thing or anything like that- it's just that it's so weird.

Well, I guess I'll be interested in attending today's fellowship just to see her. Then maybe I'll have to fix my impression on her, and hopefully this time I won't feel and/or look like a freak.

What could possibly go wrong?!