Chapter 34

                                    

                                          
Braxton
"Mom and Auggie both stayed for a while, and we just hung out. I don't think we've ever out just the three of us in a long time."
"Everything okay?" I ask, unzipping my suitcase.
"Yeah. I think so." On my phone screen, Adelaide applies moisturizer to her face. "I mean, not between me and Dad or Asher, but... it's a start., right?"
"Right." I pull all my unfolded clothes that have just been tossed in here out so I can repack them. We leave in an hour, so I must be on the bus in forty minutes. Wheels must be off the ground in an hour and a half if we want to miss the next storm so we're not stuck here. 
"The midwest is crazy. I thought we got bad storms.." My eyes widen slightly. "I was wrong." A tornado had already come through last week, taking some trees down and a couple of roofs off houses. "The wind is insane."
Adelaide chuckles. "You are in Chicago. It's literally called The Windy City."
"Yeah, but this was different." After rolling all of my clothes and shoving them into my suitcase, I flip it shut. "What time's your final tomorrow?"
"Eight." She groans. "I have to be there at least fifteen minutes before."
"It'll probably be around midnight when I get home," I inform her. "You don't have to wait up."
"I might go to bed early." She's walking down the stairs. 
I sit on the edge of the mattress, noticing the bags under her eyes. "You look tired."
"I'm exhausted."
There's a knock on my door. I figure it's one of the guys as I stand up and walk to the door. 
"Don't be too surprised if you find me crashed on the couch when you get home." I hear her say, but I don't acknowledge it because I've just come face-to-face with Asher standing outside my door. "You can just leave me there."
Asher glances at the phone in my hand before meeting my eyes again. "Hey." He says. 
I look down at my screen to find a furrow-browed Adelaide. "I'm gonna have to call you back."
"Oh.. okay." She looks confused. "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah," I say, glancing at Asher for a moment. 
"Okay. Bye. Love you." She smiles softly. 
"Love you too." I swallow slowly. 
When I pocket my phone, Asher asks, "Can I come in?"
I glance back at my room. "Yeah, sure. I just finished packing."
He chuckles. "Always the procrastinator."
We stand in the middle of my room awkwardly for a moment, before I finally ask, "What are you doing here?" 
"Let's sit." He nods to the small couch by the window. 
When we're seated, Asher runs his fingers through his curly hair. "I'm sorry for hitting you in the face with a baseball."
"It wasn't on purpose," I state. 
"Doesn't mean it didn't hurt." He lifts his shoulder in a shrug. He's quiet for a moment, before, "So... you got married."
I shift uncomfortably in my seat. "Yeah."
"Okay," He sighs. "Look... if you guys would've just told me you were together, I would've-"
"Would've what? Supported us?"