The Space Between Us(25)

"I don't think so," she said quietly. She opened her mouth to say  something else but was obviously cut off by the person on the other  line. She rolled her eyes slightly and even seeing her do that made me  smile. "Fine," she answered and hung up. She turned towards me with  apprehension.

"What's up?" I asked, trying really hard not to look like I knew something was up.

"Uh, that was one of Asher's frat brothers. He said that something happened to Asher and that we should get over there ASAP."

"What?" I shrieked. This was not discussed as part of the plan. Had  something really happened to him? Or was this just the ploy to get her  to his house? I was up and off of my bed instantly, grabbing my shoes  and jacket. Reeve took a seat on her bed and began to pull her covers up  over her lap. "What are you doing? You've got to come with me!"

"Charlie, I don't feel like leaving. Text me when you find out what  happened." That was it. The straw that broke the proverbial camel's  back.

"Are you kidding me? After everything Asher has done for you through  this whole mess, after all the years of friendship, after everything,  you're just going to wait for a text to see if he's ok? Who are you?" I  breathed quickly, my harsh breaths making my chest heave up and down.  "Get your fucking shoes on and come to the frat with me. Now."

"Holy shit, Charlie. Calm down." She got up and I let out a loud breath  when I saw her start to get ready to go. We walked to the frat but I was  a good ten feet in front of her the whole time, too pissed to be next  to her. The anger helped to ease the fear that something was really  wrong with Asher. I tried telling myself that it was all part of the  set-up, but I needed to see him just to make sure.

When we came to the frat house it looked dark and abandoned. It was rare  to see a house forty college guys lived in with all the lights off,  with no one on the lawn playing football, or passed out on the couch on  the front porch. Something was off. We entered through the two sliding  doors on the side of the house that led directly into the dining room.

"Asher?" I called out, hoping to hear his voice answer me. I didn't hear anything. "Reeve, who called you?"

"I don't know, just some guy."

I tried to make my way into what I thought was the TV room, but with no  lights it was hard to tell if I was going to walk into a wall or not. As  soon as we came around the corner and through the doorway, lights  flashed on and I heard a large group of people shout "Surprise!" Once my  eyes adjusted to the unexpected light I was completely shocked at what I  saw.

The room looked like someone had shaken a bottle of Pepto all over it.  There were pink streamers hanging from the ceiling, pink pillows and  blankets were all over the floor. An abundance of pink cotton candy was  everywhere, big jugs of pink lemonade, and a big pink banner hanging  above the large fireplace that read "We Love You, Reeve". There must  have been forty girls in the room, all dressed in pink. Some were from  our sorority and surprisingly some were girls Reeve and I were friends  with from high school. The swarm of girl came towards Reeve and started  enveloping her in hugs. I felt the tears building in my eyes as I saw  her smile. She was actually smiling. The grip that had been squeezing my  heart for the last six weeks eased at seeing her enjoying the company  of all of her friends.                       
       
           



       

"Hey you," I heard from behind me. I knew instantly it was Asher, but  turned around just needing to see his face. I ran right into his arms.

"You're ok," I breathed into his ear.

"Yeah, sorry. I had to come up with something that would make her come  too. I was hoping if you had an emergency she'd come out of her funk  enough to at least come over here with you." He nodded towards her.  "Looks like it worked."

"You did all of this?"

"Well, it was my idea, but all the brothers helped out. One of them even  drove back home to pick up a few girls who couldn't get rides down  here. We all feel really bad about what happened, and the house owes her  this. We need to make it right for her." In that moment, I was so  honored to even know Asher, let alone be his girlfriend. What  eighteen-year-old guy says something like that? Or even comprehends the  complexity of this situation like he did? And how was I so lucky that he  wanted to be with me? I shook my head as all those thoughts raced  around my brain.

"What is it?" He asked, looking in my eyes with his slate gray ones blinking back at me.

"Who are you, Asher? What kind of heart is beating in your chest that  makes you the most compassionate and thoughtful man I've ever met?" I  don't think I've ever referred to Asher as a man before. He had always  been a boy, or a guy. But never a man. This was exactly what it was to  be manly  –  to stand up for someone you cared about, to recognize a need  they had, and do everything in your power to make a situation right. I  never considered myself a woman either. I was a girl. But standing here  in Asher's arms, knowing what he had done for our friend, made the woman  in me want to be enough for this man. His answer was simply to lean  down and kiss me. He pulled away and reached down to a table behind the  couch. He turned back to me and handed me a bullhorn. I looked down at  it with confusion.

"So, the brothers are all strictly ordered to stay upstairs. There are  enough blankets and pillows and stuff so all you girls can enjoy your  sleepover. Pizza is on the way. A sappy chick flick is in the DVD  player. If you should need anything, use the alarm on the bullhorn and a  brother will be right down."

"Are you serious right now?"

"Yeah, we don't play, Bit. Anything you girls need, let us know."

I looked down at the bullhorn and thought of all the possibilities that  were held in my hand. I looked up at him through my lashes, trying to  hide my smile.

"So, no boys allowed downstairs, but can the girls go upstairs?" He  pulled me to him swiftly and tugged on the tail end of my hair angling  my head up towards him.

"Anything you need, Bit, I've got it for you."

"Good to know," I managed to squeak out, causing him to smile and laugh.

"There are some pink pjs in the bathroom next to the kitchen for you and Reeve."

"You've thought of everything haven't you?"

"Pretty damn close."

Asher kissed me then, long and deep enough to hold me over for a while,  but I wasn't sure I'd be able to stay away from him all night. After we  changed into our pink pajamas, Reeve and I went back into the party. I  smiled watching her talk with all of her friends, people she hadn't seen  or spoken with in weeks. I thought about how it might have been hard  for her to be back in the frat house, but all the girls were providing  enough of a distraction that she didn't seem to be bothered by being  back at the scene of her assault. I was glad for that. It would be hard  to avoid Asher's frat, and I didn't want anything to come between her  and I.

Throughout the night we found silly reasons to blow the bullhorn: asking  for more pillows, asking the boys to turn down the thermostat, wanting  our pizza to be warmed up in the microwave. After about five errands,  one of the girls got the bright idea to mandate the boys do our bidding  in their underwear. One of the upperclassmen, Miles, got on the bullhorn  and made the announcement.

"Alright Beta men, hear this! When it's your turn to service the ladies  downstairs," he waggled his eyebrows at us as he said this, "You must do  so in your underwear. Boxers or briefs boys, no commando  –  none of them  want to see that." A few girls groaned at the last part of the  statement, and I was sure he was wrong about that. I looked over at  Reeve and her face was bright with laughter. The boys were doing a great  job of cheering her up. For the next few hours we did everything we  could to get every Beta downstairs in his underwear.

Eventually the boys got creative and started fashioning underwear out of  weird things you'd find around the house. One guy came downstairs with  just a box a cheerios in front of his crotch. It was worth it to see the  tears streaming down Reeve's face from laughing so hard. He hadn't  really thought his idea through all the way and when he turned to leave,  after bringing Reeve the ridiculous Q-tips she had requested, he forgot  we could all see his naked ass. Hoots and hollers flooded through the  room at the sight of his bare backside.                       
       
           



       

I tried to wait anxiously for Asher's appearance. Finally, Reeve got on  the bullhorn and shouted towards the stairs, smiling through it all.