The Space Between Us by Anie Michaels Read Free Book Online

sometimes. I breathed a sigh of relief. I didn't want there to be weirdness between us. Something told me, however, that the weirdness was something I was going to have to get used to. Things were slowly changing between us. I could feel it. And I knew he felt it too. I just didn't know what we were going to do about it.
     
       Freshman year continued without much incident. Asher and I still walked to and from school together, until basketball season when Asher made it on the Varsity team. It was quite a big deal to be put on the varsity team as a freshman and he was doing amazingly well. He didn't always get to start, but he always played, and I was so proud of him. Reeve and I went to most of his games and cheered him on. I even had my dad help me make a special jersey that had seventeen on it, his lucky number.
       At one of his games, a girl who looked like she could have been a junior or senior sat next to Reeve and me. She saw me cheering Asher on and kept sending glances my way. Finally she said something to me half-way through the game.
       “Your boyfriend is really good.” I turned toward her, finally able to look at her without it being weird. She had long blonde hair and it was split in to two braids that hung down past her shoulders. Just as I started to answer her, Asher made a three-point shot and the crowd erupted into intense screaming. After a few seconds the noise died down enough that I was able to answer. I leaned towards her but only turned my head far enough to make sure she heard me, but not far enough to take my eyes off the court. I didn't want to miss anything.
       “He is really good, but he's not my boyfriend.”
       “He's not?” The blatant surprise in her voice had me turning to look at her again. “That's interesting.”
       I did not like the way she said that. It was as if I had just told her that there was one piece of chocolate fudge cake left just for her.
       “I just always see you guys together, and you're always at his games, wearing his jersey.” She said, looking at me with a perfectly pleasant expression on her face that for some reason I wanted to smack off of her.
       “Well,” I said, trying not to sound too irritated by her, “Asher is my best friend and I am just supporting him.”
       “So, he's single?” Single? He wasn't dating. You couldn't be “single” unless you were on the market, right? Asher wasn't on the market, was he? I tried to keep the panic from my eyes.
       “He's not dating anyone, no.” I murmured.
       “Interesting.” There was that damn word again. I exhaled loudly. Reeve, sitting next to me, heard everything. She leaned over to me.
       “Just tell her he's taken,” she whispered. My head snapped back to look at her.
       “But he's not,” I whispered back. She rolled her eyes at me.
       “Yes, he is. You guys just won’t admit it.” I felt the blood rushing to my face. I hated how easily I blushed anymore.
       “We're just friends, Reeve, for like, the thousandth time.” I said with exasperation. Reeve winked at me, and then leaned forward and half-shouted to Pippi Longstocking next to me.
       “Hi, I'm Reeve, Asher's friend. You know, number seventeen? Anyway, I heard you asking about his status and he is definitely single. And he loves blondes. You should ask him out.” I was sure the heat with which my stare pinned Reeve down was going to melt her face right off. Making sure my face was hidden from the blonde beauty I mouthed at Reeve, “What are you doing?!” Reeve shrugged, rolling her eyes, then leaned into me.
       “Maybe you guys just need a push.” She grinned wickedly at me. I scowled back at her.
       “How do you know he likes blondes?” I asked, not sure where the question came from.
       “I don't know if he likes blondes, but I'm betting on brunettes,” Reeve answered with a wink.
       I was thoroughly confused, but too distraught to do anything about it. I knew Asher