Note: Slightly nsfw for a couple suggestive screenshots, but nothing explicit!

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Asher realized that ‘hate’ was a very strong word, but the more time that passed, the more he felt like he was creeping dangerously closer and closer to hating his little sister.

She was taking her sickening obsession with Ollie to new heights lately, and seemed eager to find ways to shove it in Asher’s face whenever possible. Asher hadn’t really made it much of a secret that her constant talking about Oliver to anybody who’d listen annoyed the shit out of him, but that didn’t seem to bother Penny one bit.

At first, he’d tried ignoring it, but that was much easier said than done. Then he took to trying to be an obnoxious asshole right back at her — but Penny seemed completely immune. It was like she found some sick sort of satisfaction in pissing him off. He really wasn’t sure how much longer he could stand it, but what he was sure of was that he couldn’t stand HER.

Okay, that’s extreme. You don’t hate her, Asher reminded himself firmly as he stood outside in the hallway after Math class. Landon was lagging behind for a minute to ask Mr. Marshall something about the homework. She’s just annoying as fuck.

As though on cue, Penelope appeared around the corner, practically skipping down the hallway toward the door of Mr. Marshall’s classroom.

Oliver, who had been avoiding Asher’s gaze like he always did, smiled slightly as she approached.

“Hey, Ollie!” Penelope cooed. Was it Asher’s imagination, or did her eyes flick toward him for a moment? “How was class?”

Before Oliver could even answer, she pulled him in for a kiss. It was all Asher could do not to gag.

Unfortunately, despite the school’s rules, most teachers turned a blind eye to public displays of affection, which meant Penny never felt deterred from making her and Ollie’s relationship painfully obvious to anyone who would look.

It had gotten especially bad since she’d finally revealed her relationship with Ollie to their parents — Something which, to Asher’s horror, they hadn’t had a problem with.

They know Ollie. They love him. Why should they have a problem with it? The voice of reason in the back of his head had asked him. And why should YOU?

It was a question Asher still refused to answer. Just like he still refused to talk to Oliver, even more than two weeks after their fight.

“Hey, sorry for making you wait.” Landon’s voice called Asher back to the present.

He finally tore his eyes away from the nauseating makeout session. “It’s fine… Did you figure it out? The homework thing?” Over Landon’s shoulder, Asher noticed Ollie now looking in their direction, free from Penny’s embrace.

Landon nodded. “Kinda. I think so, anyway?”

“Well, we can always pick up your math tutoring where we left off, if we need to.” Asher half-teased.

“Yeah… But, uh, aren’t we already pretty busy with our other tutoring sessions?” A flirtatious smile worked its way across Landon’s lips as he spoke.

Asher’s heart fluttered, and he was unable to suppress a giggle at the other boy’s words.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Oliver give what appeared to be a heavy sigh before grabbing Penny’s hand and heading off down the hallway with her. Asher watched with an odd sort of bitterness as they disappeared up the stairs at the end of the hall.

“Ugh. It’s so stupid, isn’t it?” He muttered to Landon, his eyes still fixed on where his sister and Ollie had vanished just moments before. “She walks halfway across the damn school just so he can walk her back to her next class… And he goes along with it!”

“I know.” The playful, flirtatious tone had completely vanished from Landon’s voice. “You say that like, every day.” His irritation was painfully obvious.

Asher’s face fell instantly as he finally turned to face him. “Shit, I’m sorry.” Did he really complain about Ollie and Penny that much? “I didn’t mean to bitch about it again, I just…”

“It’s fine. Just… maybe try and not worry about it as much?” Landon suggested.

Asher gave him a small smile, relieved to be forgiven. “I will. And I’m still sorry for being obnoxious.”

Landon shrugged, the flirtatious glint in his eye returning. “Just means you’ll have to make it up to me later…”

And Asher most certainly did.

That afternoon at Landon’s house, once they’d finished binging a few episodes of the series they’d started last week, they’d wound up in Landon’s bedroom, just as they always did.

That was when Asher decided to put some of what Landon had been teaching him to the test.

And judging by Landon’s reaction, he was passing with flying colors.

They still hadn’t gone all the way yet — in truth, it was something that Asher was still pretty terrified of. But Landon was being incredibly patient and, in the meantime, Asher was getting to explore things he could only ever have dreamed of doing before — especially with Landon, of all people.

And, though he still often found himself spewing word-vomit in Landon’s presence, he managed to get his other spewing problem more under control… Which made things a hell of a lot less awkward (and honestly, more enjoyable too).

The goofy grin still hadn’t left Asher’s face by the time he’d arrived back home from Landon’s house that evening. It felt like a dead-giveaway of what he’d been up to, but then, Asher had a feeling his parents had already figured out what was going on.

Just last week, they’d roped him into the most unbelievably awkward sex-talk in the history of the world. He was practically cringing just thinking about it — All this talk about ‘consent’ and ‘trust’ and being ‘safe’… Half the shit they said literally sounded like it was taken verbatim from a parenting article. Then he realized that it probably WAS.

Hey, at least they’re trying, Asher told himself. That’s a hell of a lot more than poor Landon can say…

It was painful to see the absolute terror in Landon’s eyes when he thought he heard a car door slam or the sound of footsteps outside. Would it really be THAT big of a deal if his parents found out they were together? Asher kind of hoped he’d never have to learn the answer.

Despite this flurry of uncomfortable thoughts crossing his mind, Asher was still riding the high that his afternoon with Landon had given him. He was still wearing his goofy smile as he headed up the front steps and through the front door…

But it completely vanished when he saw who was waiting for him on the other side.

It was the first time he and Ollie had been face-to-face like this in weeks. Asher had apparently been so distracted by his thoughts of Landon that he’d completely missed noticing Oliver’s car parked out front.

“Oh… Hey.” Oliver muttered uncomfortably at the sight of him. “I was just on my way out…”

“Well don’t let me stop you.” Asher grumbled in reply, stepping aside to let the other boy pass.

To his dismay, however, Oliver stopped in his tracks. He seemed to be teetering on the edge of something for a moment, before a look of frustration finally found its way onto his handsome face. “Asher, come on… How long are we gonna keep this up?”

Til I can look at you and Penny without wanting to fucking SCREAM, Asher wanted to say. Instead, he just shrugged. “I dunno.”

“I just don’t know how many times I can say it.” Oliver continued desperately. “I’m sorry I lied to you, and I’m sorry for being such a dick about you and Landon.”

Asher shuffled his feet uncomfortably, wishing Oliver would just leave already. “Yeah, I know.” He mumbled. So why was it still so hard to forgive him?

“I really miss you, Ash.” Oliver continued, his expression suddenly soft. “I don’t want things staying like this forever.”

“Me neither.” Asher confessed, a small sigh of defeat passing his lips. “You’re still my best friend. And… I need you. Y’know?” Both his cheeks and heart felt warm as he spoke, especially when he saw Oliver’s smile. “Things are just… weird right now.”

“Yeah, I know.” His friend replied. “They’re weird for me too. And I don’t —”

“Ollie! I thought I heard your voice! What’re you still doing here?” Penelope’s shrill voice demanded from the foot of the stairs. “And why are you talking to him?” She asked, a look of disgust coming to her face as her eyes fell on her brother.

“Um, because he’s my friend?” Oliver was clearly taken aback by her question.

“Well he hasn’t been treating you like a friend lately, has he?” Penny shot back, though her eyes remained glued to Asher as she spoke.

“Yeah, well I was pretty shitty to him too, so…” Oliver replied with a small shrug.

Penny rolled her eyes dramatically at his reply. “Ugh! Will you stop defending him? You know he’s being like, super obnoxious about this whole thing, right? I’m sick of it!”

“Hey, why don’t you stay out of it, Penny?!” Asher snapped at her.

But she wasn’t backing down. “Sure! I’ll stay out of it as soon as you stop being a jealous jerk!”

A sudden and deafening silence fell over the three of them for a moment. It was finally broken by Oliver, who had begun backing awkwardly toward the front door. “Um… I… I’ve really gotta go… so… uh…”

Neither of the Rosebrook siblings even noticed him.

Asher felt his blood run cold at her words. Is she for real?! I’m gonna fucking kill her! “Jealous?! You think I’m jealous?! Of what?! What the hell are you talking about?!”

“Ha! Don’t pretend you don’t know!” His sister shot back. “I’m not blind — I’ve seen the way you’ve been looking at Ollie for like, ever. But you need to BACK OFF, okay?! He’s mine!” Penelope cried. “I thought dating one of the hottest guys in school would be enough for you to finally get over it, but I guess not…”

Asher’s entire body was on fire — and not in the pleasant way it was when he was with Landon. “Shut the fuck up! You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about!”

“Woah, woah, woah!” Their father had suddenly appeared in the hallway, stepping between them as he spoke. “What the hell’s going on in here?!”

Asher narrowed his eyes at his sister, but said nothing. Then, without another word, he turned on his heel and stomped up the stairs.

“Asher!” Xander’s voice boomed from the first floor.

He responded by slamming his bedroom door behind him.

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How fitting that we had a pretty dramatic chapter come out today to mark this anniversary 😛 Four years ago today was when the first chapter of Ashes to Ashes was published! 😮 I’m so grateful for everyone I’ve met over the course of writing this story! ❤ And I’d like to give a super-special shoutout to those of you who have been reading ever since the first chapter came out all those years ago! You guys are troopers! LOL Thank you for putting up with me for so long ❤

Hopefully by this time next year, the legacy will be finished!