Asher’s lips were still stretched into a goofy grin as he made his way outside through the front doors of the school. He knew he looked like an idiot, but he didn’t care — he’d just had yet another great tutoring session with Landon.

It was hard to say what was making him smile more — how fun it was spending time with his crush and getting to know him better, or seeing how much amazing progress he’d made over the past few weeks?

Definitely both, Asher decided. He was the epitome of both proud tutor and giddy fanboy rolled into one. It had been about a month since he’d started tutoring Landon after school, and things just kept getting better and better — in more ways than one.

Their relationship was still nothing more than tutor and tutee, of course. But seeing how much Landon had learned, combined with feeling like they were starting to form a sort of friendship was just incredible. And Asher hoped that it would stay that way.

“There you are!” Penelope’s high-pitched voice called Asher back to the present as she came running up to him, looking irritated. “Jeez, I was starting to think you forgot or something.”

He grumbled at her less-than-warm greeting. “Wow, nice to see you too, sis.” Asher let out a sigh of annoyance. “I could just let you walk home, y’know.”

“Yeah, right! Mom and Dad would kill you!” She was clearly unfazed by his empty threat. “Anyway, I wanted to ask… have you seen Ollie anywhere?”

His brow furrowed slightly in confusion at her question. “Wasn’t he at play tryouts with you?”

“He was, but after his audition, I think he got a text from somebody? Something bad, maybe.” Penelope explained, her face suddenly etched with worry. “He was looking down at his phone like he was really upset about something, then he got up and left. He didn’t say anything to anybody. It was weird.”

“And you didn’t try following him or anything?” Asher asked almost skeptically. With how his sister had been practically stalking Ollie since Homecoming, he was surprised she didn’t hover and try to get involved.

“I wanted to.” Penelope confessed. “But I was up next! I couldn’t miss my audition!”



Asher couldn’t help but roll his eyes. It didn’t matter how important it was to him, not even if it was tutoring with Landon — He would have dropped anything and everything in a heartbeat if he thought something was wrong with Oliver. But of course his sister was too selfish to do the same. Typical Penny.

“Guess I’ll stop by his place after I drop you off.” Asher replied, hoping to mask his own concern.

Something in his gut told him that it wasn’t anything that Earth-shatteringly terrible. Oliver would have sought him out immediately if it was. He was sure of it. But still… the fact remained that something was wrong, which meant that Oliver needed him.

As he led Penelope to his car, Asher pulled out his phone, his earlier euphoria from Landon all but forgotten. He wanted to make sure everything really was okay, relatively speaking, before he made his way over there.

Poor Ollie… Asher’s heart sank as he re-read his friend’s messages. Something he’d learned a long time ago was that Oliver had been dealt a pretty shitty hand, as far as dads go — His music career may not have been quite as successful as his ex’s acting one, but Ollie’s father managed to hold onto his fame in his own way. He partied constantly, was known for sleeping with younger women, and ended up with his name in the tabloids almost weekly.

Asher had only met the man once in all the years he’d known Oliver. He’d seemed charming enough with his handsome smile and British accent, but also very… Asher paused for a moment as he tried to think of the right word. Superficial, he decided. Like everything was just an act. Too bad Mr. Rucker lives thousands of miles away, Asher thought. He’d fit right in in Hollywood.

After dropping his little sister off at home, Asher headed straight to Oliver’s house. As usual, he gave a little wave to the security camera as he punched in the key code to open the gate, and made his way slowly up the long and winding driveway.

He was unsurprised to find Callie at home; according to Oliver, ever since returning from her recent press tour, she hadn’t signed on for anything new yet. ‘Taking a breather,’ she always liked to call it — something Asher secretly wished his own parents would start doing more of.

“Hi sweetie!” Oliver’s mother smiled brightly as she let him in. “Ollie didn’t mention you were stopping by.”

“Kind of a last-minute thing.” He explained with a shrug. “Is he in his room?”

She nodded, then lowered her voice, her expression suddenly serious. “I’m really glad you came. Ollie seems pretty down, but he wouldn’t tell me what was going on… Can you make sure he’s okay?”

Asher smiled. “I’m on it, don’t worry.”

“Thanks.” She looked visibly relieved at his response. “Listen, I’m expecting a call in a few minutes, but if you guys need anything just holler down, okay?”

“Of course. Later, Callie.”

He watched as she disappeared down the hallway, then he headed up one of the giant staircases, making his way through the opulent mansion toward his best friend’s bedroom.

Oliver met him halfway there, his smile obviously forced but still as handsome as ever as he approached. “Hey, sorry… It’s hard to hear the doorbell up here, and, y’know, it’s also like a three mile walk to the front door, so…”

Asher laughed. “Yeah, your mom’s house is basically big enough to have its own moon… But I’m used to it by now. You know that!”

“Well, thanks for coming. Part of me’s almost surprised you did though. I mean, tearing yourself away from your precious Landon like that… Wow. Must’ve been brutal.”

Asher did not miss the strange bitterness behind his friend’s teasing. It was all he could do not to roll his eyes. Oliver had been acting so weird about Landon ever since Asher started tutoring him — either teasing Asher for all the time he spent with Landon or getting annoyed and trying to change the subject any time Landon’s name came up.

Am I really THAT annoying? Asher wondered. And what a hypocrite! Like he hasn’t been just as obnoxious with all his stupid flirting with Penny too. What the hell did he see in her anyway?

Fortunately, the tense moment was fleeting. “Seriously though, thanks for coming.” Oliver continued, no longer teasing. “But you really didn’t have to. I’m being such a fucking baby about this whole thing. I’m probably making way too big a deal about it…”

Asher couldn’t help a small laugh, his previous irritation now forgotten. “Okay, is this like Jeopardy or something? Where you’re gonna give me everything but the actual answer?”

“Ha-ha.” Oliver beckoned for Asher to follow him back to his bedroom, the smile suddenly fading from his face. “Look, I’ll tell you in here… I don’t want Mom hearing and flipping her shit. She’ll take any excuse to hate Dad even more…”

Asher felt his heart sink at Oliver’s words. “How bad are we talking here?” He asked uncertainly as they crossed the threshold into his friend’s large bedroom.

“Nothing horrific, but bad enough that I really just need to vent about it to somebody.” Oliver confessed softly.

Then they sat on the edge of his bed, and he told Asher everything.

Apparently, his dad was getting married… again. And, to make matters worse, the whole thing felt like some kind of shotgun thing — Mr. Rucker had planned the wedding for less than two months from now, right around Christmas.

“Can you fucking believe it?!” Oliver cried angrily. “For the first time in YEARS, he asks me to come visit for Christmas. And I think to myself ‘Holy shit, Dad actually wants to spend time with me for once?!’ Then after he ropes me into saying yes, he drops THIS on me. It was all just some stupid trick to get me to say I’d come.”

Asher shook his head in disbelief. “Have you even met this chick before?”

“Nope. They haven’t even been dating for a YEAR yet! I bet he knocked her up or something. Dad keeps saying no, but this wouldn’t be the first time he’s lied to me, so…”

Asher sighed softly. “I’m sorry man. That’s so fucked.”

“Yeah, and I haven’t even told you the best part…” Oliver’s face was a mixture of pure anger and disgust. “Guess how old she is!”

The way Oliver asked made Asher assume this was the youngest yet. He tried to think back on how young Mr. Rucker’s previous two wives had been before responding. “Twenty-seven?” He tried.

Oliver shook his head. “Twenty-fucking-three.”

“Holy FUCK.” Mr. Rucker was at least twice that woman’s age. Asher couldn’t even wrap his mind around it. Ollie’s newest stepmom was gonna be just six years older than him?!

“How much longer is he gonna keep pulling this shit?!” Oliver continued. His voice shook slightly as his words grew louder and louder. “All these women are just using him for his money! Why can’t he see it? And why does he care more about all his stupid trophy wives than his own kid?!”

Asher watched as Oliver dropped his face into his hands, weeping. In all the years they’d known each other, he’d never seen his best friend cry before. The sight broke his heart.

“I’m sorry… I’m such a fucking baby.” Oliver choked out between sobs. “I just wish…” He left the sentence unfinished as he began to cry even harder.

“I’m sorry. That fucking sucks.” Asher muttered awkwardly. “But he’s just… I’m sure he…” He hesitated. What the hell was he supposed to say? How could he make things better?

He thought back to just a few years before — the only time he’d ever cried in front of Oliver. Asher remembered what a crying, confused mess he’d been when he opened up about how terrified he was of coming out to Lily and breaking her heart.

Oliver had barely said a word. He just stayed by his side and listened. And that had been enough. More than enough, really.

So maybe I don’t have to say anything either. Asher realized. “It’s gonna be okay. Come here.” He finished at last, reaching out to pull Oliver into his arms.

His best friend clung to him desperately, a few tiny sobs passing his lips. It was the most vulnerable Asher had ever seen his friend. And, oddly enough, Asher was fairly certain that he felt closer to Oliver in that moment than he ever had before.

He felt a warmth in his chest as he held his friend so close to him. It was a nice feeling. Comforting. And hopefully Ollie felt some of that same comfort too.

“God, I really needed that… Thanks, Asher.” He whispered at last, his voice soft and tender in Asher’s ear. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

Asher said nothing as Oliver continued to hold him. He kept waiting for his friend to release him from his embrace, but he never did. The longer he spent in Oliver’s arms, the more Asher felt the warmth in his chest transform into something else entirely. He could sense some of his long-forgotten feelings bubbling their way to the surface, like they often did when Oliver teased and flirted with him.

He finally pulled away from Oliver, shaking the feelings away the best he could. “Well, like my Opa Phoenix would say, ‘It’s important to process your emotions, and release them in a healthy way.’” He giggled at his own awful imitation of his grandfather’s heavy German accent. “Or some therapist shit like that, I dunno.”

Oliver laughed heartily, wiping away what remained of his earlier tears. “Wow… deep. So, uh, you’re planning on helping people with their physical health someday, right? Not mental?”

Asher laughed at his friend’s question. “What the hell’s that supposed to mean?!”

“That you’d be a shitty therapist.” Oliver teased.

“Well, hopefully I make up for it by being a damn good friend?”

Oliver gave him a gentle smile. “The best.” He assured him. “I meant what I said before… you’re amazing, Ash. Probably the most amazing person I know…”

Neither of them spoke for a moment or two. The way Oliver was looking at him sent a strange little flutter through Asher’s stomach. He tried his best to ignore it.

“So… what do you wanna do now?” He asked, eager to break the unusual silence that had fallen over the two of them. “I mean, if you wanna take your mind off shit, we could play some Bloodwatch or something?” He offered. “Or we could text Lily and see if she wants to hang out? Or…?”

Oliver let out a soft sigh, shaking his head almost in amusement.

“What?” Asher asked curiously.

“Nothing.” Ollie shook his head once more as he pulled his phone from his pocket. “And yeah, let’s see if Lil wants to meet us at the mall or something. I could use some shitty food court garbage right now. Nothing cheers me up more than some nice greasy french fries…” His fingers danced across the screen, already typing the message.

Asher laughed. “Have I ever shown you that article I read about the dangers of emotional eating?”

His best friend rolled his eyes, but smiled. “And have I ever told you to shut the fuck up?” He shot back.

“All the time! But the better question is have I ever listened?”