Chapter 34- The Love That Must Go On

Chapter 34 - The Love That Must Go On

Kim's POV

Sitting on Asher's lap my mind went blank. Thinking about the first day he told me he loved me...

It was like any normal day. It was during our seventh grade year, we were walking back home from school taking our usual rout. Asher had changed over the summer. New short haircut, nicer clothes, and had grown some few inches too. I on the other hand looked ridiculously gross. I had just gotten my braces on and a new pair of glasses. Hoodies and sweatpants were my new favorite thing.

Walking towards Asher's house he was making me double over laughing, so hard that my sides ached, my stomach felt like I was putting on abs, and I couldn't breathe. Nothing new, he always made me feel this way.

"Do it again! Do it-" I tried telling him in between laughs.

"Alright, alright. Last time!" He vows, "'Children! Settle down, this isn't a fun house this is a fundamental and educational school. We do not tolerate this kind of behavior-' 'FOOD FIGHT!'"

I laugh at him in his attempt of a squeaky, nasally, female voice. Ms. Burns, our English teacher that was on lunch duty today. She came rushing over to our table yelling at Tyler and Asher to quiet down because they were being obnoxious, but before she could finish her unlikeable speech an eighth grader yelled food fight from across the cafe splattering ketchup over some boys white sweatshirt.

"Thank you, thank you. I do try. I will be on Comedy Central every Thursday at eight." He says flattered, watching me laugh my butt off.

For some reason I remember that joke. And of course the horrible Ms. Burns we had for an English teacher. I remembered every little detail about that day, it's the one day that sticks so well to me for many reasons.

We were "studying" in Ash's room when his phone rang for the fiftieth time since we had arrived. It was starting to bug me that this girl wouldn't stop texting him, it was really annoying. I wanted to spend quality time with Asher and this chick wasn't letting us be. I could understand though, he was bored of me, who wouldn't; I was a boring person.

"I think you can tell that chick to lay off for the night." I said in a tight smile but trying to look joking about it. I just really wanted to get my work done.

"How 'bout lay on me tonight." He replied smudged with a devilish smirk.

My eyes bugged out of my sockets fitting in the pieces together. Was he seriously thinking that?! That's so gross! That's so criminal! "Ash, are you serious? You're too young to think-never mind do that stuff."

"Why, is someone jealous?" He smirked, looking up from his phone.

I shook my head fiercely like he had gone insane, I could feel the heat rising from my neck and up my cheeks, "No way, dude! Not until a very long time. I especially wouldn't have my first with some random man-whore slut. As shouldn't you."

Why were we even talking about this? We're thirteen for crying out loud! No one need to start accidentally making babies!

"Loosen up, K. You're starting to sound like a parent." He grumbled playfully nudging my arm. I rolled my eyes finishing up my Algebra homework as he went on texting away. It was getting really annoyed with that girl and him. Especially with those buttons on the phone going click, click, click, click.

"Dude can you cut it out and tell that girl good bye already." I said in my real annoyed tone not caring to cover it up with something sweet.

"What gotten into you?" He asks, pushing his eye brows together with a confused look on his face.

"Nothing! You get number three yet?" I asked looking over my science homework now.

"Clearly you're aggravated and it's with me because no one else is in the room."

"No, that's not the answer." I mumble, "I think it's H2O."

"Are you seriously mad about this girl? And it's not H2O because that's water. The answer is iron."

"UGH, thank you. I hate science." I replied not bothering to answer his simple question.

"Kim. Seriously? That girl means nothing to me. She's in ninth grade, I know she wants to get in my pants because she's flirting her ass off. I don't care about any of those girls in school, the only girl I care about is you, always and no matter what." He vowed. I peeked up at him over my glasses seeing his deep and earnest face.

"Really?" I managed out since my voice happened to be lost at the same moment he told me something as sweet as that!

"Really. I only love you, only you. You're the only girl that I'm ever going to care about...."

*

I was the only girl he cared about, and he's loved me since. He never broke that promise. It always came true to the very end. It felt like it was just yesterday that he first told me he loved me and we were laughing about Ms. Burns, and talking about.... Wow we were young!

Finally looking up into shiny blue eyes I stuttered a bit blinking back my shock, "I'm sorry.... That now I'm making you wait. I know you love me Asher, you've always have some way, even if I didn't see it the way I wanted it. I do love you back and I do want to be with you if you mean all those things, but-" I took in a deep shaky breath turning in his lap so see him straighter. "I don't want to lose you or our friendship. I rather have friendship forever than a faulty relationship. I want to always know that no matter what we go through that you'll always be there because I can't- I won't stand- to lose you either way."

I let go the breath that I was unaware of holding, feeling drunken unstable, but I'm sober so I guess drunk is not the right word. I just can't think properly at the moment. My head is spinning faster than the Earth on it axis.

I was stilling on his lap. Now looking down at my fingers that I was playing around with to distract me. He stopped me grabbing my hands into his, pulling my chin to look at him. "I will always be there for you. I can't emphasis always enough. No matter what we go through I'm always going to need you too, because I love you all that much. It doesn't hurt to try to work things out between us, but I know nothing will go wrong. Sure we'll have our fights and disagreements, but at the end of the day I know we'll be fine."

I nod my head slowly, I need to be with Asher. It wasn't a want, it was a need. I need Asher to survive, to hold on to life and all that mushy romantic stuff. I know we'll have our fights, we still do now and we get over them quickly. "As long as you don't stop loving me I promise to never stop loving you back." I vow to him, squeezing his hand tighter in my grip.

He broke into a smile squeezing my hands together with his. "I love you Kimberly Ann Taylor. And I promise I'll never let you go and I'll always love you, forever."

I laugh, smiling widely as I place my lips on his. I felt him tense up in shock, but he felt relived soon after kissing me back softly. Just kissing him sends butterflies all through my stomach, and my heart raced frantically in my chest. I felt like my whole body melted on to him, his delicate soft lips pressed back with just the perfect amount of pressure. It was better than any other kiss I ever had. Besides our first kiss- the one I could remember like this morning- this was the best. Nothing beats a first kiss.

"I forgot to tell you something." I whisper against his lips, our breaths still mingled together.

"What?" He asks, with a sheer smile.

"Last night.... It wasn't our first kiss." I watch his face scrunch up in confusion, looking at me like I had gone crazy.

"What do you mean?" He wonders.

"I mean that last night wasn't our first kiss. Last month, Thanksgiving, when you were drunk you stayed with me that night. Just as we were about to fall asleep, you kissed me." I confess.

"Really? And all this time you didn't tell me? I thought you acted different that day, I just didn't know why." He confesses as well with a minor chuckle.

"Well now you know." I respond with a gentle and caring smile. "I love you too, Ash."

He chuckles lightly, the biggest smile crept on his face as he kisses my nose and both my cheeks, "I am much happier now."

"Me too." I agree, wrapping my arms around his neck, stroking the back of his soft silky hair. He leans down pecking my lips gently until we heard a loud call from my dad.

"Kids! Who wants to open presents!?"

"Me, me, me, me, me, me!" they all shouted with squeals. Their footsteps sounded like an elephant stamped coming up the stairs.

I looked to the closed office door a little panicked, but then settled down when it was closed, "I think that's our cue."

He kisses me one last time on my forehead before I scoot off him. As he stood up I wiped away the shiny pink lip gloss off his mouth so people didn't question it too much. He grabs my hand, lacing our fingers together, walking out if the room. We were alone in the empty hall way when I remembered something.

Spinning him around I planted a small kiss on his lips, just before we entered the living room. "That's for the mistletoe." I smirk walking into the room. I could hear him laughing behind me.

I sat on the floor behind Bay and Shay watching them open up a small square package with a cute red ribbon on it. It was from me of course, only I could make a bow that decent in the family.

"Oh my gosh! Bay look! I got Monster High, and Barbie Jet, Set,& Style game for my DSI!" Shay squealed shoving it in her face.

"I got Imagine Fashion Designer-World Tour, and AHH! The new Netendogs and Cats! Look Shay it has that poodle in the front!" Bay gloated, the widest smile spread on her face.

"Quick who is it from?!" Shay wonders desperately looking through the wrapping paper for the sticker, "Merry Christmas- Love Kimmy - Kimmy!" She shouts out, whipping her head around looking for me.

I pulled both of them into a hug giggling with them, "Merry Christmas girls."

"Thank you. Thank you, so much!" They babble hugging me back.

"You're welcome. Besides, I had a little help from Ash." I said with a smiling wink.

"Kimberly, this one's for you. Merry Christmas darling." My Aunt Stella said smiling, handing me a small square box.

"Thanks Auntie, you too." I said politely ripping apart the gold rapper. Behind it revealed a pink box of perfume from DKNY. I smiled opening the box to smile it, oh God this smells amazing!

"Sweet! I got the new WWE '11!" Nick shouts standing up from his place. He was half way to the door before my mom caught him.

"No way young man. You have to wait until after, and say thank you to your Aunt Rachel." Mom directs to him.

"Thanks Auntie! You're the best!" He shouts sitting back down near the Christmas tree.

"Oh....My....God!" Ivy said slowly standing up with a hug gawking expression on her face. Oh no here it comes.... Dear God who gave it to her this year- "I got the new Just Dance! AAAAHHHHH!" She shrieks, jumping up and down. Every year since any new dance game came out someone bought it for her. The person who did buy it for her was in for everyone murdering them because Ivy would nonstop play it for the rest of winter break. Then she'll start shouting and screaming and all that other crazy stuff she does while playing it. She thinks she's so good that she even puts on a dance show for us every New Year.

The guys however get super mad because when they're down stairs playing their new games Ivy is there standing by them begging and whining to play her game. It can get wicked annoying!

"AAAAHHH! Thank you so much Aunt Lauren and Uncle Gorge!" She squeals running up to my parents to hug them. Great, of course my parents are the one to buy her that game! Nick is going to get an ear full tonight.

I rolled my eyes then smile quickly to my Aunt Rachael who gave me a white envelope, "You're getting too old, and you must have everything already." She laughs, kissing my cheek and giving me a hug.

"Yeah, I do now." I smile looking over at Asher. He was explaining a game to Nick and Shane. I guess I do have everything now. He looks up to me quickly smiling then looking back at Nick, handing him back his game.

"I got something for you." He sings, rocking back and forth on his heels with his hands in his pocket.

"My room?" I offer gesturing to it, since that's where I kept his present too.

We left the living room jogging up the two flights of stairs to my room. I shut the door behind us turning on the lights. I turned around facing Asher sitting on the edge of my bed with a small box in his hand.

I smiled sitting next to him as I unwrapped the silver wrapping carefully. Surly he didn't do it, it was too neat and perfect. It was a small black box. It wasn't a deep box, but flat. There was a single gold thin stripe running along the edge of the box. Slowly I opened it revealing the most beautiful thing I ever seen. In the box, resting on the white padding was a single silver chain with an infinity pendent. It had diamonds on the front of one loop, it wasn't too big and it wasn't tiny, it was perfect. It was adorable, I can't believe he bought me this.

"Oh my God Ash. It's- it's- beautiful!" I gawked letting the thin chain draped over my fingers.

"Infinity, always and forever. Katie, uh, helped me out a bit." He confesses, his cheeks turning a bit red.

"I love it. Here help me put it on." I said taking it from the box and sweeping my hair away from my neck. His fingers brushed the back of my neck lightly, then down my collar bone making me shiver. I turned around smiling down at my necklace that I was playing with between my fingers. It's gorgeous, I don't think I could ever take it off.

"Thank you. I got you something too." I tell him, turning away to look under my bed. I pull out the white and gold box with a red bow on top of it. It was slightly larger than the box he gave me, but the gift itself was much smaller. "Merry Christmas." I say giving it to him.

He loosened the thick red knot that held it all together. His eyes widen as he reads the bold words on the box, flipping the box over and over in disbelief. "You got me a Go-Pro!" He shouts.

"Yeah! I know you wanted one for a while so you could attach it to your helmet when you go snowboarding.

"You didn't need to spend that much money. Oh my God." He shuns, then practically squeals when he looks back down at the box.

"And miss this reaction? Priceless." I tell him with a shake of my head. His eyes widening reading everything written on the box. I played with my new necklace, feeling the rough sharpness of the diamonds across my finger. Best Christmas that I'll remember forever.

"I can' wait to use it!" He exclaims, itching to open the box and take it out. "Thank you, really. This will be the best Christmas present anyone has ever got me. Thank you." He says delighted, leaning down to kiss me for the longest time. It felt good kissing Asher, but at the same time it felt weird. Thinking about that I was kissing my best friend sent a squeamish feeling in my stomach. Yet I avoided it, because his kisses are amazing, no wonder why girls are always all over him!

"Asher! Kimberly! Come down for pictures!" My mother calls from down stairs.

I groan, pulling Asher away from my lips. Please God no, not another group picture! They take so long! Someone is either making goofy faces, someone blinked, someone is hitting the other, can't stand still, have to go to the bathroom, etc., etc. There always something.

"Let's pretend we're not up here." I plead to Asher with a desperate look in my eyes.

He chuckles, kissing my nose and pulling me off the bed with him, "I need that picture taken though."

"Why?" I ask with a puzzled look.

"I want to look back and be like 'oh hey, this is the first Christmas that Kimmy and I made it official.'" He says.

"Actually the first day but we can go with that too." I correct with a smile as we started walking down the stairs hand in hand.

"Alright now everyone squish together. Come on, no one's going to bite." My mother said moving everyone closer together.

"Um, I'm pretty sure Ivy bites. And hard." Mason jokes, getting placed next to her. He groans rolling his eyes, elbowing Shane to switch places.

"I do not bite!" Ivy shouts crossing her arms over her chest with a scowl on her face.

"Bay, Shay, get into the picture too. Come on now, don't be shy." Mom insisted placing them right in the front.

"Maybe if we stand by the door way we won't get noticed!" I whisper excitedly behind Ash, blocking me from view.

"Yeah! And maybe if I click my ruby red heels three times I'll magically appear home." He retorts sarcastically. I playfully punch him in the shoulder and instead of get the initial fake whine in pain response he chuckles.

"Asher! Kimberly! Come stand over here! Hurry, hurry." Mom waves over to us, pointing to stand next to Ivy at the end. Oh great.

"Hey couz. Have a nice kissy time with Ashy upstairs." Ivy teases to my face.

"Um, shut up and mind your own business. Jealousy doesn't suit you either." I tell her with a scowl on my face. With a hrmp, she turns away.

As my mom searched for batteries for the camera my phone vibrates in my back pocket. It was a single text from Spencer. I looked over nervously to Asher, but he was talking to my Uncle John off to the side. I opened the texted feeling like I was having an anxiety attack. Why now? After everything that just happened! I feel like he's watching me right now. Oh God why do this to me?

"Hey babe! Wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas! Love & miss you.

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