Aly-Oops!

Chapter 17: Power in Numbers

"And where exactly were you, Missy!"
I am face to face with my parents and Josh, all with their hands on their hips.
"I was hanging out with Mia! I'm sorry..I should of told you where I was." I say sincerely.
"Or you could have responded to our calls." Mom tells me.
Yeah, and so can Asher...but maybe I don't want him to call back anymore.
"You called me?"
"It doesn't matter right now, Eva." Dad shakes his head.
"Come sit, Alessa. There's something we need to tell you."
"There's also something I need to tell you." I respond, sitting myself down at the table.
"You go first." Dad tells me.
"Well...While I was Mia she introduced me to all her nice friends and I'm thinking...I want to cheer again. The girls were really nice and welcoming, and I really fit right in." I say with a smile.
"You want to get down that pathway? We Roths are not meant to simply 'fit in'."
My smile fades.
"Dad, I was happy! Is that what really matters for you or is there something else?"
"Well, Sweetie, you can look into athletics if you really want to, but Dad and I think it would be best for you to go to Krembly Prepatory School."
My eyes widen.
"Krembly Prep? But I thought I would really enjoy spending my last year with Asher at his school. The cheer girls were super sweet and welcoming."
"Aly, we know what's best for you. You will find your niche for the next five years. They guarantee to get you into UPenn or your money back! That means all of your friends from senior year will continue will you through college. Look into their statistics, Alessa!"
"I'm not sure why I'm still not convinced."
"I thought UPenn was always your dream, Alessa? Why suddenly you're not impressed?" Mom asks.
"It is my dream. But this is my last real year to just stop and take it all in. To not be thinking about my life and my future. Just be a kid, and experience something I truly have always wanted. Everything I didn't get back in Ohio."
"Alright, whatever you say, Alessa..."
"Dad! I know we came here because we wanted Josh to go to a specific school, but you don't need to do the same for me! I was happy for once! You want to ruin that?" I feel my voice grow stronger and louder.
"Can you at least agree to visit the school and take a tour? You can pick the day and time. Whenever you are free, Alessa..."
"Forget it! I don't want to have this conversation anymore!"
I run to my room. I just want to be alone right now.

Dad claims they have great stats, great numbers. Well you know what I think has great numbers? The amount of amazing new girl friends I would have at Ash's school, Lighten High School
I slip out my phone, I guess it couldn't help to google this place...

What's kind of weird is I don't remember searching for any of these things on my search history..including..Asher Westman?...

-Asher Westman
-Asher Westman Villanova
-Asher Westman College Basketball
scandal
-Asher Westman Philadelphia Ohio controversy
-Asher Westman background history

I nearly fall over...
I never searched for any of this!
Well, I mean if it's here I may as well look at what all of this is about. What's going on with Asher? Actually, not knowing what's going on with Asher is kind of an understatement.

An article from some minor league news network pops up.

BREAKING: ASHER WESTMAN: What is going on with this PRE-FRESHMAN walk on? Are the shocking rumors true? Fans, Prepare to be ashamed of him!

Wait what?
Asher's not a walk on! He was recruited for the team! Wasn't he? Asher swore to me he would never do anything too stupid...Was it drugs? Was it a crime? What's going on with my Asher?!
I hope everything is ok..
I also really hope he will return my call already. I know he wrote something about being single in the magazine but I still care about him. There's something about Asher I was always feel. It's difficult to describe, he's just a really special person. Even if we end up moving on in fifteen years or so, if Ash ends up finding a 'Nova trophy wife and maybe I find a scholarly intellectual at Penn in some lab...Asher will always have a special place with me.
He's my first real boyfriend, and hopefully he will be my only one.