Page 6 of Forgotten Prejudice

“Come on, Ashy, you know you want it.” I fluttered my eyelashes at him like some chick until he smiled, for real this time, and agreed.

“Fuck yeah.” I fist-bumped him and was about to say I’d pick him up after work so we could drive straight from there when someone jumped on my back. Soon, Zoe’s arms wrapped around me, and she planted a kiss on my cheek.

“Hey, girl.” I smirked, moving my fingers through her wild curls while rubbing her head.

“What were you talking about?” she giggled, a big smile on her face.

After telling her about the party, she asked if it was okay for her to join.

“Yeah, of course. We’re gonna go there after Ash is done working, so—”

“Actually, I don’t think I can make it,” he suddenly said, turning my good mood sour.

“What do you mean?” I frowned at him, but he was already packing up his things.

“Yeah, I forgot I had plans with Aiden. But don’t worry about it.”

Here goes that fake smile again.

“You guys have fun.”

Not lingering another second, Ash tossed his backpack over his shoulder and walked away. In fact, he couldn’t have gotten out of here faster.

What the actual fuck?

Ash

Rob’s Restaurant was a local bistro I’d been working at for the past three years. At first, I was a busboy, but since starting junior year, I’d been working as a waiter, the same as Kai. Despite Rob being on the tough side, I loved it here. My mom used to work here when she was young, which was how she met my dad, so this place sometimes felt like a second home.

“Chief, any chance you can close up instead of me? I have an audition tomorrow morning, and I want to run lines one last time,” Isabel asked as I picked up some drinks from the bar.

Since I had no intention of going to the party and being the third wheel in the Kai and Zoe show, I agreed, and she thanked me with a hug.

“You’re the best,” she cheered, already taking off her apron.

“No worries. But when you’re a big star one day, remember me.”

She laughed and then told me good night before checking out.

We had low foot traffic today, so the rest of the shift went pretty chill. The kitchen had closed up already, and by now, I was the last of the staff left. Because it was almost time for me to go, I began polishing some glasses when a beautiful Ferrari stopped in front of the restaurant. It wasn’t odd to see fancy cars around, as it was Beverly Hills, but this one caught my eye. I wasn’t a motors fan myself, but Kai was, and I’d have to tell him about it.

I went back to polishing until the doorbell rang, announcing a new customer. Putting down the dishes I was cleaning, I rounded the bar and made my way to the entrance to tell them we were closed when I noticed who it was.

“Well, well,” Soren said with the same charming smile I remembered from the party. “If that isn’t fate, I don’t know what is.”

“H-Hey,” I blurted out awkwardly after stopping before him, my hand clenching the wet cloth I still held a bit harder.

“Ashton, was it?”

“Yeah, but you can call me Ash or Chief. Everyone calls me Chief.”

“Chief?” he asked in a low drawl that was too sexy. “I think Ashton suits you more.”

Not knowing what to say, I continued to stare at him until I realized it probably made me seem like a creep, and I forced my eyes away from his flawless face.

“I think I owe you an apology for disappearing the last time we met,” he said.

Despite abandoning me at the party, I didn’t dive too deep into it and simply assumed he’d figured out I was an idiot kid.