**Chapter 3: Behind Closed Doors**

The question hung in the air, a challenge and an invitation all at once. Asher felt his heart racing, his mind reeling with possibilities, as he took a step closer to the boy he had been trying to hate for so long. Ryder's eyes seemed to bore into his soul, as if searching for something hidden deep within. Asher's gaze faltered, and he looked away, his eyes drifting to the faded posters on the walls. The fluorescent light above flickered, casting eerie shadows on the walls as Asher took another step forward. The pool table, with its worn green felt and rusty metal frame, seemed to loom between them, a barrier waiting to be crossed. Ryder's voice, low and husky, sent a shiver down Asher's spine as he spoke again, "I didn't ask you to follow me, Asher. But since you're here, I suppose we can talk." Asher's eyes snapped back to Ryder's, a spark of defiance igniting within him. "Talk?" he repeated, his voice laced with skepticism. "About what?" Ryder's expression remained impassive, but a hint of a smile played on his lips. "About us, I suppose," he said, his voice dripping with a casual indifference that belied the tension in the air. The word "us" hung between them like a challenge, a gauntlet thrown down. Asher felt his heart stumble, his breath catching in his throat. He hadn't expected this, hadn't expected Ryder to be so... direct. For a moment, he was back in the crowded room, his eyes locking with Ryder's across the dance floor. The memory sent a shiver down his spine, and he forced himself to focus on the present. Ryder's eyes seemed to gleam in the dim light, his pupils dilating as he leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. "We've been dancing around this for years, Asher," he said, his voice low and urgent. "We've been pretending that nothing exists between us, that we're just two acquaintances who happen to share a few mutual friends. But the truth is, there's always been something between us." Asher felt his face grow hot, his skin prickling with unease. He didn't know how to respond, didn't know how to process the emotions swirling inside him. Ryder's words struck a chord, a chord that resonated deep within him. He remembered the nights he'd spent thinking about Ryder, wondering what it would be like to touch him, to kiss him. The memories came flooding back, and Asher felt himself drowning in a sea of uncertainty. The air in the room seemed to thicken, the silence between them growing heavier with every passing moment. Asher's heart pounded in his chest, his mind racing with possibilities. He took a deep breath, the sound echoing through the room like a challenge. "What do you propose we do about it?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Ryder's smile grew, his eyes glinting with a mischievous spark. "I think we can start by being honest with ourselves," he said, his voice dripping with suggestion. "By acknowledging that there's something between us, something worth exploring." Asher's heart skipped a beat as Ryder's words hung in the air, a promise and a warning all at once.