Asher's Heart

Chapter 19

I could see faint dark circles under his eyes. How long had he been staying awake at nights?

"You will get yourself ill if you continue this," I said.

He scowled at me, his blue eyes hardening.

"I have said it before and I will say it again. It. Doesn't. Concern. You," he said sharply.

I felt a pang of hurt. Why do I keep doing this when he clearly doesn't want me to? I blame it on my stubbornness.

"And I will say it again that it does," I said.

He rose form the couch.

"Why?" he raised his voice but not enough to wake anyone.

"Because...because..." I stalled, racking my brain for a reason but I came up short.

"See Anderson? You don't even know why you're doing what you're doing. Take my advice and let me be. Forget you saw me here and go back," he said but his eyes said the exact opposite. I didn't know who to listen.

I stood there in silence.

"This is bigger than it seems isn't it?" I said after a while. I looked at him and I could see he was holding back. From what I don't know.

"I'll let you be," I said and he almost looked relieved but he also looked rueful. "For now," I added.

"But someday I'll find out. Because I won't give up," I said. "On you," I thought to myself and went back to my room.

****

"Jesus," I almost shrieked as soon as I opened my eyes and scrambled back out of the bed, falling unceremoniously on my ass.

I heard a laugh and snapped my eyes at the foot of the bed where Asher stood, doubling over in laughter, clutching his stomach.

My widened eyes slitted into a murderous glare.

"I am gonna kill you!" I shouted and got to my feet, lunging at him.

He had put a scary looking doll with a big knife in its hand in front of me so that when I opened my eyes it was the first thing I saw. I almost crapped my pants when I saw that.

He held both my wrists with his hand and tried to sober up.

"You should have seen your face," he said barely able to keep himself from having another fit of laughter.

"This isn't funny," I gritted through my teeth.

"Oh you have no idea. It's hilarious," he said and laughed again.

"I'll get back at you. For this and all the other pranks you've played on me. You just watch your back," I warned and freed my hands, stomping to the attached bathroom. I glanced at the doll and shivered. I don't know what I would have done if it was real in any way.

I was so gonna get back at him. He was going to have to worst day of his life soon.

****

I took a shortcut to reach early to my next class as I was running late. This hallway usually remained empty so when I heard voices coming from round the corner, I halted. I strained my ears to listen.

"Don't try to mix with us. You don't belong here," a voice said bitterly. I recognized the voice. It was Dana, one of Kelsey's cronies.

"Stay away," another voice said. Amy, crony number two.

"Get lost," a third voice said and my grip on my books tightened. Megan. They were threatening her. Why?

I heard a crash and rounded the corner. They had shoved Megan to the ground and were hovering over her.