Fight For It

Chapter 22.Liars

I rested my head back on the passenger head rest in Asher's car as he drove both of us to school. I was not ready to go to school and face all the questions from classmates, but I had to continue on with school in order to get into college and leave our dinky town. I had already applied to Colorado State University, University of California San Diego, and Washington State University for early admission, I was just waiting to find out if I was accepted to any of them.

"Babe? Are you alright?" Asher asked, snapping me out of my daze. I blinked and looked his way. "If you aren't feeling up for school today we can go back home. It would be completely understandable after what you went through this weekend."

"I'm fine," I think, "I just need to get back into my normal schedule so I can forget about what happened."

"You're such a strong person, you know that?"

"I try," I smiled.

We parked in the back of the lot and walked up to school hand in hand. I kept nervously glancing at the people around me, watching out for their judgemental stares. Only a few people very obviously looked at us but seemed to quickly avert their eyes. Did I get ugly in the hospital? I wanted to know what was going on and why no one could look me in the eye.

Asher lead us to his locker so he could gather his books for the week and when we got there my friend, Lauren, was at her locker right beside Asher's.

"Hi Lauren!" I greeted her as I let go of Asher's hand.

"You're here," Lauren replied with wide eyes. I furrowed my brow.

"Of course I am. It's Monday," I chuckled.

"Well, no offense, but I wasn't sure they would allow you to come into school ever again." Lauren seemed very uneasy while speaking to me.

"Why wouldn't they let me into school?"

"Why did you do that to Jane?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I mean yeah, I can't stand that bitch either, but to get CJ to try and rape her and catch it all on video, that's evil."

"What are you talking about?!" I shouted. Although I liked Lauren there was no way someone who was supposed to be my friend would believe something like that. My raised volume drew in some attention but I didn't care.

"Jane's friend told everyone what happened and said that's why she probably won't be at school this week."

"Well Jane and her friend are dirty liars! The situation is completely flipped but I have the strength to come to school, and the reason Jane isn't here is because she was the one filming and she made the mistake of coming to my hospital room and I caught her confessing to everything on my phone. The police took her in for questioning and I have no clue what has happened to her since. All I know is that CJ is out on bail until his court date and most likely not allowed to set foot in this school. He is a sick freak who needs to be punished for his actions and frankly I am appalled that you would think for even one second that I would do something that malicious!" I was getting very intensely in Lauren's face, but the weekend left me completely shaken and I wasn't going to let anyone think that I was on the other end of the situation. Asher pulled me back as the interaction was growing more heated. But Lauren seemed to be backing down; she knew the things Jane's friend had said were false. "You believe me," I stated.

Lauren nodded. "I'm sorry, Scarlett."

"Good." I turned away from her and walked to my English class without another word.

"Brutal, babe," Asher chuckled as he jogged up beside me and laced his fingers with mine.

"I will not allow a single person to believe that I was the one to victimize Jane. She will pay for what she did to me."

"How about we tackle English first, hm?" Asher was clearly amused by my aggression.

"Fine."

***

At lunch Asher and I sat out in the courtyard enjoying the beautiful weather. How sinister of Mother Nature to bring such incredible weather right after the hellish weekend I endured.

"What are you thinking about?" Asher asked me, taking a bite out of his burrito.

"Mother Nature is a bitch," I muttered.

"No way," Asher said sounding genuinely shocked.

"I didn't think it was that interesting of a revelation," I giggled, but when I looked up at his face it was twisted in rage and his focus was locked behind me. Slowly, I turned to see what his glare was fixed on and my eyes scanned the crowd of students until I zeroed in on the tall, blonde, muscular figure standing with his gaze fixed upon us as he stood with his posse.

CJ. No way. There was no way he was at school. Not after what he did to me. How could they allow him on the school grounds?! There had to be some sort of law against it; but there he was, smirk plastered on his face. He looked like he felt some sense of accomplishment for the rise he was getting out of Asher. When I turned to look back at Asher he was on his feet moving in an unstoppable line towards CJ's smug face.

I ran to catch up with him and try to stop him from whatever violent act he was about to commit.

"Asher! He isn't worth it! Don't let him get to you!" I was tugging as hard as I could at his arm and his shirt, but he was much stronger than I.

"How could they let him into the school?!" he bellowed as he instantly stopped and turned to face me. His outburst startled me and made me jump back away from him. Immediately Asher realized what he had done and his hard features softened. "I'm sorry, Scar," he apologized and reached out to wrap his arms around me and prove that I had nothing to be afraid of with him.

"I don't know why they would let him in school," I replied and buried my face in Asher's chest. When he pulled away to look at me he noticed the tears that had involuntarily filled my eyes.

"Why don't I take you home?" he asked. I nodded and grabbed my bag to walk out to Asher's car with him.

The drive home was quiet seeing as Asher was still trying to calm down from CJ's appearance at school.

Once we made it into the house Asher went down to the movie room to grab us something to watch and told me to get whatever snack I wanted out of the kitchen. While he was down in the basement there was a knock at the front door. I waited a moment to see if Asher would return soon enough to answer the door, but he didn't. I decided to answer it myself.

"Dylan?" I said in shock when I opened the door to find him standing on the porch with his hands buried deep in his pockets.

"We need to talk."