Fragile Bones

Chapter Twenty-Two

I wanted to say something to her but her best friend Amanda walked up to us. I vaguely remembered Asher telling me his history with her and felt a pang of annoyance. "What are you doing over here? Spencer wants to see you," she said to Lindsay, grabbing her arm and pulling her away before I could speak a word. They disappeared down the hall, swept up in the groups of people standing by their lockers.

I mentally debated what to do with this new information that I technically didn't even have any proof of. It was mostly an assumption, but that would explain why when Spencer made up that rumor about me and Mr. Henderson, Lindsay didn't seem to think it was funny. I let out a sigh, and wondered how my life had gotten so messed up recently. Sure, Spencer and Lindsay had always bullied me, but now I had Asher in my corner, Mr. Henderson was a pedophile, and my parents were getting divorced. It seemed like too much to handle at once and I felt like I was in a movie.

With her advice, I waited until the bell rang to enter the classroom. Students flocked in around me and I looked at Mr. Henderson, who smiled at me. I stared at the small crinkles near his eyes, the round glasses, and the checkered bowtie that clearly was a pin-on. Now that I knew what I knew, I couldn't look at anything about him the same way as before. When he realized I wasn't returning his smile, he frowned, and turned away. I slid into my seat, already missing the presence of Asher sitting next to me. Even though he could be really annoying, at least he was entertaining.

Lindsay was sitting in her seat in the corner of the room, as far away as she could be from where Mr. Henderson teaches. She met my eyes with her own, making me question just how far had he gone? Half of me wanted to just forget about it and let her deal with it since she had always been so cruel to me, and I hated that fact. Despite her actions, she deserved to have some support. Still, it would have to wait a little while because currently I was in no state to help anyone.

The school day rolled by fast enough, and I was left with only PE until I could go home. Coach Reynolds had told us that it was a 'free day' and to not bother changing. This was just code for him having an appointment or something and not telling the school, so we were left to sit around all period until he came back right at the end. A couple of jump ropes were strewn in the middle of the gymnasium along with a few hula hoops, and a singular basketball.

There were a few kids who actually got changed, despite not having to, and were messing around with the stuff laid about. Guaranteed these were the athletic students, always looking to please Coach Reynolds. However, it was clear he really didn't give a shit what any of us did. While he enjoyed seeing the occasional game of dodgeball, he was quite the lazy teacher.

I sat myself on the bleachers, content to watch everyone do their own thing while not participating myself. My phone buzzed with a text, a somewhat foreign feeling since I hardly ever received them. It was Asher.

How was school? Did anyone bother you?

I smiled to myself slightly, and typed back a reply.

No, but thanks for your concern. I can handle things myself.

Whatever you say sweetheart, came his response.

"Well if it isn't Asher's girlfriend," came a voice from above me. I looked up from my phone and saw Spencer towering over me. He was standing on the bleachers in front of me while I was sitting. He had a bandage over his nose, and what I was assuming was some kind of cast. It confirmed my suspicions that Asher had in fact, broken his nose. Besides that, there was a pretty bad bruise right under his left eye.

"I'm not his girlfriend," I muttered, looking away from him and back down at my phone to think up a response.

"Why else would he have fucked me up this much? It's not like I was actually gonna do anything to you," he scoffed. "You're not worth that much."