"Ash, I've missed you brother," the strange boy yells again as he walks to the boys on the field.
"Asher! You're back, I didn't know you were coming back today or I would have got someone to get you," Ash say clearly happy and over his surprise.
"I thought my twin brother would like this surprise. Uncle Zach said he thought I should be down here with you," Asher says. I walk down the bleachers and stand beside Ash.
"You have a twin?" Nick asks stunned of this new knowledge. How come he didn't know Ash had a twin but he knew that other personal stuff?
"Duh, we look just alike," Ash deadpans.
"Who is this girl who is hiding behind you all?" Asher asks nodding his head at me.
"This is Riley Quinn, she is a little shy at first," Ash answers as he pulls me in front of him so Asher can get a good look at me. I frown at this move.
"Let me guess. Spirit, you're hair is a dead give away," Asher points out. I touch my purple locks suddenly feeling self conscious under his gaze.
"Asher don't," Ash warns once he notices my fidgeting.
"I wonder what makes you mad?" He hums out as he starts to think. He lets out a soft chuckle. "You can't make an orb can you?" Asher asks, clearly trying to make me mad. Why though?
"I can," I state as I tug on a strand.
"HA! I bet you don't know how to remember what you are capable of. I hear you have a faulty memory," Asher teases. Did Ash tell him about that? Why would he do that? Asher succeeds in making me angry but it isn't that. It's a twang if betrayal of the trust I've been giving out too easily.
"You're a dick. I bet you don't know how you ended up in New York," I snap. How do I even know how he got there? I shouldn't know anything about him. I turn lean in and whisper in his ear," Or that I can make you wish you were dead with giving your worst fear,"
"That is what I thought would happen Quinney!" He shouts excitedly. I want to punch him for calling me that.
"Don't call me that," I hiss out between my clenched teeth. I then bite my lip.
"But I've always called you Quinney!" He shouts. What does he mean?
"I don't know you!" I scream in annoyance.
"I'm sorry. I'll behave better Ash," Asher says suddenly.
"Asher you need help," Ash mutters.
"You know I'm all sorts of messed up."
I grab my stuff before going in the girls bathroom to change in my gym clothes. When I walk back out the group of boys are watching me in confusion. "What?" I ask.
"Why did you change?" Nick asks.
"Because I want a sparring sparring buddy and sparring is good for mental and physical health," I explain. I know this because my mom studies barrier action and health.
"What?" Ash asks.
"My mom Wendy Quinn is the best scientist of element barriers study," I state proudly with a smile on my face.
"What does that have to do with me being messed up?" Asher asks as he frowns. I roll my eyes.
"It helps expand your mind and make yourself more flexible. Any mental health problems you may have can be helped better with sparring then with pills. For example, a barrier who has anger issues, but doesn't tell people about the anger, it helps with the element expansion. So me and Asher are going to spar."
"Really? You can't beat me!" Asher says confidently. I just give him a shrug.
"Whatever makes you feel better. Coach, You're the ref." Asher brought out these weird feelings that are slowly turning to anger. Me being angry isn't a good thing.
"Good luck," Asher says.
We go to the field before separating until twenty yards are between us. He throws a Waylow, which is a poisonous flower. I block it fairly easy and while he is shocked I send a perfect orb his direction. It hits him so hard that he flies back a couple feet. Purple dust goes everywhere around him. He stands up and brushed himself off.
"How?" he asks as I make a spirit grab his leg and make him fall again. I twist i my hand slightly making it pull him towards me.
"You're use to no one being able to block the flower," I explain while putting my hands on my hips in satisfaction.
"Quinn wins," Coach admits. I walk off the field and sit back down on the bleachers. The football players go back on the field to practice. They have thirty about more minutes left. Someone sits beside me. It must be Asher wanting to discuss about the spar.
"Asher, you must admit that I bet you fairly," I groan out but put on a playful smile. I feel the stress melt away from my win.
"Asher? That must be the boy you just put to shame?" Chase asks. The smile on my face falls as a dread settles in me.
"Leave me alone."
"Nope," he says as he puts his arm around me. I feel sick.
"Quit!" I say trying to move.
"No. Oh, is it good I'm stronger now, and you can't hurt me."
"Chase go!" I demand feeling his grip tighten on me.
"No! Listen to me," he says roughly.
"Man, I think you need to go," Asher says.
"Nah," Chase laughs. I feel my arm being pulled by Asher who is trying to pull me to him. Then he looks at Chase with a death glare.
"Well," Asher says as he pulls me behind him.
"She is mine. I need her leave!" Chase shouts. I feel the sick knot in my stomach as I remember all the horrible stunts he used to pull.
"You don't know do you? Well, they are keeping it a secret," Asher rambles. He must be trying to get Chase to leave with a lie.
"What!"
"Nothing," Asher mutters while shrugging.
"Everything alright?" Ben asks joining us now.
"We're cool, I'm just leaving," Chase says but gives me and Asher another look.
"Come on Ry!" Nick yells. I grab my stuff and run to his car.
~~~~Next morning ~~~~
"Nick you are so mean," I grumble with a laugh.
"Where is Josh and Cevin?"
"They wanted to walk with some girl," I explain with a shrug. I see a grin spread across his face.
"No wonder."
"What do you think about Asher?"
"He is more edgey than Ash and that's saying something. I don't really like him. Ash never told me he has a twin," Nick rambles.
"It's strange really. I start school, Chase shows up and the next day Asher shows up." I have been thinking about this all night really. It's just weird how this is all happening at once. My mom says that it all happens at once or not at all though. "I don't really know what to do. Chase is getting to the stalker stage again," I admit.
"Make sure you have a guy around you at all times. Preferable me, Ash, and Asher. He seems terrified of Asher," he agrees as I get out of the car. I let out a laugh.
"Bodyguards? Really?" I complain to him.
"Yes, I'll talk to them meet you in chemistry," he says and runs off.
I walk in the school where there are banners hanging everywhere. I go to my locker to get my stuff. All through first, second and lunch I'm in my own little world thinking about my old school. None of my friends have wrote or texted me.
As I grab my gym clothes out off my locker I hear someone stop beside me but it didn't sound like Nick. I act like I'm don't notice but he coughs to get me to look at him. I swear if it's Chase I'm going to scream. I slam the locker shut in frustration.
"May I help you?" I ask the stranger who I'm happy isn't Chase.
"Yes, I need to go to the gym. I'm Vince by the way," He says with a wink . He is almost as tall as Nick and has almost as broad of shoulders as him. . His hair is a really dark blue, his eyes a lighter shade. He is wearing a Hogs jersey with the number 1 one it. He must be one of the football players.
"Im Riley. You must be a Water barrier?" I ask trying to be polite.
"Yes I am. I'm also the hogs best player," he says with a colt smile. I roll my eyes.
"I bet," I say.
"And I'm Ash but you knew that. I'm her guard for now so I would like for you to take a step back," Ash says sweetly as he walks to us. I let out a groan.
"Guard? You that special?" Vince asks as his smile goes from cocky to flirtatious.
"I'm a Spirit barrier what do you expect? You can come with me and Ash," I tell him as I walk off. I hear him mutter my element under his breath before running to catch up with me.
"You're Asher Greene's brother right?" Vince asks.
"Why got a problem with it?" Ash hisses out. His arms turning reddish, the way Nicks fingers does when he plays with his flames.
"Calm down," I say as I sling my arm around him.
"You two a thing?" Vince asks.
"Why do you want to know?" Ash shoots back. His skin getting hotter to the touch.
"Well, I don't know why a girl like her would go for a guy like you," he mumbles.
"It's non of your concern."
" Oh," Vince hums out. Ashs skin is so hot I almost jerk my arm back. What is going on with him?
"Calm down Ash," I whisper as we walk in the gym.
"Thank you guys, I'll see you at the party," Vince tells me.
"I thought you were a Earth barrier and you skin feels like hot rocks!" I hiss in a whisper.
" Earth, Fire, Water," He admits casually. How many people have more then one element?
———
"Come on. Wear the dang dress!" Casey yells as she waves a mascara wand around in anger. She's already finished my makeup and I done my own hair in soft waves.
"No!" I scream back.
"Will you wear a skirt?" She begs. We are at my house getting ready for the game. "Please, Riley, I'm trying doll!"
"Fine!" I scream while picking up the the gold glittery shirt and black tank top.
" Thank you!" She shouts victoriously. I go in the bathroom to change into the outfit . I put on all black high top converses to dress down the outfit. I walk into my room and sit on the bed.
"Hey Cevin come here!" I shout out.
" No! No!" Casey whispers.
"Huh?" he asks poking his head into the room.
"You should take Casey to the party," I suggest while busing myself with tying my shoes.
"Uh, um," he stumbles.
"She would love for you too," I pitch in.
"If she would like too," he nervously says while shrugging.
"Yes!" She shouts excitedly.
"Meet you after the game." He says before nervously walking out.
"Thank you," she says.
"I know, know come on," I say. I grab her hand and run out the door.
We walk there in silence, where we mostly just walk with locked arms. When we get there I pay the fee for both of us. We stand by the fence close to the players.
"Whoa! Is that Riley? Boys look at Riley!" Ben shouts at the boys causing the hogs to stop and miss the ball to stare at me. I feel t cheek erupt in color.
"I hate you!" I whisper.
"Gotta go!" He says and runs off.
"Wow,you look different. I like it but its not you, I like the rock tees and holey jeans." Ash says.
"Thanks, but I know I look like a high school hooker," I joke making him burst out laughing.
"Greene come on!" Nick screams oddly not looking at me, and Ash runs off.
"You could have any guy you wanted. Does any catch your eye?" Casey asks.
"No," I say while wrapping my fingers around the chain link fence.
"Oh, well we only have around five minutes of the game left."
"Because of you!" I say making her laugh. She insisted we took our time to fix ourselves up.
"I know," she shyly admit.
"Go Eagles!" I scream. As I finish Ash catches the ball and runs. He dodges three guys and gets a touchdown. Only two minutes left.
Ben and Philex come on the field. Vince gets crushed by Ben, but the ball is already in the air. Philex intercepts it and runs out the clock. Everyone on our side stands up and cheers.
"Go Philex!" Me and Casey yell together as we jump in joy.
The football players go in the locker rooms to change and shower. After twenty minutes they come out in their jersey and jeans. Me and Casey walk to Nick's group of guys.
"No way! You wore a dress or well a skirt!" Philex says with a grin.
"I win," Ben yells while fist pumping the air.
"Here!" Philex and Lane each gave him a twenty dollar bill.
"You bet on me wearing a dress?" I ask.
"We bet on everything," Ash says.
"Yes we bet on everything," Nick agrees while finally looking at me. He smiles at me.
"By the way you look beautiful," Nick says.
"Come on! Party at my house!" Philex shouts.
I go to Nick's car to wait for him and Ash climbs in the back, and I sit up front. Nick gets in starts the car and leaves.
"Where is Casey?" Nick asks.
"Cevin took her," I explain while playing with the hem of my shirt.
"Where did you get the outfit?" Nick asks.
"Casey, that's why its so short," I grumble trying to pull it down.
" Yeah, I would have found a taller girl," Nick jokes while glancing at me.
"I'm like one of the tallest girls at school!"
"That's what makes it so funny," Ash says.
"I believe the tallest before Riley came was five foot six and a half," Nick says.
"I'm like eight!" I yell.
"Yes I've noticed." Nick responds.
"Shut up and turn on the radio!" I turn on the radio and Ash takes out his phone and starts texting someone. I didn't know he had a phone. After awhile, we get there and a lot of teens are here. Good thing he lives on a farm. We get out of the car and I instantly smell liquor. Nick gets out and walk up there.
" So." I say trying to figure out what I'm doing here.
"Come on Riley," Ash says as he grabs my hand. I flinch remembering his burning skin on my own from earlier. I follow him up the small hill.
"You don't have to be scared of me," Ash whispers.
"I just expected it to burn," I admit.
"Meet you at the car in three hours?"
"Sounds like a plan." I say and he walks off.
I go in the kitchen to get a water bottle. I open it and take a sip. It tastes like strawberries. It shouldn't. The music is the pop/rap not any old rock.
"Hi, my name is Vince," Vince says and waves at me.
"I meet you already," I say.
"I know but I seemed like a jerk today," He says slurring his words now.
"You're drunk." I say and leave him there.
I walk up some stairs to drink the rest of the bottle. I set it down on a coffee table. I trip but catch my self. I go outside to sit down. My head starts to spin and I have what feels like acid in my stomach.
" You okay?" Ash or Asher asks. I can't tell because its dark.
"Yeah," I say my words slurring. What is wrong with me?
"You sure?" He asks and walks to me. I stand up and fall. He catches me.
"What's wrong with me?" I ask still slurring.
"I think someone spiked the water bottles, I'll take you to my house come on." He says picking me up.
"Who are you?" I ask.
"As-" He was cut off because I pass out.