Things get far worse by next week.
"Baseball captain Asher Quinn was seen paying off the opposing team to lose the match purposely in the final set year," Ashton reads. "Report by Payton Francis. Who the hell can be doing this?"
"Hmm."
"This has to be some fuckin genius."
"Hmm."
"And rich."
"Aha."
"I mean who spends this much money to reprint nine hundred copies just to fake one single column?"
"Yup."
"Are you even listening?" Ashton asks in an annoyed tone.
"Aha-wait, what?" I turn around from my desk.
Ashton sighs and falls down on my bed on his back.
"And here I am, shedding my blood, where the person who's supposed to be concerned is being damn caring."
I glare at him. "Well sorry for trying to finish my homework in all that noise," I tell him.
"You know this is important, right?"
"And what's more important is keeping up with the school so you can get into a college."
Ashton raises a brow. "Do you think any college will accept you with something like that on your record?" That finally gives me in.
I sigh and get up from the chair and sit next to Ashton on the bed. We are currently in my room, me trying to do my homework. And Ashton, doing whatever he's doing. There's no one else except us in the house. Both mom and dad won't come until later. One of my mom's old colleagues came to our town this morning and asked mom to assist him for the day. Kat also has gone out somewhere, I didn't bother to ask where.
"We've worked so hard this week," I tell him. We spent the whole Saturday trying to avoid another swapping, witnessed every copy coming out of the machine, tied them together, and left them in the office room for Mrs. Glenda to pick them on Monday. But nothing worked.
On Monday, it's all the same.
"First you, then Cora and now Asher. And if you connect the dots," I say. "Three of you are the captain of your teams."
Ashton opens a closed eye and looks at me. "You think this person has something against us captains?"
I shrug. "You guys are friends too."
"In a manner of speaking." Ashton nods.
"Then I suggest you warn your other friends too."
Ashton shakes his head. "It's not what you think it is."
"How so?" I ask him.
"We know each other and are on good terms. That doesn't mean we're friends or more than friends," he says. "The only friends I ever had are Owen and Nyako."
I raise a brow. "Not even in New York?"
Something flashes in Ashton's eyes as he sits up straight. "Specially not in New York," he mumbles.
It was so low, so soft that I barely heard it. But when I ask him what is was, Ashton brushes it off and gets off the bed. "I'm hungry, let's eat something."
I return back to my table. "You go, I have to finish my homework first."
But Ashton blocks my way. "When did you eat last time?"
"I don't have an eating disorder, if that's what you're referring to," I snort.
But Ashton doesn't return my humor. "Since when are you doing your homework?"
"Since I came home, why?"
He looks at his wristwatch. "You're studying for two hours without any break? You're going to die doing your homework."
"Not all of us were born with natural talent," I mutter.
Ashton snorts. "Is that what you think I am?"
Before I can question him farther, Ashton drags me downstairs with him.
"What are you doing?" I try to get out of his grip.
"Feeding you. Now be quiet and follow me," he says without turning to me.
"No," I try to get free again. But his grips are tight. "I've to finish my homework first."
"You can do that in the evening."
"I've to work on that history project in the evening, it's due in two days," I tell him. "It's not like you got partnered up with someone who knows nothing better than sleeping."
Yes, that's what Owen has been doing the past week. I wanted to write about America's involvement in the Second World War, but Owen hardly stays awake in the class, forget about meeting after school. He has all his faith in me and so he's letting me do the work myself as I please.
Lucky me.
"I know, I'm kind of relieved it wasn't me who ended up with him," he says. "And Miles is really cool. We even finished our work today."
I can tell that from the way he arrived today. They have been in Miles's place to work on the project every day after school. After finishing their work, Ashton would visit my house to keep me company.
"See? That's why I need to work," I say, a half-truth.
Ashton stops by the stairs and looks down at me. "Is it because of that rulebook of yours?"
"Huh?"
"That poster you're hiding from me in the closet. Is it because you already had broken so many of its rules?"
"No," I try to deny. But he guessed it right.
The last few weeks had been the worst weeks of my high school life since after freshman. I've broken so many of my rules. Got mixed up with Ashton Fellan, received detention, got in the bad side of the cheerleaders, got mixed with the populars and almost got Miles killed (even though they came to an agreement between themselves later), became the center of all gossips, can't exactly focus on what to write on the paper, even almost shouted at a freshman because he was nagging me about the Ashton thing.
I have broken so many of the rules in less than a month. And I've never broken a single of them before. But how can Ashton of all people tell?
As if reading my thoughts, Ashton says. "Well, from how much worked up you look and because of that I have a very nice memory."
"Because you never use it?"
Ashton starts laughing loudly. But it doesn't sound disgusting. Rather, it-it sounds nice.
"You really flatter me, Snow," Ashton says. "Now start moving, we don't have all day."
"But-"
"No buts, a set of rules can't lead you anywhere, only you can. Things need to be clear between your mind and heart. And a hungry stomach can't help with that."
He leads me downstairs as he lives here.
I won't blame him for that. He's been practically living in my house since last week.
Ashton runs through the cabinets. He gets flour, bowls, and many weird looking spoons out.
"We're cooking?"
"About time you got that."
"But-but I can't cook," I say.
Ashton looks up from the bowls. "Really?"
"Yeah, I can make coffee and sandwiches but not those," I point at the things in front of him.
"And you're planning to go out to college next year?"
"Yes?"
"And how were you planning on living? Don't tell me you're planning on living without food."
"Um, Starbucks, and Takeaway?"
Ashton snorts. "They're hardly foods."
"So tell me mommy Ashton, what shall I do?"
Ashton raises a brow. "Learn how to cook?"
"Yeah, and hell would break down," I say. "Or you can come with me to the college to cook for me?"
"Are you offering me to live with you?" A twitch of his lips. "Then you should know that I can do so much more than just cooking."
"Yikes! Shut up!"
"Offer still stands." He winks.
I ignore both his penetrating comment (Or he might refuse to cook for me) and the skipped beat of my heart.
"So what're you going to do now?" I point the bowl in his hands.
"Make food for you, or what?" he says. "Pizza works?"
My stomach replies for me.
Ashton chuckles and bows mockingly. "On it, ma'am."
I jump on the kitchen counter. "Ashton," I say after a while. "Can I ask you something?"
Ashton raises a brow. "What?"
"Why are you involving yourself in this mess when you could've easily walked out of it?" I ask. "Your grades are so perfect. You can get into any college you want."
Ashton turns to me fully. "You mean, act like a jerk, be a coward and walk away?"
"It doesn't-"
"But it does," he says. "To me."
"You think it'll end there?" He continues. "The chances of it being a silly prank is gone. And you should know I want to get that football scholarship. No college will accept me with the record of that scandal. Have you seen what they're saying about me on Facebook?"
"Yes," I grit out. In the beginning, it was all about that post. But soon people went so far to spread fake rumors about Ashton too.
Luca's yet unsuccessful to secure our Facebook page or track their location. Not legally. We've reported about it though.
So it's either we have to wait till they respond or shut down the page. But Ashton and Jason won't let the latter happen.
"It's so much to take in," I mutter. "Senior year isn't the easiest. And with college applications and SAT, I hardly have time for myself. Sometimes I wish we never had come up with 'Summer of School'."
"Hey hey," Ashton walks around the counter and takes my hand in his. "It's not your fault. It's some psychopath with a weird sense of humor to blame. Not you. Never you."
"I wish everyone thought like you," I say. "People send me nasty glares in the hallway whenever they think I'm not watching these days. Things aren't going well with the cheerleaders since the Cora thing."
Corner of his lips turns up. "Yes, the cheerleaders can go a bit too far when it comes to their queen."
"That's so much assuring," I say sarcastically.
"Come on, I'm sure everyone in the school has gone through their wraths even for once."
I raise a brow. "What have you done?"
"Well," he scratches his nape, clearly having a mental debate rather than telling me or not. "You see, Cora-is always a little obsessed with me."
I snort.
"Yeah, and I-wasn't interested in her. It was a month after my transfer she asked me out and I declined it."
"You what?!" Now, this is getting interesting.
"Come on, don't look surprised. What do you take me as? Manwhore?"
When I don't say anything he sighs and continues, "I wasn't interested in dating plastic Barbies. At least not then."
"Hey don't insult Barbie!"
He looks shocked. "Sorry?"
"Don't insult Barbie, she got nothing to go here," I say. "Say Cruella De Vil, Maleficent or Nicki Minaj, not Barbie."
"Okay," he clears his throat. "So after I turned her down, she was raging and ran away without another word. That day after practice, her army somehow managed to kidnap me and tied me up in the janitor room blindfolded." Ashton shivers.
My face fell as I burst into laughter. "They did what?"
Ashton narrows his eyes on me. "It's not funny. They didn't let me go until I agreed to go on a date with her. And from next Monday, those girls spread rumors that Cora and I were an item where we barely had only food on that date."
"So you aren't actually her boyfriend?" I ask, even though I know the answer already.
He shakes his head.
I topple on the counter in laughter. My mood has already gotten a lot better.
Ashton throws one last glare at me before returning to the other side of the counter. I watch as he proceeds to work carefully, making sure not to leave any mess behind.
One hour and thirty minutes later, Ashton is almost done with making pizza.
Ashton wasn't bluffing earlier, he can actually cook. Like really cooking.
And the kitchen doesn't look like a shambles.
"It would've been better if we had let the dough dry another hour," he says after putting the last black olive on the pizza.
"I'm sure it'll be just fine," I assure him.
Just then, the bell rings.
"Put it in the oven, I've already preheated it," Ashton tells me. "I'll go get the door."
I take the tray for him and set it in the oven.
A little too late I realize what we have done.
Ashton went to get the door.
It could be anyone.
Mom won't be coming home until evening. And dad's hardly home before ten.
My whole body freezes.
What if it's Derek? Oh no! He still doesn't know about me and Ashton.
But I was too late to warn Ashton. He has already opened the door before I can reach him.
"Hey!" He greets the person
I hold my breath until I see who the person is.
It's Kat only, followed by-Owen and Nyako.
I sigh in relief. Well, that was a close call.
Then it hits me. "What're they doing here?" I ask no one in particular.
"They followed me from the mall after I told them Ashton is here," Kat tells us.
I hear a meow beside me. Looking down, I see Grisbee shaking her head at me.
Bunch of idiots- she must be saying.
Then she turns around and climbs upstairs.
"It was his idea," Nyako points to Owen.
Owen only grins in reply. "Can you blame me?" He says. "We hardly see him these days since a wicked witch cast a spell on him and kept him hostage." His eyes narrow on me.
How dare he call me a witch after I'm doing the whole project myself! Before I can knock some sense in him, Ashton gets between us.
"Calm down guys," he looks between us.
"But he called me-" Ashton shuts me by raising a finger over my lips, then turns to his friends. "I was with Miles to work on the project and came to see her after."
Owen narrows his eyes. "Then where is he now?" He asks.
"In his house, probably sleeping," Ashton replies.
"He lives next door," Kat explains to him.
Before Owen can protest some more, the bell rings again. We look at each other.
Who can it be this time?
📸
^^^^ thoughts?