So, here’s how school worked: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday we had gym. Tuesday and Thursday we had Health. You were able to go off campus for lunch—which only Todd did, Mali and I didn’t have a car. You had a lab in biology every other day it seemed. And Spanish was hardly Spanish.
In Study Hall you couldn’t go anywhere for the first twenty minutes. Not even to your locker if you forgot a calculator, or if you needed to ask a teacher a question on homework. Nope. Nowhere.
So, during the last bit of Study Hall, Mali came into my class and asked my teacher if she could borrow me. Then, she skipped over to where I was sitting and grabbed my hand. She pulled me out of the class room behind her. Once we were in the hall, she said, “Don’t tell anyone about last night. Especially not Todd. He’d flip. Or Henry.”
I nodded. “Okay.”
She puckered her lips, thinking. “What are you doing Friday?”
I shrugged. “I haven’t been in town long. It’s not like I have something to do.”
“Okay. Be at my house around eight. Bye now.” And with that, Mali skipped, running off down the hall, leaving me in wonder.
I walked back in my class and listened to music until the bell rang when I would meet up with Todd to see what he was doing after school. He’d probably be going to some fast food burger place. I’d probably go along even though I’m broke. I’d steal his fries. Mali would probably come too. She’d come with Henry and they’d make out the whole time.
But I’d still have fun.
Only, I’d be wishing I was Henry.
. . .
Henry had football—of course he plays football—so he couldn’t come to the burger place after school, but Mali could. She ordered a salad and a shake. Todd ordered a bacon burger and fries and a shake. I ordered nothing.
Mali stole Todd’s fries so I didn’t steal any. I also didn’t steal any ones’ shake. I just munched on two pieces of drooping salad.
“Do you want anything?” Mali asked once I finished the two pieces of lettuce. “I’ll pay for you.”
“No, I can’t let you pay for me.”
Mali rolled her eyes, stood up, and walked over to the counter where you paid. “One chocolate shake, please.”
The cashier rung up the shake. “Two dollars.”
Mali handed the cashier the money and waited as they made her—my—shake. Mali got the shake and gave it to me. “If you pay me back I’ll kill you.”
I smiled. “Thanks, Mali.”
She smiled. “What can I say? I’m adorable.”
. . .
“How was school today, Ash?” Mom asked as I walked in the door. I sat my stuff down and shrugged. “Any good gossip?”
Shrug.
“Any bad gossip?”
Shrug.
“Anything interesting?”
“Look, I don’t really know, Mom,” my tone was ruder than I meant. “One of my friends invited me over Friday. She—I mean, they didn’t tell me what for.”
“Ooh, a girl friend?”
“If by ‘girl friend’ you mean a friend who’s a girl, then yes. If you mean a friend who I’m dating, then no.”
Mom smiled, sincere. One of the first real smiles I’ve seen in a long time. “Will it just be you alone at her house?”
“No, her parents will be there, and her siblings. Besides, she has a boyfriend.”
“Oh.”
I hesitated before asking, “Are we still safe?”
Mom’s face changed, she wasn’t happy anymore. She was sad. “Yes. Ash, you know I’ll tell you if we ever aren’t safe. You don’t have to ask.”
“I feel better asking… When… when will we be forever safe? We can’t just keep running for our whole lives.”
“I know. I don’t know when we’ll be safe. We’ll just have to wait it out.”
“We’re running out of places to go.”
“I know.”
“I don’t want anything to happen to you, Mom.”
“I know, James.”
“Love you.”
“You know I love you.”
“I know.”
If I have any typeos or anything sounds funky, please let me know, I would love any critiques you might have. Also vote! --Storm E.
YOU ARE READING
What's Bothering You, James Asher? (#Wattys2015)
Teen FictionAfter years and years of running, James Asher--Ash--starts to just go through the motions. He doesn't try hard in any of his new school, he doesn't try to make friends, he just tries to keep his mother and himself safe. In his new school in Color...
