Knowing Asher

Chapter|1|

I tried to shield my face with my pillow from the bright sunlight streaming through the window.

Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!

Great. As if the light wasn’t bad enough, my alarm decided to add to my suffering. I groaned and reached for my phone on the side table, blindly trying to shut it off while pulling the blanket closer around me. I hate waking up early for school. It always leaves me grumpy. Anyone could tell I am definitely not a morning person.

I had to get up before my mom came in and caught me still lying in bed. And trust me, it never ends well. Just the thought made me shiver. I quickly sat up and rubbed my eyes, squinting as they adjusted to the brightness.

My room is pretty alright. The walls are painted dark blue, matching my bedspread and the carpet covering the floor. My queen-sized bed is positioned in the center, giving me a clear view of the whole room. To the right is my small wardrobe, and to the left, a mirror plastered on the wall. A reading table sits close to the wall, neat and simple.

As an A-straight student and I’m not bluffing here. You’d think I’d love going to school. Don’t get me wrong, I do love learning. I just hate my school.

I attend one of those elite, rich schools in New York - Starlight High School filled with rich snobs who never miss a chance to embarrass me.

My parents don’t even have the resources to send me to a school like that. But thanks to my IQ, I managed to land a scholarship.

If I’d known I’d be constantly insulted, I probably wouldn’t have taken the entrance exam at all. Some days, they make it painfully clear that the school isn’t meant for someone like me. Being a scholarship student automatically makes me “less” in their eyes.

Especially Katrina.

Head cheerleader. Official queen bee. Blonde hair, doll-like face, and a body straight out of a modeling magazine. She never misses a chance to throw painful jabs my way. I always try to keep my cool even when it hurts more than I’d like to admit. I know none of what she says is true, but that doesn’t make it easier not to think about it.

Honestly, the only reason I survive each day at that school is because of my friends - Amanda and Lily, along with a few others. They’re rich, too, but they’re different. God-sent, honestly. Without them, I probably would’ve dropped out a long time ago. Thinking about them, a small smile tugged at the corner of my lips.

Still, I needed to get ready even though all I wanted was to crawl back into bed.

"Stephanie Annabelle Walker, I hope you’re up," my mom’s voice boomed from outside my door.

I jumped out of bed instantly.

"I am up, Mom, I promise!" I yelled back.

“You better be,” she said as she stepped into my room, eyes scanning to make sure I was actually standing. "It’s your first day of senior year. You can’t afford to be late, and you still need to catch the bus."

I nodded, already used to this routine. Once she left to make breakfast, I grabbed my toothbrush, towel, and clothes and headed down the hallway to the bathroom.

I squirted toothpaste onto my toothbrush and got down to business. But my mind, as usual, wandered.

We aren’t high-class. We aren’t even middle-class. We’re just comfortable enough to survive. Being poor is hard. You think twice before making decisions. You’re always worrying about what tomorrow might bring. That’s why I want a good degree. I want to give my parents a better life. Pull them out of this mess.