𝗥𝗲𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀

the pep rally

Ever since Asher had learnt how to ride a dirt bike, he had shown up riding it everyday. It saved him getting the bus or walking, so he could wake up later which he liked, but the downside was the flirty looks that he'd get from random girls at the school. Asher is used to getting attention from girls because he always has. He wasn't sure whether it was because of the way he looks or the fact that he's a criminal or whatever, but he's never not had attention from them. Before the summer, he used to like it and would use it to be able to hook up with girls; but now, he doesn't care about the attention he gets from them. All he cares about is the attention he gets from Max, which right now, is none.

Max had broke up with him in January, saying that their relationship wasn't working out anymore, and ever since then, Max has avoided him. The only time Asher would ever see Max was when she had decided to hang out him their friends, but even then, Max wouldn't talk to him unless it was a group conversation.

So, he ignored the looks he got from the girls, walking past them and straight to the gym for the pep rally. It was hard for him to see in the gym since he had sunglasses on, which were covering the black eye that his dad had given him the night before, but he had finally found Dustin and Mike, who were having a debate.

"Look, I'm not saying that my girlfriend is better than yours" Dustin says to Mike "It's just that Suzie's, like, a certified genius."

"You do realise El saved the world twice, right?" Mike asks Dustin.

"Can you two please stop talking about your relationships? It's making me feel very lonely right now" Asher says to Dustin and Mike as Max walked over to the three, standing next to him.

"Sorry" Dustin says to Asher before looking at Mike "And yet you still have a C in Spanish."

"Don't you have a D- in Latin?" Asher asks Dustin.

"You want to talk about grades?" Dustin asks Asher "Aren't you failing everything and being threatened about being held back?"

"I don't mind doing sophomore year twice" Asher says with a shrug "I get to be with you guys, and as well, worst comes to worse, I just drop out."

"And let's hear it for your Tigers!" The announcer says as the basketball team run into the gym, cutting Dustin off from lecturing Asher about his grades.

At the start of the school year, Asher got his ass beat by all of the jocks, and because of his probation he couldn't do anything about it. He already knew it was going to happen, because Sean had threatened him about it during the summer, but it still bruised his ego a bit. After that day, Asher had been avoiding them all just in case they wanted to go for round two, because then he doesn't think he'd be able to hold himself back from punching them all in the face.

"Good morning Hawkins High!" Jason, the captain of the basketball team, says into the microphone "First off... Hey. First off, I'd like to say thank you for each and every one of you. Without your support, we wouldn't be here. Give yourselves a big hand" He says, making the crowd of students start cheering "And of course, of course, I have to give a special shout out to the best and prettiest fans of all time, the Tiger Cheer Squad. Chrissy... I love you, babe. You know... I think I can speak for all of us when I say it's been a tough year for Hawkins. So much loss. And sometimes I wonder, how much loss can one community take? In dark days like this, we need something to believe in. So last night, when we were down ten points at half to Christian Academy, I looked at my team, and I said, think of Jack. Think of Melissa. Think of Heather. Think of Billy" He says, making a few people give Max a look, knowing that Billy was her older brother.

"I wish I could break his jaw again" Asher mutters under his breath "Stupid probation."

"Think about our heroic police chief, Jim Hopper" Jason continues his speech "Think about every one of our friends who perished in that fire. What did they die for? For us to lose to some... crap school? No. For us to return home with our heads hung low in defeat? No! No. Let's win this game. Let's win this game for them. And that's exactly what we did! We embarrassed those candy asses in their own home, and now tonight, tonight, we're going to bring home the championship trophy!" Jason shouts, making the crowd cheer "Let's go!"

"Tonight?" Mike asks Dustin.

"He said tonight, twice" Asher bluntly says to Mike.

"How is that possible?" Dustin asks, not being very happy about it.

"They call it a tournament" Max adds onto the conversation, making the three boys look at her "You win one game, and you go onto the next until there's only one team left."

"Well, that sounds like a you guys problem" Asher says to Dustin and Mike with a smile "Come find me when Eddie is about to kill Lucas, would you boys? Thank you so much."

"Thanks for the help" Dustin says to Asher as he starts walking away from the three "Thanks a lot."

"You're welcome!" Asher shouts as he hurries out of the gym, not wanting to be in there for longer than he has to be.

956 Words