Spring's Unexpected Love

Chapter 13 (Asher)

Lunch time was my least favorite time of the day. I'd rather eat alone than to endure the company of those boys during lunch.

The table I usually sat at was in a secluded corner of the cafeteria, overlooked by most students. At least, it used to be overlooked. Within a week of sitting over there, it had begun to feel like it was the center of everyone's attention.

I sat the table, playing with my food. A couple of other loners were also there, but like me, they kept to themselves. They were outcasts, most of them deemed unworthy by the majority of the student population- like me.

And the rich and powerful didn't like to see those they considered inferior; they liked them out of sight, pushed to a corner where they were forgotten.

I wished I was forgotten.

The food at the private school I went to was prepared by a renowned chef to match the students' refined palates, but most of the time, I could barely taste it. I was too absorbed in my fear and panic to pay attention to any of the flavors.

"Hey, Asher, how's it going?!" A painfully familiar voice called out.

I flinched, keeping my eyes trained downwards at the food in front of me.

"Asherrrrr!"  The sing-song tone of the voice made it sound even more threatening. "He's ignoring me, isn't he?"

"He's got some nerve!"

"Perhaps we should teach him another lesson."

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to drown out all of the voices.

"Ya think he's deaf?" The voice was closer now, directly in my ear. I could feel the heat from his breath on my neck.

"He'd better hope he's deaf because if he's ignoring us..."

Someone shook my shoulder roughly, "Hey, emo boy! Are you ignoring me?!"

My eyes fluttered open, darting to the boy standing beside me. Felix Berkshire, his family was old money rich and he was one of the most popular guys in the school. For some reason, he thought it was his duty to make my life miserable. His minions, Soren Van Doren and Charles Cabot were always close behind.

The three of them stood around the table I was sitting at, Felix closest to me. The other kids had already fled, not wanting to be the subject of whatever torment Felix had in store.

"I said, 'are you ignoring me,' emo boy?" Felix repeated, roughly grabbing my shoulder.

I hissed in pain, trying to squirm away from him, "No, Felix, I'm not ignoring you," I said softly.

Releasing his hold on my shoulder, Felix stepped back and smirked, "That's more like it."

I kept silent, my eyes trained on the food in front of me. I just needed to endure them for a little longer before they got bored and left me alone.

"Get up," Felix suddenly said.

I looked up at him in alarm, "What?"

He sighed, "You're either deaf or stupid; don't make me repeat myself." I stayed seated, my heart racing. "Get him up," Felix ordered his friends.

They immediately advanced toward me, each grabbing one of my arms. Their grips were tight and I could feel their fingers digging into my skin as they pulled me upwards, forcing me to stand.