Breaking Loose [Original]

21

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Twenty One
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What was the best word to describe the girl that glared back at Asher that afternoon?

...

She didn't know.

Asher stared at her fatigued reflection some more, wondering just how she'd been holding up.

Her nightmares came again but this time they didn't get her up and sweaty as usual.
She stirred in bed because from the moment she got back home the day before there was noise nextdoor.

With a sigh, she raised up a pair of scissors and expertly trimmed her ends, she knew she could only get a decent haircut at the salon but her antisocial personality had its hands wrapped around her neck.

She had a shower and dumped on an oversized shirt and shorts.

The day would be spent behind a nameless novel.

When she drew the curtain aside halfway, she noticed a parked minivan which wasn't usually there, and wasn't Harry's either.

The only thing she had ever appreciated about the apartment was the fact that she was its only tenant. She couldn't even sit right with having neighbors because that would mean socializing.

She slumped on the sofa and took her usual posture, her legs over the head rest and her favourite M&M chips on the table.

She was quickly reminded of their history together.

That day Harry took her in his van.

He had nothing but M&Ms.

It was then, her newfound love for the peanut and dark chocolate peanut flavor began. Hence the nickname yellow.

She opened the nameless book and it indeed had a name on the first page: Mirrors.

Okay.

There was a knock on her door some moments into the story and she glared holes into the door.

It was an insistent knock, like whoever it was was so convinced she was inside.

Ofcourse, her curtains had been drawn halfway, and she'd forgotten to shut it.

With a huff, she got up and walked over to answer the door, an elderly woman was there.

"Oh dear...so sorry sweetheart" she had a hand to her chest, surprised and worried at once.

Asher formed a smile "Hello"

This was going to be awkward!

"We just movin' in, I'm Caroline...and uhh..was wonderin' could I borrow yo coffee maker?"

Her southern accent apparent.

"I don't have one, sorry" Asher lied smoothly

"What d'you mean? I see it right there..." Caroline pointed with a frail hand

It indeed sat in the kitchen behind her.

Asher narrowed the space between the door and it's frame, her eyes suspicious.

Who was this woman?

"My husband...he won't rest without his coffee" she explained kindly " I made a mental note to get us a new one at the store tomorrow,"

Asher pursed her lips, the woman did look desperate.

"Oh, bless you young lady" she exclaimed when Asher returned with the coffee maker.

She watched the lady scoot off before she shut the door.

Then she was back again, this time walking in to her place.

"You have you such a lovely space, dear. You alone?"

Asher frowned "I don't appreciate that question ma'am "

She was getting apprehensive real quick because her defences were kicking in at an alarming rate.

The woman apologized and wanted to try small talk, but she declined, all this with the ounce of respect she still had for the elderly.

When she finally left, she made it a note to not answer the door unless she knew who it was.

---

Asher walked two steps at a time, it was to rhyme with a beat she whipped up in her head.

She clutched her pocket to make sure her inhaler was inside and let out a breath of relief when she felt it.

"Hello..." Everest welcomed her when she got to his house.

"I won that! Stop being childish!" A voice interrupted what he was about to say when she shrugged off her coat.

"Ignore that" Everest murmured as he led her by the shoulders.

She didn't expect Jaden and Oren to have been in his living room, with controllers in their hands.

Everest cleared his throat to gain their attention, something that naturally flowed to him.

"So basically you two have to shut up now cause..." He eyed Asher suggestively and they followed his gaze.

"Hey" She croaked, cursing the lump that formed in her throat.

Jaden waved "Oren's biggest fan, hi"

Her face paled and when she shifted her gaze to Oren he was smiling her way.

"Okay Wednesday, that's over with, c'mon" and Everest pulled her towards a table that was already prepared. That, however didn't block out the uneasiness she felt.

"So..." Everest leaned back in his chair

She pulled out the materials and splayed them before them

"I should get us snacks or something, right?"

"I don't know, it's your house" she shrugged

He grinned "Okay" and he was up and stalking to the kitchen.

Asher was internally bubbling with a thousand thoughts, some of which suggested why being there with three guys she barely knew was a big mistake.

Even with these irksome thoughts, the underlying peace couldn't be overlooked. It felt like she was safe somehow.

Where did it come from?

Everest returned with two soda cans.

"Hey can I get me one of those?!" Jaden yelled over to him

"Bring your own next time" Everest snarled, but it came off playfully...she wasn't sure, boy life was weird.

Everest handed her one can and opened his.

He immediately gulped it down and smashed the can with his fist. "What?"

"Creep" she murmured and got back to work, he chuckled silently.

When she handed him her side of the work so far, he stared at it warily "God.." he drawled out, rubbing his eyes

"What?" She was confused

"You..." He groaned "you did all this and I don't even know our topic"

She grimaced in displeasure. "How convenient"

"Everest, you airhead" They heard Jaden call out.

"Dude mind your business!" He snapped back

In all that, Oren remained quiet.

When she looked over her shoulder, he was on his phone.

"Wednesday" Everest called "I'm lost here" he gestured to the materials before them.

She facepalmed. "I sent you attachments...did you read them?"

"Was I supposed to?"

Asher sighed.

It was very obvious she was working alone.

***