The Not So Innocent Boy ~[Completed]~

Chapter 7.

Briar didn't waste any time that morning getting ready. She was out of her house within a half hour of waking up. Her dad, who finally had a day off, wondered how she was able to accomplish such a task. She never did anything like it. Briar avoided answering his questions. She refused to tell him what had led her to the conclusion of last night. She grabbed an apple on the way out of her house as she ran to be early for the bus.

Chris was unsure what was wrong with Briar. The whole bus ride to school it looked like she had taken a hundred energy drinks and was trying to hide it from everyone.

"Bri?" He poked her. "Bri? You alive in there?"

She looked to him not blinking once.

"I guess not." Chris looked away from her.

"My life has been turned upside down."

"In twenty four hours? Shit, life must have been hard."

She let out a sigh, "You have no idea."

Knowing that Briar was obviously not in the mood to talk, Chris didn't ask her anymore questions. They sat there in silence the whole ride to school. Today was the only day that Briar was happy to be yelled at to get off the bus. She pushed through the students barely standing up. Of course some of them were visibly upset by this, but Briar had no care for them. She jumped down the steps.

Looking around the school grounds, she finally spotted Asa. She ran to him, not giving a second thought.

"Asa!" She yelled to him.

Asa stopped in his tracks and turned around to face her. He didn't say anything.

"Are you okay?" She asked him. "Please tell me you're okay."

"I'm fine." He finally told her.

"Really?"

"Yes."

Briar was still concerned. "I don't believe you. You don't seem fine."

"You want to know what I'm feeling Briar?" Asa had a strong stiff voice. "I feel guilty."

"You shouldn't this was my fault. I--"

"Briar!" He cut her off loudly. "I feel guilty because I liked it, and I shouldn't feel that way."

Briar stood silent, she didn't want to make the situation worse then it already was. Asa didn't speak for a moment too.

"I like somebody else, I can't feel like I did yesterday." He finally spoke. "And it can't be with you."

"With me? What so wrong about that?"

"It's you... I'm sorry I can't do this." He turned to walk away.

"I get it!" She started. "You don't want to be seen with me. You think that your friends will leave you behind."

"It's not just that!" He turned back to her. "My friends, they're the least of my problems. My parents, my church, you have no idea what they would do to me!"

"Then tell me! Show me!" Briar wasn't holding back.

People had started to stare. The students were unsure why they were talking. It was generally known that the two of them never talked to each other. Asa caught sight of the gleaming eyes of his fellow students. He grabbed Briar by the wrist and they turned the corner of the school where no one could see them.

"Briar... please." He looked at her. His eyes seemed on the verge of tears. "I can't do this. Don't do this to me."

She almost seemed to do the same,"Do what?"

"Make me..."

"What Asa? Make you what?"

"Feel something where there shouldn't be anything." The tears were gone and his expression became stern. "I should go."

"Of course, I shouldn't think there was anything there. There was nothing there." Briar became just as mad. "What the hell is wrong with us?" She didn't want an answer back. "It was nice knowing you." She walked away furious, although she could feel one tear trying to run down her cheek.

Asa watched her walk away with steps so profound and quick. He had no intention of going after her, yet his anger seized.

The bell finally rang after a moment. He decided to find a way in to the school where no one would notice where he just came from. Luckily he succeeded. He ran to his first class of the day, afraid he would be late if he didn't arrive before the next bell. He sat down just in time.

He couldn't think of anything, but Briar. He tried so hard to change his mind during the whole class. He thought of how he had let her walk away like that. Then he would change his mind to try and think of Clarice and what they had. Asa was looking forward to their date. Nothing was planned, but he still tried to distract himself from reality.

His afternoon followed the same way, trying so hard to forget, but nothing was working. Briar was glued in to the back of his blue eyes. He kept seeing her hazel eyes and how he felt like he had hurt her with his words, but he couldn't keep thinking about her. Back to the distractions. Nothings working.

Asa couldn't do it. It was eating at him. As soon as the last bell rang he stood from his seat.

"You okay Asa?" It was George. "You seem like you're in a hurry."

It took Asa a second before replying, "Yeah, I'm fine." He took a second to think. "Don't wait up for me later...I...I have a lot of homework."

"Homework? Yeah okay, homework. Have fun, I guess." George tried to believe his friend.

"See you later." Asa didn't wait for a reply. He dashed off as fast as possible.

He didn't stop. He ran out the front doors of the school and ran down the sidewalk. He prayed his memory wouldn't fail him. The tree on the corner he remembered vividly. It looked as he remembered it from the day before.

Asa spotted the long grass, the dirty panels on the side of the house. He stood in front of the stairs. He climbed them hearing every creak. One last deep breath and he knocked on the front door.