Zero

Chapter 10: Ashton

~Ashton's Point of View~

"What did you say to her?" I ask Jacob through my teeth. It's taking all I have to not punch him in his face again.

"You like her. Don't you?" Jacob asks smirking, not answering my question.

"Maybe. I don't really know. This is all confusing." My heart tells me.

"No. I just don't think she deserves all this hate. You guys don't even know her story." I say crossing my arms and leaning back into the chair.

Jacob and I are silent for awhile. The only noise you can hear is Ms. Pluex typing away at her keyboard. I really hope what Elizabeth said isn't true. That I lost my spot as valedictorian all because I punched Jacob in the face. I definitely don't regret it though. Dad woul-

Crap. My dad.

I'm still bruised from when he beat me a couple days of ago, for some reason. Dad doesn't really need a reason to beat me though. This time it was his belt. Principle Rhodes happened to be lucky enough to squeeze the same shoulder I've been trying not to use.

After what feels like hours, Elizabeth comes back out with Principle Rhodes. "Mr. Howard please come with me. Ms. Rogers take a seat please." Principle Rhodes says, gesturing towards where she was sitting. "Okay." Elizabeth says. Jacob gets up and walks towards Principle Rhodes, but not before he stops to say something else to her.

"Mr. Howard. Please, we don't have all day." Principle Rhodes says dragging Jacob to the office. Elizabeth walks over, and seems to debate what seat to take. Finally deciding, she takes the outside one so that there is a seat in between us.

We sit in silence for awhile. Every couple of minutes I glance over at Elizabeth and see her, unsuccessfully, trying to make it look like she's not texting. Leaning over the middle chair, I whisper. "You know, no offense, but you kind of suck at hiding your phone." She glances at Ms. Pluex and whispers back. "Just because you say no offense, doesn't make it any less offensive."

Deciding to be brave I reply back. "It couldn't have been anymore offensive than what Jacob told you." She laughs without sound. "If this is your way of trying to get me to tell you what he said, it's not going to work." I shrug my shoulders. "It was worth a shot."

That's pretty much how it went while Jacob was in the office. I'd say a couple of things to her, she'd say a one-worded answer. Jacob has been in there way longer than Elizabeth has. We've been sitting in silence for at least 30 minutes, until Thalia comes bursting through the door.