High School Survival Theory

Chapter 19

Things get far worse by next week.

"Baseball captain Asher Quinn was seen paying off the opposing team to lose the match purposely in the final set year," Ashton reads. "Report by Payton Francis. Who the hell can be doing this?"

"Hmm."

"This has to be some fuckin genius."

"Hmm."

"And rich."

"Aha."

"I mean who spends this much money to reprint nine hundred copies just to fake one single column?"

"Yup."

"Are you even listening?" Ashton asks in an annoyed tone.

"Aha-wait, what?" I turn around from my desk.

Ashton sighs and falls down on my bed on his back.

"And here I am, shedding my blood, where the person who's supposed to be concerned is being damn caring."

I glare at him. "Well sorry for trying to finish my homework in all that noise," I tell him.

"You know this is important, right?"

"And what's more important is keeping up with the school so you can get into a college."

Ashton raises a brow. "Do you think any college will accept you with something like that on your record?" That finally gives me in.

I sigh and get up from the chair and sit next to Ashton on the bed. We are currently in my room, me trying to do my homework. And Ashton, doing whatever he's doing. There's no one else except us in the house. Both mom and dad won't come until later. One of my mom's old colleagues came to our town this morning and asked mom to assist him for the day. Kat also has gone out somewhere, I didn't bother to ask where.

"We've worked so hard this week," I tell him. We spent the whole Saturday trying to avoid another swapping, witnessed every copy coming out of the machine, tied them together, and left them in the office room for Mrs. Glenda to pick them on Monday. But nothing worked.

On Monday, it's all the same.

"First you, then Cora and now Asher. And if you connect the dots," I say. "Three of you are the captain of your teams."

Ashton opens a closed eye and looks at me. "You think this person has something against us captains?"

I shrug. "You guys are friends too."

"In a manner of speaking." Ashton nods.

"Then I suggest you warn your other friends too."

Ashton shakes his head. "It's not what you think it is."

"How so?" I ask him.

"We know each other and are on good terms. That doesn't mean we're friends or more than friends," he says. "The only friends I ever had are Owen and Nyako."

I raise a brow. "Not even in New York?"

Something flashes in Ashton's eyes as he sits up straight. "Specially not in New York," he mumbles.

It was so low, so soft that I barely heard it. But when I ask him what is was, Ashton brushes it off and gets off the bed. "I'm hungry, let's eat something."

I return back to my table. "You go, I have to finish my homework first."

But Ashton blocks my way. "When did you eat last time?"

"I don't have an eating disorder, if that's what you're referring to," I snort.

But Ashton doesn't return my humor. "Since when are you doing your homework?"