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XANDER

Age: 18

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Monday had gone by and I’d seen no sign of Kevin. If he was ditching school to avoid me, then he should know that it was only making me more upset.

I just wanted to talk things through. I refused to let Ashton break up our friendship.

I sent him a text, but like the last one it just went unanswered. I sighed as the bell rang, signalling the end of the first period. Callie was reciting Shakespeare as she made her way to the theatre room.

I had a free period. I spotted Ashton as he stalked by my desk in one of the worst moods I’d seen yet. Yikes. I’d steer clear of him today.

Nicole trotted to catch up to him, but her heels only slowed her down and he was gone in a moment. She pouted but then walked off to her next class. Ramona and Alexis ran behind her, carrying her stuff.

I waited until the hallway cleared up a little before stepping out. I didn’t want to deal with the thick throng of teenagers.

Maybe Ashton would know where Kevin was. But asking him seemed like a really bad idea, especially since this whole mess had started because he wanted me to stay away from Kevin. I didn’t think he was the type of friend to get so jealously overprotective, but then again I didn’t really know the guy.

After four years the one conclusion I’d come to was that he was an insufferable jerk. Besides, Kevin had been my friend since freshman year. Why did he suddenly have a problem with us being friends?

It didn’t make sense to me, which was why I needed Kevin to stop hiding me out and give me some answers. I chewed my nails as I wondered if triple texting him would only push him further away.

A crash sounded from one of the classrooms I was walking beside. I looked up curiously, wondering if I’d somehow imagined it.

Another loud crash and angry shouting. Someone groaned in what sounded like pain. My Ashton senses were tingling.

I opened the door, peered into the classroom and sighed. I was right. Ashton was standing over another student. I recognized his thick wave of unruly blonde hair. He was Xander, a fellow prefect.

It wasn’t comforting knowing that I wasn’t the only prefect being terrorized. What did he do to get on Ashton’s bad side now?

He had a bloody nose and his glasses were on the floor a few feet away from him. One of the lens’ was broken.

I ran into the room as Ashton slammed Xander against the wall, giving him another punch. I came up between them, pushing my hand against Ashton’s chest. He didn’t even move an inch. Well, that didn’t help, but at least he stopped punching him.

I glared at Ashton. His glare darkened considerably as he looked down at me. Probably remembering the time I took his gum.

I looked away from him, instead turning to inspect Xander, who was barely conscious.

“Let him go.”

Ashton scoffed, but I glared at him until he did. He backed away from him, running a hand through his hair.

That was easier than I thought. I was worried I’d have to bust out the karate moves I’d learned online at 1 a.m this morning. Well, tried to learn. I could probably give him a nasty kick if he tested me.

I ran over to get Xander’s glasses. He took them from me with a weak groan and used me as a crutch until he could stand.

“Thanks, Elizabeth,” he whispered.

I shook my head. “It’s nothing. Go see the nurse.”

He nodded, glared at Ashton and hobbled out of the room. I turned to face Ashton in disbelief.

“What is wrong with you?”

“Should I go in alphabetical order?” he sneered. “Of course the good Samaritan would show up to save the day.”

“Fighting isn’t allowed,” I said, narrowing my eyes. “I’ve been telling you this for the past year. Doesn’t it get old?”

He scoffed. “You’re the last person I want to hear anything from.”

“You’re the last person I wanted to see,” I sighed. “My free period’s ruined now. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

I rolled my eyes and then spotted something on the ground behind him. No way. Again?

“You were smoking in here?” I asked incredulously as I picked up the pack of cigarettes. “Ashton smoking isn’t a-”

“Allowed?” he finished darkly. He grabbed the pack away from me. “Why don’t you just mind your f*cking business?”

“This is my business,” I said, ignoring his colorful language. “Give them to me.”

“Or what?” he growled, stepping closer.

His eyes sparkled dangerously. They were beautiful, but the anger in them warned me to move away from him.

“I don’t want to report you,” I said, stepping back. “Just give them to me.”

He laughed incredulously.

“You don’t want to try one?” he asked, pulling out a cigarette and handing it to me.

“No thanks. I kinda need my lungs to survive.”

He scoffed, lightly pushing me back until I was sitting on top of a desk.

“Just try it. One won’t hurt,” he said coming in front of me and blocking my path.

“Ashton, I don’t want to.”

“Just drop the perfect act for once. Show me that you can be more than this.”

“I was kicked out of the rebel life,” I sighed, grabbing the pack from him. “It’s not an act and I have nothing to prove to you.”

He laughed, but it was hard and cold. Humorless. “You really are a good girl, aren’t you?”

He moved away from me and I hopped down from the desk. I shook the pack. “I’m taking these.”

He scoffed again and barrelled past me, knocking me off balance onto the floor.

“Just stay the f*ck away from me.”

He left the room, slamming the door behind him.

I sighed and picked myself off the floor. He was pissed, but I didn’t care. At least not right now. If he hated me for his gum before now, I couldn’t imagine what he’d do about this.

I slipped the cigarettes into my skirt pocket. I’d have to get rid of these. I decided to go check on how Xander was doing.

There goes my free period.

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