"I look like a Steve Urkel gone wrong."

"Your overreacting." Melanie mummers into my ear and trails her finger down my button shirt covered chest." I think you look hot. In a smart and clean guy kind of way."

A snort sounds behind us and we look back to see Blade, holding a navy cardigan." Yeah and Alice wasn't just high in wonderland." And he hands me the jacket, which I'm forced to put on.

A growl escaped from me and I look back at my reflection. My dark brown hair is trimmed and gelled back into a style that I've seen a lot of kids have these days, my usual five a clock shadow is shaved to nothing but smooth skin, and my dark eyes are covered with thick banded glasses. As for my outfit..... My usual leather jacket is replaced by a navy cardigan, while I have on a light blue button down shirt instead of my usual black shirt, and khakis instead of my black skinny jeans." I look and feel like an idiot."

"Get used to it, is all I have to say."

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"Wake up Asher! You don't want to be late for school!" My mother bangs on my bed room door and I roll my eyes before opening it, sending her to almost collapse into me.

"Already up and ready mom." I tell her as I run the straightener over my ponytail, and putting deodorant on with my free hand. She looks at my outfit, her thoughts on it shown clearly on her face. Mom was a popular at school and was always the one that had good taste, and it pains her that my style is what you call.... Boring and embarrassing. At first the high waisted jeans and suspenders were as a joke, and pay back to my bullies, but now I actually like the look and wear it almost everyday.

"Are you sure you don't want to go shopping today?" She asks hopeful, still eyeing my outfit.

I brighten up at the mention and I see hope in her eyes, but it quickly washes away once I speak." Oh I changed my mind. I will be going shopping but with Hana." Hana's my best friend and a 'nerd' just like me, and mom doesn't really like her considering she wants me to be hanging out with the 'cool kids' instead.

Her shoulders sag and she lets out a sigh." How much money will you need?"

"Eighty??...." I ask, kind of awkward. Usually I'll only ask for twenty but we plan on going somewhere to eat and actually shopping this time.

"Just buy something pretty okay? And.... Not as many suspenders this time okay? I think you have enough." I nod, ignoring what she says as she hands me the money and I stick it into my pocket, before going back to the mirror. When I see my reflection I see my dad but mostly I see the girl who looks to fragile to be out on her own, and the girl that looks like at any cruel word, she could crumble. Dad makes our features work and has women and men falling for him, but I make them to where everyone wants to keep an eye on me to make sure I don't get hurt. I look like the little sister that everyone needs to take care of. Which is why I'm making him train me, emotionally and physically to where I'm not this innocent little girl. My insides jump a little when I realize my first street fight will be happening soon. I'm nervous because the fact that I could possibly die and I'm excited at the same time, ready to put my training to the test. I shrug out my shoulders before coating my lashes with mascara and walking out the door, ready to go pick Hana up.

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Usually in these types of stories my best friend would live a couple blocks away from me or just want the high next over... She's not. She's all the way on the other side of town, which usually takes me forth five minutes just to get there and be on our way to school. She's not secretly a sassy, party goer either.... I'm more of that way but we're still the wallflowers/ outcasts and are never seen at parties. Not even our own birthday celebrations. So no she doesn't jump into my car and automatically start jabbering on about a jerk she hit and quit, and she doesn't try to make me go to a party where something happens for this story to move onto the purpose or conflict. She simply walks out of her two storied home, carrying her books and book bag, while her fixing her fly aways. The hair part being the most exciting thing she's going to do." Did you get finished with last nights homework?" Her voice showing how late she spent on doing her math.

"Yeah." Unlike most of the kids, math is my go to subject. It's the easiest for me. The way the answer is never going to change- in some cases- and all you have to is put in the pattern of equations or numbers that fits it best, to get the right answer. It's kind of like my common sense." Did you get finished with the social studies?" She simply nods and we silently get out our homework and switch, getting the right answers and copying it onto our own sheets. Social studies isn't my subject. The dates, weird names, and events that somehow supposed to relate to a topic. I used to love social studies, back when I learned simple names that didn't make you question why in the world a parent wild name their child that.... But this is coming from a girl who's mom named her Asher- one of the manliest names out there.

"How'd you'd get this answer?"

She asks, trying her best to show me the paper without blocking my view from the road.

I glance down at the paper and when I can't seem to make sense of it I answer," Wait till we get to homeroom." She quickly nods before slipping that question and scribbling the answer to the last question down. "Excited about that art project today?" I prod, hoping she'll say yes. Since I had lot of free time as a child, I had a lot of time to practice drawing. Meaning I'm pretty good at sketching and love art.... But painting isn't my cup of tea. All of last summer break I'd grab my brushes and practice until I had it down packed.Hana can paint naturally but she always picks her crush Daniel, who also is amazing at painting. The losers.

"Ummm...... Well..." She says awkwardly and I roll my eyes.

"Fine never mind. Forget I asked. And dads going to have to drive us all the rest of the week starting tomorrow because this things going into the shop."

"What? But this is perfectly fine. Why is he putting it in the shop?"

I sigh out as we take the last turn off that's leads us to our school." Something about a late Christmas gift he forgot three years ago." I asked still confused but add," I personally think he just wants to work on a car no matter who's it is."

She smirks and says something that makes my everything groan in annoyance." Tell him he can work on my car anytime."

"Shut up. Now or I'll stop come getting you and you can just ride with your brother." Her mouth instantly snaps shut, leaving us in silence and I smile. Hana's brother is one of the popular boys in our grade, who's also trying his best to annoy me- who Hana doesn't like to talk about or be around. I don't blame her though. The popular pick on nerds or outcasts like us, meaning Gabriel's only chance of becoming popular was to make fun of and bully his own sister. I've hated him because of that since." I'm sorry." Is all I say realizing how much that would hurt her." I'd never do something like that."