26

"Let the rain fall down and wake my dreams."

Asher

The winter air was like a knockout punch as I trudged through the freshly fallen snow, yet my heart pounded with determination. I couldn't get the image of Sawyer's tear-stricken face out of my mind. Her stress was palpable when she realized she had lost her pendant. I knew how much that locket meant to her. My phone vibrated in my back pocket. Benjamin.

Where are you? School started an hour ago.

I hurriedly replied.

I'm preoccupied at the moment. See you later.

I scanned her driveway, my eyes squinting against the cold as I tried to determine where to look. I combed through the snow. My fingers were growing numb, but my resolve was unwavering. Each breath formed a cloud of mist in the frosty air. The pendant could be anywhere, and small enough to be lost in the abyss of snow. With each handful, my eyes scanned the ground for any signs of it. Another hour must have passed, and I was slowly losing hope.

Until a glint of silver caught my eye.

My heart knocked against my ribcage as I brushed away the snow like a dog digging for a bone. A surge of triumph burst through me as I plucked the pendant from the ice. I brushed the icicles away with my thumb before tucking it into my coat pocket. I'd spent hours in the bitter cold. I dug through piles of snow, but it was all worth it, knowing it would put a smile back on her face.

??

I took my time getting to class. It was rare for the halls to be so peaceful, and I wanted to take advantage of it. I strutted with my hands tucked into my front pockets and hummed Adam's Song by Blink-182. I turned the corner and bumped into Mr. Lombard—the strictest teacher in school.

"This seems to be a habit for you, Mr. Hart." He said as he glared at me over the rim of his glasses.

"I missed the bus."

"If that's the case, perhaps it would benefit you to wake up earlier."

I shrugged.

"I promise I will try." I said, but he didn't fall for my empty promise.

"You can try harder in detention." He said. "You're familiar enough with it by now."

"Yes, sir." I said, trying not to make it obvious how little I cared.

Neither of us spoke. We awkwardly hovered in the hallway.

"Get to class." He said, before walking past me to torment the next kid he bumped into.

"Asher." I heard a whisper.

I looked around for the source of the noise before someone pulled me into the shadowy confines of an abandoned classroom.

"You won't believe what happened." Benjamin said with a hint of urgency.

"Hello to you too."

"Whatever." He said, brushing my sarcasm off. "It's about Sawyer."

My ears perked at the mention of her. Benjamin glanced around as if he was afraid someone was listening in.

"Sawyer and Ava got into a fight in the art classroom."

My eyes widened in shock. Sawyer Whitlock?

"Hilarious, Ben."

"I'm serious." He said, tossing his hands up before dropping them. "I saw the whole thing."

"Please tell me you got it on video."

"Of course I did." He said, excitement bubbling in his voice.

As he took out his phone to show me the video, I couldn't help but smirk. It seemed I'd be having a new detention buddy.

??

The detention door creaked open as I entered, and all eyes fell on me. I ignored them and confidently strutted inside. My gaze swept around the room for Sawyer. She sat at a desk near the front, her nose buried in a book, unaware of my arrival. I leaned against the desk beside her.

"Hey there, brawler."

She looked up, surprise flickering in her eyes. As if she'd forgotten where she was.

"Asher." She said with a deep sigh. "I've heard this is your usual hangout spot."

"It seems it's going to be yours, too."

She tried to suppress her grin, but I noticed it.

"This is a onetime only deal."

Ava launched herself in the seat beside me, wedging me in between their heated gazes.

"Neither of us would be here if she didn't attack me."

"Don't be so dramatic," Sawyer said, slamming her book shut. "You started it. I ended it."

The tension between them crackled like static electricity. I lounged back in the middle of my seat with a mischievous grin. It was like reality television.

Their argument was on the verge of escalation until Mr. Harris entered the room. The pair fell silent, shooting one last glare at each other before turning their attention to the front. The pendant burnt a hole in my pocket as I placed my hand over it. I debated on giving it to her now, but I didn't want to make a scene. I raised my hand.

"Mr. Harris, can I go to the bathroom?"

"It's may." He said with a sigh, not taking his gaze off the stack of papers in front of him.

"It's October." I said, not resisting an opportunity to upset him.

"Go to the bathroom, Mr. Hart, before I change my mind."

The hallways were eerily quiet. A faint smirk appeared on my lips as I savoured the moment of solitude. The flickering fluorescent lights cast long shadows across the linoleum. I brushed a tousled strand of hair away from my eyes as I scanned the empty corridor.

Sawyer's locker stood out to me. I hesitated whether to slip the pendant in her locker or to wait until after detention to give it to her.

"Shouldn't you be in detention?" Josh asked, appearing out of nowhere.

"Shouldn't you be waving your pom-poms around?"

He ignored my attempt at annoying him.

"What are you doing at Sawyer's locker?"

"I was planning on vandalizing it, but you stopped me before I could."

"Now isn't the time for your sarcastic quips." He said. "It might work on everyone else, but not me."

I raised my hands in mock surrender before brushing my shoulder against his, wanting to strut away with the last word.

"You lost your chance."

His words halted me in my spot.

"For what?"

"For her."

My fists clenched at my sides as my composure slipped away.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You lost the girl, brother." He said, his tone bitter and condescending. "For the first time, you weren't the first choice."

I turned and stared at him with such intensity that I was surprised a hole wasn't forming. I straightened my spine and squared my shoulders, wanting to appear unbothered despite the inner turmoil.

"I'm not worried," I said. "I can wait."

"For what?"

"For her to realize I'm the better choice."

The atmosphere was tense as we squared off in the deserted hallway. Josh scoffed.

"You've never been the better choice, Asher." He said. "You've never been able to keep a steady relationship your entire life. You use girls like toys until you're done with them, and you'd just do the same to Sawyer."

Our gaze never wavered as the tension escalated.

"That's not true. Sawyer is different."

He chuckled without humour. His corner lip lifted as he scoffed in disbelief.

"You've said that about every girl that gives you the slightest bit of attention." He said. "Face it, Asher, you only hurt people."

His words hung heavy in the air, a stark reminder of the recent rift between us. I charged for him, but Liam stepped between us as if he were lurking in the shadows, expecting this interaction.

"Asher, you need to step back," Liam said, but I ignored him and tried to break from his hold. "You don't want to do this."

"Of course I do."

He dug his feet into the ground and knocked me back.

"Josh, get out of here."

The hostility in Liam's voice surprised me. I'd never heard him speak like that to anyone before. He kept shoving me until we rounded the corner.

"Take deep breaths."

I searched my pockets for a cigarette, but I wrapped my fingers around the stiff piece of silver. The pendant. I burst past Liam, ignoring his pleas for me to not do something stupid, and marched up to Joshua, standing at his locker. He turned to me with raised brows. I gripped his hand and shoved the pendant into his palm. Without a word, I headed for the exit. Who cared about detention?

"Was that the pendant?" Liam called, running until he was beside me. "The one you told me Sawyer lost?"

"It was."

"You went to look for it?"

"I did."

"Why did you give it to Joshua?"

I stopped with my palms flat against the exit door and turned to him with a scowl.

"Because," I said, void of emotion. "He's the better brother."

??