Chapter 3: Locker Room

Ashton

"Hey! Ashton!" I was walking down the hallway when I suddenly heard someone call my name so I immediately turned my back to see who was calling me, there are only a few people I can think of as to who's trying to get my attention and I couldn't help but raised my brows when I saw that it was Benedict, he's walking hurriedly towards me.

"What do you want, Benny?" I immediately asked him when he got close to me. I continued walking toward my first class while Benedict was trying to keep up with me.

"Are you done with our Trigonometry assignment?" Benedict asked me and I couldn’t help but rolled my eyes hoping that I just misheard him but then he asked me again about our Trigonometry assignment.

"What? We have an assignment in Trigonometry?" I asked him while acting as if I'm so shocked to find out that we have an assignment in Trigonometry but then Benedict just smirks at me because I sounded sarcastic rather than shocked or surprised.

"I'll take that as a yes. Let's go to the library, please let me copy the assignment first before we go to the classroom." Benedict literally begged me and dragged me in the direction of the library so there was nothing I can do but let him take me to the library. I just let it go because there was still half an hour before our Trigonometry class starts.

When we got to the library, Benedict chose the table at the far end of the corner where there weren't many students hanging out. I immediately open my bag and get a whole piece of paper where I wrote our Trigonometry assignment.

"Can you do that a little bit faster, Benny? We only got five minutes before the class starts and please don't be such an idiot and copy my name again." I told Benedict but he just smirks at me before he continues to copy my assignment.

"Ouch! Why are you so fucking mean to me, Ashton? That was just one time, Ashton, my brain was just so preoccupied and busy at that time that I didn't notice I even wrote your name." Benedict defends himself and I just look at him with a mocking smile.

"Yeah! Whatever, finish that already." I replied to him and I didn't bother to talk to him again so that he can focus on copying my assignment. I don't want to be late for the class.

I still remember how Benedict and I met, I was new to the place and I don't know the ins and outs here and he was kind enough to help me from finding a cheap but nice apartment and a part-time job. I can't say that we're pretty close since we only meet at school and we often hang out outside the school.

After Benedict copied my assignment we immediately left the library and start heading toward our classroom.

"Aw! I almost forgot someone told me that you got into a fight yesterday?" Benedict suddenly asked me out of nowhere while we were still on our way to the classroom. I can't help but raised an eyebrow at him because I don't have any idea how he found out that I got into a fight yesterday. I can't even call it a fight since I didn't do anything.

"Where did you get that news?" I asked him instead of answering his question.

"Harry told me about it." Benedict's unequivocal response caused me to look at him with horror. I was hoping that he would say that he was just joking but then by the looks on his face, it looks like Benedict is serious.

I can't help but feel a little bit worried for Benedict knowing that he talks to Harry. I'm sure he knows that Harry is a gangster and if in some unfortunate event, Harry got his interest in Benedict then that would be the end of his happy life in senior high. I'm not exaggerating but rumors are circulating around the school that if Harry got an interest in someone, he never stops making that someone's life miserable.

"Harry? And since when did you start talking to him? I don't want to ruin my last year in this school so if Harry got an interest in you, you better stay away from me because I had enough shít going on with my life and I don't have time to sympathize with your misfortune, Benny." I exclaimed but Benedict just smirks at me before laughing as if he didn't just hear me.

"Have some faith, Ashton. Harry won't do anything stupid to me, I might look fragile outside but I actually know at least nine ways on how to kill a cat." Benedict replied meaningfully causing me to momentarily stop walking and I stared at him with furrowed brows.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"What are you? Assassin? A serial killer?" I asked him but he just shrugged his shoulders before he showed me his signature sinister smile and I don't know if I should take it seriously or not. Benedict didn't say anything and he just walk past me toward our classroom.

We were about to enter the classroom when suddenly Benedict stop and turned towards me with a curious face. "You haven't answered my question yet, did you really get into a fight yesterday?" Benedict asked me for the second time.

"Yeah, I got into a fight with this old man in the cafe. He's asking me if I'm for sale and then he insists that I should go with him. The old man was so fucking disrespectful that I lost my composure and I start punching him right on his face." I lied. There's no way I am telling Benedict that the old man dragged me out of the cafe and then Harry came to save my day. I mean there's no way he'll gonna believe me if I say that Harry saves me from that old man.

“That old man is pathetic! It's a good thing that you know how to punch, the old man had it coming to him though." Benedict commented before he put his arms around my shoulder and gently dragged me inside the classroom.

Benedict and I decided to sit in the back in case we got bored in the class and needed a nap. While we were waiting for the teacher, I couldn't help but think about Benedict's comment. Of course, I know how to punch a man and that's not the only thing I'm capable of. Luciano taught me how to fight and how to defend myself. If Harry didn't come and rescue me yesterday, I think I can handle that old man by myself. The only thing that hinder me from punching the old man and strangling him to death was the thought of losing my job.

"Are you okay?" Benedict asked.

"Hmm? Yeah," I sparingly replied to him. Benedict just look at me with furrowed brows but he didn't say anything because he saw our teacher entering the classroom.

After about an hour and a half, our class ended and I can tell by the deep breaths around the classroom that I'm not the only one who got bored and wished the class would end sooner. Benedict and I were walking down the hallway and we were debating whether to skip the next class or not when suddenly a man wearing corporate attire blocks our way.

"Benedict, it's nice to see you again." The man said grinning at Benedict. I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow and look at Benedict, trying to read his expression. The man knows his name and based on his looks, I can tell that this man is not a student nor a teacher in this school. I wonder who this man is and what he's doing here. Gosh! Why am I thinking too much about this man?

"What are you doing here, Maclen? What do you want from me this time?" Benedict asked and looking at his stern face, it looks like he was not happy to see this man.

"Stop the pretenses, Benedict. You know why I am here." The man that Benedict just called Maclen replied with a smug face.

I heard Benedict take a deep breath and then he looked at me.

"I think I'm gonna skip the next class, see you tomorrow," Benedict said and I couldn't even respond to him because he immediately walked away and they left me here standing and I'm trying to process what just happened. I was thinking if I should be worried about Benedict, I mean Maclen does look highly and respectable in those corporate suits but it doesn't mean he has good intentions, or maybe I'm just overthinking. I just shrugged my thoughts and continued walking toward the locker area to put some of my books and notebooks in the locker.

While I was putting my books inside my locker, I almost died in horror when suddenly someone grabbed my shoulder and slammed me into the locker, causing me to gasp in shock and wince in pain when my back hit the cold metal.

"I hope you still remember me, Ashton." I heard him say with a sinister tone of voice while I was still left in shock, trying to figure out what the hell just happened. I can't help but swallow my saliva when I recognized the face of the man standing closely in front of me. I look around the area, hoping someone would help me but the other students didn't seem to care that I was just slammed on the locker by a gangster. It looks like they're more curious about what's about to happen.

"Harry," I said whispering his name. I don't know why but saying his name out loud feels like I'm summoning the grim reaper.

"Very well, I thought I need to slam your head on the locker again to remember me," Harry said while smiling at me and I can tell that his smile was full of crap, it was like his way of threatening me and I'm a fool if I say that I wasn't threatened a bit. Yeah! A bit.

"What do you want from me?" I asked him trying to sound like I wasn't scared of him right now.

"Your debt is due tonight, I'll collect it after your shift," Harry replied to me nonchalantly causing me to raise my brows at him. I don't have any idea what he's talking about.

What debt?

"What do you mean–," I wasn't able to finish what I was about to ask him because he immediately turned his back and quickly walked away from me while I was left dumbfounded, staring at his back.

What the hell just happened? I don't remember borrowing anything from him. He's clearly just messing with me.