Tom's palm met Asher's cheek in a resounding slap. A small pool of blood oozed from the cut on his cheek caused by his ring. Asher balled his hands into tight fists in an attempt to keep himself from returning the gesture. Initially, when his dad used to beat him, he would wrap around his legs and beg for mercy. He would apologize even when he wasn't wrong. The little boy just wanted his dad's affection. He wanted him to love him like he loved Ashton. But his dad never showed him mercy, much less love. He would beat him until he fainted. Sometimes Asher felt that his dad wanted him to die. Too bad, death didn't want him either. "I will not have you ruin my reputation," Mr. Carter asserted with another striking slap causing his face to whip the other side. His brows knitted as he heard a ringing in his ear. He wasn't allowed to dwell much on it as Tom seized his chin and jerked his face towards him. "Why did you mangle Clark's car?" Tom demanded in a venom-laced tone. Tom's
The moon above bore witness as the girl selflessly gave all her warmth to the boy and took in all his despair. She soaked up every drop of melancholy he oozed and glowed from within- brighter than the moon itself. She let him as he pulled her closer and closer- nearly suffocating her- greedy for more of her warmth. She possessed a healing aura. A soothing, calming aura like that of rain. She had the ability to calm the most frantic of hearts with her presence alone. And only she owned it in this whole world. Maybe that's why he came to her of all the places, craving her soothing aura. He could already feel the chaos inside him slowly receding. He felt all those demonic thoughts retreating to the obscured pit of his mind. He didn't wish to kill anyone anymore. He was basking in peace. She calmed his chaos- like rain to the wildfire. After a long while, he decided to release her. He appeared calmer now but embarrassed too for displaying his vulnerable side to her. When he finally li
"I showed your gift to my friends and they liked it too," Serena revealed to Asher as they walked together towards their class. "Really? What did they say?" Asher pried. "Mendy and Kim couldn't stop awing at it and Shanice...well, she was totally stunned. Her eyes nearly bugged out as though she had seen some ghost," Serena giggled as she recalled Shanice's expression. The girl had looked so comical. Asher smirked. So she recognized it. "Did she say anything?" Asher asked a perk in his tone now. "Yes. She said it's pretty," the guileless girl revealed. Asher nodded, smirking in triumph. .............It's staggering how quickly time flies. It felt like only yesterday when she had met Shanice for the first time and now she was helping her pack her bags. Shanice was leaving their small town for LA with Reed tomorrow. She was flying out to live her dreams. And while Serena was happy for her, she was a little sad too. She hated goodbyes. "I am going to miss you," Serena felt te
Serena assessed his appearance and couldn't help the line of concerns that creased her face. He was drenched in rain from tip to toe, his eyes bloodshot, jaw clenched. He looked like a mess. "What's wrong?' she asked in concern. He stared at her for a whole minute, debating internally. She was dying to know the cause of his condition. "Can I stay here with you for a few days?" he questioned, sounding embarrassed. Serena was taken aback by his request. It was then her eyes caught the sight of his backpack which he was holding in his hand. Her concern grew but she bit her tongue on it. She nodded and sidestepped for him to get in. Raindrops trailed behind him as he walked in with his head downcast. "I'll get the towel," she stated and disappeared inside her room to get it. Asher dropped the bag to the floor and raked a hand through his wet hair. Even the rain couldn't douse the inferno of rage hissing through his brain. Serena came back with a towel in his hand. "Here," she nudg
Serena set down the box on the study table in front of him. Asher paused scribbling in his diary. His gaze flickered to the box and then he glanced up at her in confusion. She was standing over him with a beaming smile on her face. She motioned for him to open the box. He reached out a hand and opened it only to find a pair of glasses sitting inside. It looked very much like his earlier glasses but with an expensive touch to it. "You liked them?" she asked in a hopeful tone. Asher raised his gaze to her. Her smile faltered upon seeing his bothered expression. "How much did it cost you?" he enquired with a frown on his face. "Not as much as you think. The storekeeper is a regular to our clinic so I had them at a discount," she lied with a shrug to not make him feel bad. Asher sighed."Serena, I don't want you to splurge on things..""It's not splurging, Asher. It's a basic necessity. You needed them.," she said with a reassuring smile. He would never say it out loud but she knew he
Asher pulled into the driveway of his dad's house and leaned back in his seat, taking a deep breath. He looked nervous. Serena put a hand on his arm, prompting him to look her way. Like always, she exuded positivity and warmth. "Let's get it over with," she gave him a reassuring smile. Asher responded with a stiff nod and turned to open his door. Serena mimicked his action and got down the truck she had borrowed from her friend. Her eyes swept over the house situated in front of them. It was an ordinary mid-sized house with a small lawn in the front. "Come," Asher said and started towards the main door. Serena fell in line behind him. It would be a lie to say she wasn't nervous. Her first encounter with his dad was still fresh in her mind. His judgemental gaze, the sheer contempt in his tone, his denigrating statements- she remembered them all and wasn't looking forward to facing them again. But how could she let Asher walk into that hell all alone? Asher had initially refused to
Flames of anger licked through Asher when he saw his father stalking towards Serena. He swept in between them and seized Tom's filthy hand mid-air before they could even touch Serena's sacred aura. "Don't you dare," he ground out while brutally squeezing Tom's wrist. Their eyes locked in a silent battle of will. "You imbecile," she exclaimed from afar, too scared to get near. "Leave your dad's hand," her appalled voice cut through the tension that hung in the air. Asher ignored her remark and continued to stare down at his father, his rage evident in his eyes. The air around them was heavy and thick with the weight of their confrontation. It had turned downright vicious. "I should have killed you the day you were born," Tom hissed. Asher kept his face neutral. He refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing him hurting. "Raise your hand on her again and I will rip this whole arm off your body," Asher warned him in a cold and exact tone. He released his hand with a jerk, stil
She woke up to find him gone. His blanket and bedspread were neatly folded at the edge of her bed. She groaned in regret. Damn her sleep. She couldn't even wish him luck. Today was a special day for Asher. He had gone to meet his potential business partner. The boy was awake all night perfecting his blueprint. Serena tried to stay awake with him but her body was too exhausted from work to comply. She didn't even realize when she fell asleep. Serena grabbed her phone to message him Good luck but stopped right before sending it. What if he was showing his phone to his partner and he saw the message? She deleted the text, dropping the idea. She got off bed to start her day. After finishing her morning ablutions, she headed straight to the kitchen to make her something. A plate loaded with sandwiches was awaiting her on the kitchen counter. Smiling, she grabbed the plate and started munching on it while preparing her morning coffee. Best sandwiches in the world. Asher had taken his firs