"Asher....." "Don't," Asher shot her a warning look, making her gulp in response. Currently, they were waiting for their cab at the roadside and he looked really mad. If they were in anime, he would have steam rising off his body. "Are you mad at me?" she squeaked. Asher gave no reaction, instead continued to look ahead at the road. She waddled closer with her hands clasped in her front. "I..I didn't mean to upse.." Asher roughly grabbed her by her upper arm, making her eyes go wide. His eyes- a fiery inferno of rage- cutting through hers. She froze. "Don't give me this shit while wearing this piece of crap," his glare shot down to her dress. She shrunk into herself. She had suspected this. "You know I don't like you wearing such dresses but you did anyway," he ground out through his clenched teeth, unconsciously tightening his grip on her wrist. Serena's eyes watered. "I..It was a date..so," "I don't give a flying shit about your fucking date. Why did you not stop him wh
Asher was lying on the bed with his back resting against the headboard. Serena felt as if someone had breathed life back into her. He didn't look completely fine but the color had returned to his face. His lips were not bluish anymore. She clutched the front of her dress, her throat burning as she struggled to suppress her sobs. These last thirty-two minutes were the worst time of her life. Her head and heart both were on the verge of exploding due to all the stress weighing down on her.Sensing her presence, he darted his gaze to her. Serena felt a sharp pang in her heart when her eyes locked with his. His eyes were dull and sunken, a testament to the hell he just had suffered. Because of her. Mustering up all her courage, she walked in. Asher watched her intently as she rounded to the other side and set down his glasses, phone on the table. "How..how are you feeling now?" her voice was croaky from stifled sobs. "Better," he answered, noting the tender skin around her eyes. Her che
Tom had his gaze solely fixated on his son as he sauntered in. Asher watched him with nothing but anger in his eyes. His resentment for his dad had long festered into a tumor. Now even his sight was enough to sour his mood. "Why are you here?" Asher demanded, frowning with apparent displeasure Reed lifted his brows in amusement and leaned against the wall, sensing some drama. "I called him," Serena answered, smiling nervously. Asher's features tightened. An emotional frenzy had seized her when they were taking him inside. That chilling moment was still fresh in her mind. He looked the absolute worst with his skin turning blue. She had never seen someone in such a worst state so needless to say she was shit scared. The thought of calling his dad wouldn't have occurred to her if not for Shanice who suggested she informed his parents in case things got worse. Serena was aware that he didn't have a good relationship with his dad but as he was his legal guardian, he needed to be infor
"I..I was worried..You were looking.." "Like I was going to die? Is that why you called him? If that's what you were thinking then you should have called him after I was dead," Asher fumed, grinding out the words. "He is your guardian. It wa.." "He is not my guardian. He is no one to me. And you know very well how much I resent that person. Still.....Every time I feel bad about lashing out at you, you do something that makes me lose my temper all over again," he seethed, his eyes cold and unwavering as they stared her down with indignation. His hostility caused her to hate herself too. She knew very well his dad gave no fuck about him. He would rather have him dead. She knew how badly his dad treats him. Even now he came all the way here only to ridicule him, to tell him how he was going to be a failure in the future. Her eyes prickled with tears. She doesn't cry easily. All these years of being disregarded and belittled, she had grown a thick skin but every time he lashed out at
"Can we meet today?" Serena asked, crossing her fingers. It was 8 in the morning and calling him was the first thing she did after waking up. Honestly, she hadn't slept the whole night so it wasn't technically "waking up." How could she sleep when he was so mad at her? "What for?" Came his "just woken up" voice. So husky and deep that she felt her cheeks turning hot. It must sound even more sexy in person. She wondered when she would get the opportunity to hear it in person."Serena?" he called, breaking her away from her trance. "Umm...Yeah..," she cleared her throat, "Actually I was...I wanted to see you," she replied."Only if it's fine with you," she added as an afterthought. The line went silent for a moment. "Time?" he asked at last. "At 11. Stream park?" she suggested hesitantly. "Alright," he concurred, causing her heart to swell with joy. A beaming smile stretched across her face from ear to ear. "Okay..see y." before she could finish, the line went dead. Her smile fal
"So am I forgiven now?" she asked as she handed him his coffee. Currently, they were inside her living room, having coffee. After spending a little time at the park Serena had insisted for him to come to her place for lunch. She knew very well that the pie was just a drop in the ocean for his large appetite. She hadn't made anything fancy, just the regular stuff but enough to sate his appetite. The look of satisfaction that appeared on his face after he was finished eating had brought unparalleled joy to her. "Whose idea was it?" he asked referring to the double date. Serena settled down beside him. "Shanice. She thought it would be fun to have double dates. But I should have asked you first," she replied. Asher gave a stiff nod in response. "Ask her how much it cost her. I will pay her back," he remarked, his voice suddenly adopting a stern tone. Serena straightened up. "I already asked her but she dismissed it saying we shouldn't worry about it," Serena told him. Asher clenched
Hot fury surged through Asher. He pushed forward to teach these scums of gutter a hard lesson but only to be stopped in his track by a gentle force bound around him. Upon glancing down, he found her hiding in his shirt. Her frail arms were wrapped around him and her face was buried into his chest. All he could see was her hair which was coiled into a top-knot. She had tightened her grip around him after sensing he was about to draw away. She needed him close to feel safe. Somehow her fear weakened his impulse and he stayed put. Asher looked around. It was only them on the street. They shouldn't have wandered about mindlessly at such hour. "Let us go," Asher negotiated, looking around and memorizing each face to the groove of his brain. The man with the knife came closer. "Give us everything you have," he demanded. Asher ground his jaw but complied. He reached into his pocket and took out his wallet. Keeping Serena close with his one arm, he threw it towards him with his other
Serena waited but Asher didn't come to the class today as well. She scowled internally thinking back to yesterday when he made her study continuously for three hours. Now he was skipping classes without a care. He doesn't seem serious for someone who keeps telling her to study as exams are approaching. As she was headed towards her next class, someone gripped her wrist and pulled her inside the room. Her back hit a hard surface. Before she could scream, a hand clamped down on her mouth. She bit down hard into the palm. "Ouch," Asher hissed, immediately removing his hand from her mouth. Serena recognized his voice and swiftly turned to see his face screwed in pain. "Asher? Why did you do that?" she scolded him. She clutched her chest, beneath which her heart was racing miles per second. "And where were you? You didn't even attend the class?" she demanded, sounding annoyed. "I went somewhere," he offered a vague reply. She furrowed her brows at him."Where?" she asked. Asher frow