Hauling his bag over one shoulder, Asher climbed down the stairs. He hoped no one was in the living area as he was in no mood to tolerate any taunt right now. But all his hope was dashed when he noticed his father and his stepmother lounging in the living room, having their morning tea. Ignoring them, he made his way towards the door. "Asher," his dad called, making him stop in his tracks. Asher reluctantly turned, cursing under his breath. With a neutral face, he met his dad's cold judgemental eyes. "How's your study going?" his dad got straight to the point. Asher wasn't surprised. That's how it was always. His dad had no concern for his wellbeing, all he cared was for his grades. "Good," Asher replied just as coldly. "Your mom said you are more focused on your phone messaging these days than your studies. You even came late yesterday," Thomas, his dad stated. Asher felt a surge of irritation. "What I do with my phone is none of your concern. And this bitching old hag is no
"Hey," Serena smiled at Amanda and Kimberly as she took her seat at the table. They were the only ones sitting at their table. The girls responded with a stiff smile before diving right back into whatever hushed conversation they were having, ignoring her presence altogether. Serena leaned back in her chair and let her eyes scan around the canteen. It wasn't the first time they had ignored her like this. They would treat her like a stranger in Shanice's absence. It seemed like they tolerated her in the group only because she was Shanice's best friend. The reason could be that she wasn't rich like them plus her tastes differed from theirs. It used to hurt her in the past but with time, she had gotten accustomed to it. "Hey," both the girls paused their conversation and chirped in unison when Shanice showed up. Serena turned her head in her direction. Shanice greeted them back and sat down. With her back straight and shapely legs crossed, her posture, like always, spoke of elegance and
She turned off the mixer and rushed to the stove to check the steaks. She quickly flipped the steak in the pan, causing a sizzling noise to hiss through the room. Her entire kitchen was a mess right now. Today was Thanksgiving. She had invited Asher over for dinner. This was the first time she had asked someone over. She have been super busy since morning. She started her day with grocery shopping then she cleaned her entire house and dusted the furniture. Even though her house isn't really big, cleaning took all her time. Before she knew it, it was already midday and her hands were hurting. But her enthusiasm was still intact.She had already decided on the menu for tonight. It consists of her and his favorites. Lasagna, pumpkin pie, butter chicken, noodles, and a few more. Her kitchen had never enjoyed so much attention before. Even though she was constantly working since morning, she didn't feel tired even a bit. Her excitement to have dinner with Asher surpassed everything else.
She was picking up the dishes from the counter when his footsteps followed her in. 'I'll help you," he stood beside her, scanning the bowls wondering which ones to grab when his eyes landed on pumpkin pie. A wave of happiness washed over him. "Whoa..you've made pumpkin pie?" he exclaimed, joyfully. "And lasagna too" she revealed shyly and turned to get to the table. He grabbed the remaining bowls and followed her to the table like a child. " You are the best, Pumpkin. And this is the best dinner night I've ever had," he declared already. Serena chuckled, indulging in his new side. He acts like a child when excited. "Well, at least taste the food first then decide," she suggested calmly.He quickly settled down in his chair and gazed upon her with childish anticipation as she served him food. Her movements fluid and graceful. She generously loaded his plate with his favorite Lasagna, she knew how much he liked it. Asher couldn't help but smile fondly at the sight of her, unconsci
"I usually sit here and gaze at the star-lit sky while having my coffee. I love stars," she disclosed, admiring the fireballs dotting the midnight sky. Asher also leaned against the wall and took a sip of his coffee. "What's so special about them? They are just stars," he replied, not understanding her fascination with them. Serena took a moment before answering. "They are mesmerizing but not because they shine. Ever wondered how much they endure to shine the way they do? They selflessly burn to illuminate their surroundings and decorate the night. Only special ones can be this selfless," she explained. Asher was once again captivated by her way of thinking. "Someone is very passionate about stars," he teased, enjoying their conversation. He liked having deep talks with her. Her thought process was unique- full of different colors. "No seriously. I mean....They have been here even when we were not here and they will continue to exist after we die. You getting right? Isn't it ama
Serena glanced up at the overcast sky and exhaled a loud sigh. It was going to rain soon. All the students and teachers were filing out of the building, rushing to their cars in an attempt to evade the rain. Just then the clouds roared deafeningly causing her to startle. She took some steps backward and wrapped her arms around herself to retain her warmth. It was turning colder. The school was all empty now. There was still no Trace of Shanice. Shanice had asked her to stay back as she wanted to see her after school. She didn't tell her why but Serena had agreed nonetheless. Now Serena was waiting for half an hour and she still had not arrived. The girl had this tendency of being fashionably late. Serena was used to it and never complained but the situation was different right now. She had a shift at the clinic and she was getting late for that. Clocking in late at work would mean clocking out late- Serena's neighborhood wasn't the safest for that- and that's why she always clocked i
Her face lit with a smile. The bus was taking forever to come. Henry had chosen the best time to show up. "Get inside," Henry waved her over. "Can you also drop Asher?" she shouted back with a hopeful tone. Henry shifted his gaze to Asher and his smile faltered upon meeting his hostile glare. The very evident scowl on his face was a clear indication of his strong dislike towards him. Henry for the life of him couldn't understand why. The bespectacled boy resembled a glowering lion ready to charge if his territory was threatened. And in this case, his territory was Serena. Henry quickly shifted his focus to Serena, avoiding any further confrontation with him. "Sure," he responded to her pleasure. As Serena approached his car with a smile, Asher quickly stopped her by tightly gripping her wrist. "The bus has arrived," he ground out lowly. Serena looked at him with confusion, but he didn't pay attention to her and instead kept his eyes on Henry. Serena opened her mouth to speak
"Why would you make her wait and not come?" Asher questioned Shanice. He had expected better from Shanice. Shanice regarded him with confusion. "Who?" she asked. Asher's laser-cutting gaze turned sharper at her ignorance. "Serena. Why did you make her wait if you were not planning to come?" he repeated, trying his best to keep his growing anger in check. "I had some work," she answered vaguely and got back to her phone. "You could have told her beforehand," he wasn't convinced by her answer. It sounded selfish. She sighed and glanced up at him. "Why are you making such a big deal out of nothing? She doesn't mind it," she shrugged. Asher was astounded to see her act like this. The Shanice he knew was kind and empathetic, not like her. "It was raining badly, Shan. She doesn't own a car like you and the bus stand is 10 minutes away from school. You may not know it but traveling in the rain is a fucking challenge for those who don't own their personal ride. She also had a shift a