Fragile Bones

Chapter Eight

I stood outside the school, nervously shifting back and forth between my feet. Asher had said that we were going to work on the project today, so I was waiting outside of the school for him to pick me up in that car. I had only seen him a couple times today, in English and briefly in PE. He hadn't spoken a word to me at all, and I hoped I wasn't making a fool of myself by waiting out here if no one was going to show up. For some reason, he seemed like the type of guy that would stand someone up.

I checked the time on my phone to see that it was twenty minutes past the time that the school let out. My anxiety got the best of me and I convinced myself that no one was coming after all and I might as well leave. I got mad at him since he didn't even bother to tell me that he wasn't going to show up and grabbed my bag off the sidewalk and started storming away down the sidewalk, all prepared to walk back to my house.

"Where do you think you're going sweetheart?" I closed my eyes at the low voice behind me and I could practically hear the smirk in it. I whirled around and took a startled step back when I came an inch away from Asher's smug little face. What the hell was he doing, wasn't he supposed to pick me up?

I opened and closed my mouth for a couple seconds, trying to find the right words to say to him. "You. You-stupid-piece of," I couldn't even finish my sentence I was so infuriated. I din't even really know why, maybe it was the thought that for once in my life someone was at least being civil to me, then he had to go and do this. "Ugh!" I screamed, at no one in particular.

"Piece of-?" He cupped his hand around his ear and leaned in closer. "I don't believe I heard that part of your insult," he replied innocently. I stared at him, then looked down at the ground, feeling like crying for no reason at all.

"Why-why would you even do that? Have you been here this whole time?" I asked him, and he dropped his hand back down to his side, cocking his head to look at me sideways for a second. He looked like a young schoolboy in that moment, and I almost wished that he was so I could punt his stupid self across the world.

"Yeah, pretty much. I was going to come meet you outside of the school, but I wondered how long you were willing to wait for me. So I just sat around, talked with some shitty people for awhile." I stood there dumbfounded while he casually reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of spearmint gum, putting one in his mouth without offering me any.

I had a couple problems with his statement. First, he was just watching me like some kind of creep while I waited twenty whole minutes for him? I mean, what kind of evil person does something like that?

"Wha-" He cut me off before I really even started talking.

"I have to say Mads, twenty minutes really isn't that long of a time. I'm surprised and hurt that you have so little faith in me. Well, let's go then." He turned away from me and began walking to the far side of the school parking lot. I speed-walked behind him, God knows my short legs couldn't keep up with his long ones. He was tall, practically towering over me.

"That's it? That's all you're going to say about it?" I questioned him, hurrying to stay behind him.

He continued walking away from me, not faltering in the slightest. "Is my walking away not answer enough?" I crossed my arms and reluctantly followed him down the parking lot, not bothering to say another word as I knew it would get me nowhere. The only reason I was still here with him was because I didn't want to get a bad grade on my project. Despite my many problems, I didn't want school to become one of them. I had to get good grades so I could get into a good college, I couldn't afford to live my whole life in the confines of this town.