Extra Ordinary

11.

"Don't gawk at them, Gabriel. What the fuck? Just keep walking. Come on." 

Landon yanked roughly on my arm, leading me away from Rolf, who was throwing some freshman's books out of the school's first floor window. 

Of course, there was no teacher in sight. If there were, they would just gently chide Rolf and walk away. Maybe Rolf would get a day of detention, which he'd then take out on the freshman again. That was all. I guessed the teachers just didn't want to get themselves in the mess that was our high school, or perhaps even become a victim themselves.

"Yeah yeah, I know," I muttered under my breath, reluctantly allowing Landon to drag me along across the hallway. 

I didn't know the poor kid who had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with Rolf, but I felt an aching kind of sympathy for him anyway. I knew what it was like- having your books thrown into the mud (or, in my case, having your tire slashed) and somehow having to explain that to your parents. 

Scurrying off without standing up for the freshman left a bad taste in my mouth. A taste only amplified by spotting Asa standing next to his locker. He glanced at the freshman kid, then at me, and I quickly averted my gaze to the floor. 

My cheeks burned. I didn't like Asa witnessing me being a little chickenshit. 

"Just be glad it's not you this time, alright?" Landon said near my ear. 

Landon had a point, too. But I didn't want Rolf simply redirect his bullying ways to the freshmen,  just because I could pay Asa for his bodyguard services. 

Correction: could barely pay. 

Fifty dollars each time was a hefty price and my wallet was starting to feel it. Since Rolf was leaving me alone now, maybe I should only 'hire' Asa two days a week. It'd be best if I spent some time apart from him anyway. At least, until I managed to convince my falls-in-love-with-every-cute-guy heart this particular crush was not a good idea. What he did to me in his house yesterday didn't make that any easier.

I spent my morning classes gathering courage to face Asa and tell him I wanted him at the lunch table less often because my bank account was draining fast.

When I spotted him leaning against a wall near the Chemistry classrooms, predictably all my built-up courage went poof, making place for jitters that felt like ants crawling across my skin. Under my skin when I suddenly noticed Asa's eyelashes were long. Like, really long. It was one of those odd details I'd failed to notice because his cobalt blue eyes usually stole all the attention. 

He wasn't looking at me this time, however. 

"Hey," I greeted Asa, shoving my hands in my pockets.

"Go to the gaming night," Asa greeted me back. 

Crap, this was going to be even harder than I thought. He wanted more work. 

"I can't go to the gaming night. I can't pay you."  I took a deep breath. "Actually, I can't keep paying you to sit with us every day of the week, either. I wanted to suggest twice a week?" 

I was never going to get used to Asa's silences, which always took a little too long for comfort. When he did speak, it was even worse. 

"I won't charge you for the gaming night." 

"What?" My jaw nearly dropped. "I mean, you won't?" 

Asa raised his shoulders in a shrug. He looked past me rather than at me. "Rolf is getting on my nerves. Knock him down a notch."