Chapter Two
Ash
Callum had been avoiding me since that fucked up first chat, and I had no idea how to turn things around.
I just wanted to spend time with him, but every time I joined any group of people he was with, he found a reason to move on.
Didn’t he know how hurtful that was? Didn’t he realise just how fucking cruel he was being?
Would it kill him to let me hang with him?
For months, I tiptoed around his fucking attitude, and pussy behaviour, and kept letting him walk all over me, just for a fucking second of his time.
I brought him a drink when I got mine, and he’d take it, but ignore me, so I started leaving notes in his locker, but he never reacted to them or spoke to me.
Things escalated when I finally got his mobile number, after stealing a mutual friend’s phone while it was unlocked, and he’d gone for a piss.
Me: You can’t keep avoiding me. I’m never going away.
I was sitting in class, a row behind him, and I saw him discreetly sliding his phone out to check it.
His shoulders tensed as he read the message, and then he turned and looked straight at me, his eyes narrowed in anger.
I’d give him something to get angry about.
Did he think I’d let this crap go on forever?
One thing I’d learned in my family was that what we wanted, we got.
I want him, ergo, I’ll fucking have him one way or another. Why couldn’t he just see that?
Babe: How the fuck did you get my number? Get lost.
Yeah, I called him babe in my phone, and I won’t apologise for that.
He’ll be my babe one day. I just need to be persistent.
That’s what my dad Dory said to Blaze once.
‘Persistence is key, because you can break someone down a day at a time’.
That resonated with me, because we were all pretty single minded once we knew what we wanted.
Cal was what I wanted. I couldn’t really care less what he wanted at this point.
I wanted him to want me back, but now I know I may have to settle for him accepting me one grudging day at a time.
Me: I’ll get lost when you give me a fucking chance to talk to you.
I wouldn’t, but manipulation is a skill we learned very young in my family.
I saw this old tv show once, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and in it, this cool fighter woman, Faith, had a catchphrase; want, take, have.
I could fucking live by that rule all day long.
I wanted, so if I had to, I’d take so I could have.
Family trait, I think that’s called. Maybe my dads were into this show and that’s where they learned it. It’s old, like them.
Babe: We don’t have anything to talk about. We don’t even know each other. Just leave it at that.
Dickhead. We don’t know each other because he won’t give me a fucking chance. I lifted up my phone again, and realised this was ridiculous, because it wasn’t getting me anywhere. Why bother with anything if it’s not benefiting me?
Me: Guess I’ll just catch you some time.
His shoulders tightened again as he read the message, and that’s when Mr Dickface aka Mr Dodd, our Maths teacher, reached out and snatched Cal’s phone.
“Clearly we can’t focus on classes with the interruptions of technology these days.
You’ll get this back at the end of the day.
Anyone else caught with their phones out is in detention.
I’m so fed up with this distracted attendance.
Pay attention, people. You think you can survive in life without maths?
It’s literally the one thing that we humans can’t survive without. Now back to work.”
What I loved about teachers was how hard they fought not to swear at us, when honestly many of us were just little shits.
I loved pushing them for a reaction, because I knew I was too dumb to pass my exams anyway.
My last ones reflected… what was it? ‘An unwillingness to learn’.
Yeah, whatever, I just have better things to do.
Actually, on that note. I grabbed my shit and got up.
“Ash, sit down please.” I ignored him, heading for the door, and making sure to bump Cal’s chair on the way past.
“Watch it!”
“Oh I’ll be watching,” I whispered, leaning closer as I passed him. Mr Dodd followed me across the room, pressing a hand against the door as I reached it.
“Get back to your seat immediately, Ash. Enough of these damn disruptions.”
I turned to glare at him, seeing him frown at me in response. What did he see when he looked at me? Did he see an idiot? A moron? Did he see someone who’d lash out just to see how it felt? Did he see someone who’d relish it if someone retaliated and punched him?
“Get your fucking hand off the door,” I hissed at him, and he frowned again, retracting his hand before I could turn nasty on him.
“Ash, if you leave this room, you’re in detention for the week.”
I pulled the door open, and smirked at him as I stepped over the threshold.
“You’ll have to catch me first, fucker.” Everyone gasped, and a few guys cheered, but I was already walking down the hall, feeling like a fucking boss for besting that prick.
What the fuck was I doing wasting time at school?
I’d given Ember hell for getting kicked out of here, after we all had to move schools, just as I was getting settled at the old one, but honestly?
If she hadn’t been the screwup she was, forcing us to change schools, I would never have met Cal.
Maybe one day I’d thank her for that. Or maybe I’d just keep pushing her buttons ‘til she reacted too. I loved it when she slapped me. Maybe I could coerce Cal into doing that, but I had a feeling if I could get him to lash out, he’d be more likely to punch me. That’d be so fucking hot.
“Mr Cross, my office, now.”
Well, now I’m fucked. I turned and followed the headmaster, but honestly, I’d been tempted just to keep walking. It’s not like they can arrest me for not going to school, and my parents sure as hell wouldn’t give a shit.
An hour later, I was finding out just how wrong I’d been.
“I’m so sorry, Mr Witton. We will ensure he behaves better in future,” mum was saying, almost in a begging tone, to a stern grey haired fucker who thought he was the boss of me.
“Fuck that, what’s the point?”
“Ash! Language!” I stared at dad Dory in shock. What the actual fuck.
“Are you two fucking pod people? Where’s dad Gray?”
“Ash, be quiet,” dad Dory hissed, as mum spoke up again.
“He’s been a little unsettled after his sister’s recent issues.”
Recent issues, yeah, she got herself kidnapped by her teacher, and they were now some messed up fucking pair, so why the fuck were they trying to force me into staying here surrounded by these fuckers?
“I’m sorry to hear Ms Cross hasn’t been doing so well lately. It was regrettable that we couldn’t continue to allow her to study here, but-”
“Water under the bridge,” dad Dory interrupted, “we’re just keen to ensure the rest of our children receive uninterrupted schooling.
As you know, the only other senior school in the catchment area is out of question, so I know we have to work with you to maintain their academic careers at this school. ”
Ohhh, so they were saying it was this school or none? How about fucking none then? I stood up and headed for the door.
“Ash, get back here right now,” mum snapped at me, and I sighed.
“This place is shit, and you can’t make me go here, so give up already.”
I walked out, ignoring their yells from behind me. What the hell does it matter? The only thing I want from this school is the one thing they can’t give me.