Chapter 146: Out of Options

Aveline's POV

My mouth opened, but no sound came out. The air in the room felt heavy and hot. Every single student was staring right at me. Landon was leaning forward in his chair. Milo was watching with his mouth wide open. Even the kids in the back row had stopped looking at their phones.

"Asher?" the teacher asked again. He tapped his pen.

"We are waiting. Which school are you considering?

My hands gripped the edge of my desk so hard. My head was spinning. I did not know what to say. I didn't know what dream school Asher really wanted to go to since he wasn't in the position. We never discussed it; the only plan was to get proper surgery after school.

But I did not know his dream. If I picked the wrong school, someone in this room who would have probably interacted with him about it would know I was lying.

"I..." I started. My voice sounded a bit shaky. l"I am still thinking about my options, sir."

The teacher frowned. He pulled his glasses down his nose and looked at his notebook. "Still thinking?

Asher, you have the best grades and are good at hockey. What are you waiting for at the moment? The early admission starts soon. You should know where you are going by now."

"I just... I need more time," I stammered. "With everything that happened last semester, I am still trying to decide."

Before the teacher could say anything else, a loud, mean laugh cut through the room.

"That is funny, Asher."

I snapped my head around. Katty was leaning back in her chair. She had a wicked, ugly smile on her face. Her eyes locked onto mine like a hawk. She had been looking for a way to hurt me all morning, and she had just found her chance.

"If minding our business was a virtue everyone has," Kieran said sarcastically as he looked at Katty.

Katty ignored him. She stood up. She looked around at the other students, making sure everyone was listening to her.

"Why are you being so shy now?" Katty asked "I remember you always bragged to everyone, at least until the point I got to know you before travelling. "Weren't you the one who kept saying you already knew where you were going after graduation? So why are you acting clueless now?" Did they find out you can't travel that far away to Colorado?"

The whole class started talking at once. Daphne turned around to look at me, her eyes wide.

"Is that true, Asher?" a guy in the front row asked, turning around in his seat. "Did Denver offer you a spot?"

"I heard Denver has the best sports medicine setup in the country," a girl near the window whispered loudly to her friend. "Why would he hide that?"

"Maybe he did not receive an offer yet," another student muttered.

"Quiet down," the teacher shouted, hitting his hand hard against his desk. "Let him speak."

My chest felt like it was being crushed by a brick. I could not breathe. I did not know anything about Denver. I didn't know if Asher had spoken of it before or if Katty was just making things up to trap me.

"I didn't brag," I forced out my voice. "Katty is putting words in my mouth."

"Oh, really?" Katty said, taking a step closer to our row. She crossed her arms, her smile getting bigger as she saw me shaking. "Then tell the teacher why you're sweating so much. Everyone knows you've been acting weird since last semester.

"Katty, just shut the hell up!" Kieran exploded. He stood up so fast his chair flew backwards, crashing hard into the floor. He stepped into the aisle, his big body blocking Katty from me.

"Mister Hampton! Sit down right now!" the teacher yelled, standing up fast.

But Katty did not back away. She turned around, her face twisting into an angry look as she stared up at Kieran.

"Don't yell at me, Kieran! You're always protecting him! You care more about your so called friend than your own future! Look at your paper! Your life is close to being ruined because of him!" Katty lunged forward in anger.

"That is enough!" the teacher screamed, his voice loud over the noise. He walked down the aisle, pointing at the door. "Katty, go to the vice principal's office right now. I will not have this in my classroom. Move!"

Katty grabbed her bag off the floor. She glared at me one last time, her eyes full of pure hatred, before she marched out of the room and slammed the door behind her.

The room went quiet, but the mood was completely ruined. Kieran was asked to move back to his seat, breathing hard as he slowly pulled his chair back up.

The teacher walked back to the front of the room. He did not look at his syllabus anymore. He sat down behind his desk, his face turning completely serious as he looked straight at me.

"Asher," the teacher said. His voice wasn't loud, but it sounded heavy. "Sit down."

I fell back into my chair. My heart was hitting so hard against my ribs that it felt like it would break the white binder under my shirt.

"Actually, Asher," the teacher continued, putting his hands flat on his desk. "The principal didn't get any information from Denver's athletic board; we might see them as the season starts. They always want the best".

The whole class went dead silent. Nobody whispered. Nobody moved.

"Please sit down," the teacher repeated, his eyes narrowing as he watched my face turn completely pale. "We will stop the profiles for today.

After the final bell rings, you need to go to the main office immediately. The teacher looked at me for a long moment before picking his pen off the table.

"Asher," he said quietly, "I know you've had a difficult few months. But this isn't a question you should have to think about."

My throat tightened.

The teacher frowned. "Asher," he said quietly, "your file is still empty."

He looked down at the list before looking back at me.

"Every final-year student has already met with the guidance office at least once to discuss university plans."

He paused. "Except you."

My heart stopped. "Report to the guidance office immediately after the final bell," he said. "We are completing your profile today."

My fingers curled under the desk. Because I didn't even know if he had ever dreamed of going to Colorado at all.