Chapter 11 Disagreement

Chapter 11 Disagreement

Harley

To be fair, when Mrs Grubbs informed me via email that there was a student who needed tutoring, I didn't know the student was Asher.

But there was no denying that I felt pleased at the shock on his face when he realized I was going to be his tutor.

“Nope. Absolutely not. No way in hell.” Asher shook his head as he stood up from the chair.

“Mr Henderson, this is for your own good. Ms Smith is one of our best students. She scored the highest in the scholarship exams last week.” Mrs Grubbs said, rubbing her temples gently.

“I know she did. I live with her.” Asher blurted.

The counselor's eyes darted between us in surprise. It was clear she didn't know what to do with the new information. She must have assumed Asher and I didn't know each other.

“We're like family.” I forced a smile on. I didn't like Asher, but hearing him say that he thought of me as sister felt…weird, and not in a good way. But in a way that makes me want to demand he never calls me that ever again.

Mrs Grubbs narrowed her gaze as if assessing mine and Asher's clear difference. Where he had a tanned skin and dark hair, my skin was pale white and I had ginger hair. We had no physical resemblance to each other.

“It's a long story. Fairly annoying.” I shrugged.

“Mrs Grubbs, I know you're only trying to help and I appreciate it, but pairing me with her isn't going to help me. We're going to end up killing each other.” Then he leaned in and whispered. “She hates my guts.”

“Everyone hate your guts. It's because you're annoying.” I snorted a laugh. Mrs Grubbs arched an eyebrow and folded her arms.

“What I meant to say was, you're such a delight to be around and I'm sure we'll have a great time together. I can't imagine why anyone would hate someone as infuriatingly perfect as you.” I said with a tight smile.

Asher turned to me. “Oh, so you're bullshitting me right now?”

“Mr Henderson, language.” Mrs Grubbs said before I could answer. We both turned to her.

“Listen, I don't know what happened between your two, and quite frankly, I don't care. This arrangement is purely beneficial for the both of you.”

“Doubtful.” Asher mumbled.

Mrs Grubbs adjusted her glasses and levelled a glare on him. Asher shifted uncomfortably under her intense look. She managed to stare down on him while sitting down. I clamped down the urge to laugh, I didn't want that look directed at me.

“All student tutors have been paired up with other students before school resumed. If you had simply showed up the last hundredth times I emailed you, you wouldn't be in this situation. So, Mr Henderson, you will cooperate with Harley, attend the tutoring sessions she arranges, and increase your grades. And for both our sakes, I really hope you don't try to fight me anymore, or you can say goodbye to the football field if there's even a slight chance you can play again. I'm sure you don't want that, do you?” Grubbs said, her head inclined in a way to make people nervous.

Asher's face tightened with rage. Grubbs had pressed the only button he couldn't ignore. Football. The laughter I was holding back died immediately and I stared at Asher with concern.

His fist clenched at his side as he said, “Understood.” Then he stormed out of the counselor's office.

“No disrespect, ma'am, but you really didn't have to kick a man already down.” I said quickly and rushed after him.

But when I got out of the office, he was already at the end of the hallway. I didn't know what I would say or do when I finally caught up with him, but it felt like the right thing to do. So I began running after him, calling his name repeatedly. The guy had extremely long legs, it was almost impossible to keep up with.

Thankfully, I caught up to him as he was walking out of the school premises.

“Asher, stop!” He finally stopped as he was about to walk out of the entrance.

I panted as I tried to catch my breath. I hate running. It was why I never signed up for any sporty activities in school. All of them involved running, except tennis, which I was extremely terrible at.

Long story. Also fairly annoying.

Right now, I need to catch my fucking breath so I can finally say what I wanted to say.

“You're wasting my time, Red.” Asher said.

“I'm sorry, give me one second.” I panted.

I finally managed to catch my breath and stood before him, my hands planted on my hips. There were so many things I wanted to say, so many I had to say, but I didn't know where to begin.

“Mrs Grubbs means well, Asher. She just has a terrible way of showing it.” I said.

“I know darn well what she meant, I don't need you to explain it to me. Just like I don't need your tutoring me like a dummy.”

“What…? That's not…”

He cut me off. “Did you sign up for this on purpose?”

“No. I didn't know it was you who needed help, not until I got here, I swear.” I took a step closer to him.

“Listen, I can't imagine how difficult it must have been for you to even think about not being able to play anymore. But as much as it sucks, you can't put your life on hold because of 'what if'. You don't know what the final medical clearance would say. Don't throw away this opportunity at getting a better future. The Asher I know wouldn't do that. He's stubborn, but he's not an idiot.”

His face softened and I sensed a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. There was no anger lining his face anymore. His eyes seem to sparkle with a distinct expression, pulling me in.

Without thinking much of it, I lifted my hand to his face. The rough stubble of his cheeks scratched the inside of my palms. My hands inched up, gently grazing his cheeks. I didn't know what I was doing, and he didn't stop me. His eyes were fixed on me, on my face, on my…lips?

As if he came to the same realization as me, he grabbed my hand and yanked it away. He immediately put some distance between us.

“I didn't mean to—”

“Don't touch me!” he snarled angrily, but there was another emotion beneath his rage, an emotion I couldn't understand.

I stood there confused about what just happened. I didn't understand his sudden mood change, and I didn't understand why I touched him so…tenderly. In all the years I've known him, this was the first time I touched his face, or touch him like that. Why did I do that?

“I really don't know why I did that.” I admitted, even if it sounds embarrassing when I said it out loud. I felt like I had to.

Asher scoffed. He ran his fingers though his long hair and sucked in a sharp breath. He was clearly frustrated. I didn't know what he was frustrated about.

“I'm gonna tell you exactly what you told me. I'm not a charity case. I'm not going to let you use me to feel better about yourself. So for fuck's sake, leave me alone.” He snapped.

I blinked back the tears that threatened to fall. I have cried an awful lot of times in the past few days and it's been exhausting. I wasn't going to cry anymore.

“I just wanted to help.” I said, my voice surprisingly firm.

“I don't need your help. I don't need the school's or the universe fucking intervention. I have it handled. I just want everyone to stop poking into my business.”

“Everyone will keep doing that because they care about you. We won't stop trying.” I retorted.

“I think you made it pretty clear earlier that you don't give a shit about me. Don't pretend like you care about me now.” The emotion that flashed in his eyes wasn't anger, it was hurt.

We had said so many terrible things to each other in the past, but nothing we've ever said felt this permanent. This was the first time I was seeing him hurt and I felt like a terrible person for being the one that hurt him.

He seem to come to the same realization as me. “Stay away from me.” Then he stormed off.

This time, I didn't go after him.