And it was true. All his fights with Hunter in the past had never been for himself. It had always been Asa sticking up for some other student who was being bothered. But never for himself. Never for Asa.
Today in the cafeteria though, something had finally snapped. And now here he was, paying for letting himself drown in the poison he’d allowed others pour into his veins which was eventually carried into his heart.
“You don’t fight hate with hate, Asa,” Hendrickson said. “Punches and blows don’t solve anything. You think Carson and the other narrow-minded students like him are going to walk into school with changed mentalities? You think that fight will inspire them to have a sudden change of heart and that this city’s going to become more receptive all of a sudden?”
Asa didn’t say anything. He wanted to set this world on fire right now. He wanted everyone to choke on all the hate that infested this place.
“Look,” Principal Hendrickson sighed and rose out of his seat, “I went through your career initiative files from last semester.” He was referring to a programme their school had held during the last few months of Junior year, where the students who wanted career guidance were given tips and suggestions on which colleges to apply in order to get the best coaching in the field they wanted to major in. “And I noticed that you didn’t want to pursue swimming professionally. So this could’ve actually been much worse, you know. You’re not losing anything on a large scale by not participating in the meet this year.”
But Asa felt like he’d already lost a part of himself.
“I think I’d like to go home for the rest of the day,” He swallowed, picking up his bag from the chair he’d been sitting on.
“Sure, no problem,” Hendrickson said kindly. “I really am sorry, Asa. But all this could’ve been avoided if you’d just come to me. Or even gone to your parents.”
Asa didn’t respond. He didn’t even wait for his parents, as he threw open the door and stormed down the hallway, exiting the school and finding himself in the sanctuary of his truck minutes later.
But even while he drove down the streets that were scattered with autumn leaves, he found himself wishing the passenger seat wasn’t as vacant and empty as Asa’s heart right then.
37.
Isla Martin
Isla was worried when she couldn’t spot Asa anywhere for the rest of the day.
She didn’t want to be worried, but then again, lately she was feeling a lot of things she didn’t want to feel.
The news about the fight had spread like wildfire, considering it occurred in the canteen in front of a very large audience. Isla had shrugged it off, aware of Asa’s tendency to give in to his rash nature and let his fists speak for him, but when he hadn’t turned up to History class, she knew something was off.
School was over now, but he was still nowhere to be seen, and that twisted her stomach into an anxious knot.
“He’s not here,” a familiar voice said from behind her, and Isla felt her blood begin to boil at the sound, the blind rage taking over whatever worry she felt for Asa.
She turned around, narrowing her eyes at Willa. “Did it sound like I was talking to you?”
Annoyance flashed across the other girl’s eyes and her lips curled into a grimace. “Would it kill you to let go of your pride for one second?”
“Letting go of my pride?” Isla raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. “No, that wouldn’t kill me. But being forced to make conversation with you might.”
Willa swore under her breath. “I don’t need to put up with this shit,” she muttered. “Listen, I couldn’t give two hoots about you, but I happen to be fond of Asa. Considering he spent the afternoon in the principal’s office along with his parents and that I saw him leave earlier, I figured he could use his best friend and wanted to tell you about it. But seeing the complete bitch you’re being right now, he actually should be better off without you.”
“You don’t know me.” Isla seethed.
“And I don’t want to. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have people I actually care about to get back to.”
“Wait,” Isla begrudgingly called out, her tongue tasting bitter at having to prolong this conversation.
Willa stopped walking away and turned around, snorting. “What?”
“Where’s Carmen? I need—”
“No,” she began shaking her head, her tone adamant. “Hell no.”
Isla’s eyes turned into slits, “What do you mean no?”
“I mean, no, I’m not telling you where to find her,” Willa spat. “I have no idea what the hell went down between you and Asa that day, but I could see how shaken up about it he was. And this is the guy who’s supposed to be your best friend. Carmen’s my friend, and I’ll be damned if I let you put her through that kind of shit.”
“I’m not going to do anything to her,” Isla snapped, her patience hanging by a thread and her palms curling into fists.
“Yeah.” Willa scoffed. “Is that what you told yourself when you befriended Asa? That you weren’t going to hurt him?” She shook her head in disbelief. “You’re a goddamn train wreck, Isla. People like you do nothing but hurt all those around you, and I won’t allow Carmen to be one of those people. So if you want to find her, do it yourself. I won’t be one of the reasons you get more involved in her life.”
Isla’s lips curled upwards into a menacing smile, calculating Willa’s weaknesses and aiming to hit her right there. “Is that why you had to move away from your old school and come here? Your old friends felt
