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The moment she rounds the corner of B-hall, the daether with scotch tape and band-aids cracks The world around ht as liquid pain trails down my cheeks

I run into the nearest bathrooainst the wall I squeezeht me back in middle school when my social phobia controlled my life Deep breath in And let it out One Two Three Four Five It takes a few cycles for the pressure in my chest to decrease and the orks to dry up, but eventually I start to feel better

A toilet flushes in a nearby stall and the nervous needles undersmile or a look of pity from someone who thinks they knohat has happened I keep ic of, if I can’t see you, you can’t see me I know that’s not how the world works, but it makes me feel better

The lock on the stall door slides open,inside itself Heavy footfalls take one step, and then two, and then stop Silence eats away atand keep my eyes closed After the slowest five seconds of my life, I hear, “You look like shit”

You’ve got to be kidding me!

My eyes snap open at the deep ruot this s baritone pitch If Snow White and the Prince ever had a son, it would be him With hair as dark as a starless sky andBut then you add in his eyes, a unique shade of airls around here all butof the school, but Asher is the prince wearing a crown of thorns

Asher crosses the bathroo loose water droplets into the porcelain bohen he’s done, never breaking eye contact Not even when he reaches for a paper towel from the dispenser

“Get out!” I screaer This is the girl's bathroom for Christ’s sake Is this man so heartless as to beatheart?

Wouldn’t put it past him

I’ve known Asher all my life Our parents—mine, Liam’s, and Asher’s mom—used to be friends I still remember the stories my mother would tell about how excited she was for all of thenant around the sa a B-rated version of the sitcom Friends if they’d all had kids

Until one day when everything imploded

As for Asher and I, we drifted apart in the sixth grade after he ridiculedh to find a puddle of red when I stood to jump into the pool, Asher let everyone at that birthday party knohat happened He even went as far as calling ht it was hilarious I wanted to die

“Perhaps I should say the saainst the sink, crossing his long, muscular arms