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Asher swivels in his chair and rin My heart falls to my feet His left eye is bruised and swollen shut What happened after
I left the diner last night?
I no longer care about what I look like I rush across the tile floors to be at his side I already knoho did this to him, but I want Asher to say it out loud, in front of my parents I want them to put a stop to this Dad has connections everywhere He has to do so! “What happened to your face?”
Asher chuckles but he sounds sad His smile doesn’t reach his eyes He reaches for ot into a fight with a squirrel”
“Asher! That’s not funny” I look to ?”
“About what?” He’s playing du at me expectantly
Can he not see how beat up Asher is?
I’ve gotten to know Asher better than I ever would have thought over the past three weeks He’s not the type to pick a fight I have no doubt in my mind Clint did this to him My face and neck burn with frustration I've never wanted to hurt someone as bad as I want to take a tire iron to Clint's kneecaps I'h hih “About Asher’s piece of shit stepfather”
“Language,” nore her
I'hteen-year-old beat up by his father figure is no big deal How can they be so ignorant? If Clint is doing this to Asher, chances are he's doing it to Mary Anne too I hold my hand out in Asher’s direction “Look at him”
Asher’s face falls He takes a sip of the coffee my mother set in front of him and ss it without a word Either he doesn’t care how it tastes, or she kno he likes it Either way, my curiosity is piqued
“Go ahead,” Asher says, his tone flat and devoid of all e I pity him and his situation I don't I'm worried because Clint is violent and reckless If only my parents knew that jerk had his hands around my neck I bet they would act differently Just as I'm about to let them in on that little secret, Asher mumbles, “She can know”
“Knohat?”
Dad exhales then sets hison the counter “Clint, the ation”
“Good! He should be,” I yell, excitedly “If he’s beating Asher like this, you know he’s doing the sa him in? I’ll testify I’ve seen firsthand how horrible he is”