Chapter 17: Lunch

Perse and Asher strolled into the bustling cafeteria, both quite aware of the gazes and murmurs that followed their every step. The atmosphere seemed to shift slightly as they entered, a ripple of surprise moving through the room.

Asher's stride exuded confidence, evidently used to the spotlight every time he stepped into a room, but there was a softness in his expression, a departure from his usual demeanor.

Beside him, Perse walked with grace, her usual cheer slightly dampened by the awareness of the attention they attracted. She plastered her cheerleader smile on her face to make her look more relaxed, but she felt it twitch in discomfort. She inwardly hoped nobody would notice.

Their arrival didn't go unnoticed. Whispers flitted around as heads turned, their expressions reflecting the curiosity and confusion sparked by their unexpected arrival together. Some students shot glances and exchanged comments, unable to comprehend the sudden interaction between the two.

"Well, you certainly know how to turn heads." Perse chuckled nervously, casting a glance at their surroundings as people continued to stare. They grabbed their trays as they cued.

Asher, with an amused smirk on his face, briefly turned to look at Perse.

"I can't help it. I guess I just have that effect on people," he said with a slight shrug.

She chuckled slightly, wanting to comment on his 'humility', but held it in when they got to the front of the line.

Despite the atmosphere surrounding them, Asher and Perse found a spot at a table, hoping to share a moment of normalcy amid the attention, trying to focus on their conversation. At the same time, the curiosity of their peers lingered in the air.

"I swear I hate how everyone won't mind their business," Perse said, poking around at her food. Asher chuckled, seemingly amused at Perse's annoyance. His eyes scanned the cafeteria, looking around at 'everyone' who was watching them, but almost all of them averted their eyes.

"I don't think they can help it either," he said casually. "After all, they're wondering what a girl like you is doing with a guy like me."

Perse found herself giving a shy smile, which she tried to cover with nervous laughter. She took a bite of her food as she composed herself before finally answering.

"You couldn't be any more right. I can't help but ask myself the same question sometimes," she joked, and Asher shook his head.

"I see my humility is rubbing off on you," he smirked, and Perse laughed. For the first time in a very long time, she was happy taking lunch from the cafeteria. She didn't have to fake a laugh; she could eat normal food from the school menu without Maya and the squad looking at her like she had committed the biggest crime of the century. And best of all, she was having an actual thrilling conversation that didn't involve gossiping about other people.

Asher, despite making an effort to hide it behind his nonchalant gaze, found himself enjoying Perse's company. His occasional smirks and barely visible smiles betrayed him. It was on very rare occasions that he thought about not breaking the rules... and this was one of them.

However, not everyone was having a blast like they were. Josh was at the top of the list of people who felt outraged by the sight of Asher and Perse sitting together.

Josh stood at a distance, watching the two. Envy and jealousy flared in his eyes as he observed their seemingly easy conversation, the laughter, and the connection that, God forbid, seemed to be bringing them closer together.

He shifted uncomfortably, feeling a pang of envy as he noticed the way Perse's brown eyes sparkled in conversation with Asher. It was a noticeable contrast to the strained moments they had shared recently. The feelings of frustration and jealousy gnawed at him as he observed their interaction.

For Josh, it was a bitter sight. He had always shared a close bond with Perse, and seeing her this comfortable with Asher ignited turmoil within him. His frustration at their closeness was evident in the way his brows furrowed and his grip tightened on his tray.

He approached their table with an air of determination, choosing to bypass any formalities. Josh pulled out a chair and seated himself alongside Perse and Asher, his actions displaying his unease and growing agitation.

Perse's brown eyes widened in surprise, and Asher shot Josh a questioning glance, but neither of them said anything. There was tension in the air as Josh settled in, his presence a disruption to the comfortable rhythm Perse and Asher had established.

Despite the unease, Perse tried to maintain a semblance of normalcy. After all, despite their frequent disagreements lately, he was still her friend. She offered him a smile, one that came out more tight-lipped than she intended.

"What's up J?" Perse said, but it was only her strained smile and facial expression that betrayed what she really felt__ confusion! She couldn't understand why Josh had randomly decided to sit with them, despite making it clear dozens of times before that he didn't like Asher.

Josh, whose entire attention seemed to be zeroed in on Asher, didn't look like he had any intention of giving an answer any time soon. The silence that followed was charged, punctuated by glances and unspoken tension.

"I saw you guys laughing so hard here," Josh began. And even though he had a huge grin on his face when his look jumped between her and Asher, she could see and feel the malice in it. "I just thought I'd drop by and see what's so funny."

"What are you, the laugh police?" Asher said, "Are you going to write us a ticket or__"

"I wasn't talking to you, loser!" Josh retorted. Too engrossed in the middle of the stare-down the two were having with each other, they completely missed how embarrassed and nervous Perse was, her eyes downcast as she made an effort to hide herself behind her hands.

"'Loser'?" Asher feigned a hurt expression. "How original. It must have taken a month's worth of knowledge to come up with that!"

"Are you calling me dumb?" Josh asked, his voice dripping with rage, which both Perse and Asher detected. Only the latter didn't care.

"Your words, not mine,"

"Well, that's funny considering you're the one stalking Perse and following her around the entire school because you need her to tutor you! At least I have some knowledge."

"Josh!" Perse said, in an attempt to stop him from talking any more than he already had. She had no idea where Josh got that information from, but she didn't need him spreading it to the entire school. She saw Asher's jaw tick in annoyance, and his eyes darkened slightly. What Josh had said had clearly gotten to him.

"Well, at least I have a reason to 'stalk' her, which is more than can be said for you. Tell me, West, are you just naturally a stalker? Or just plain obsessed with..."

"Shut your mouth!" Now it was Josh's turn to be ticked as Asher gloated and smirked in satisfaction.

"What? Not a fan of the truth?"

"I said SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" Josh banging his fists on the table attracted the attention of anyone who wasn't already paying attention to them. They were all quiet, watching, waiting.

"Or else what, pretty boy?"

"Another word from any of you, and I'm going to walk away!" Perse's voice was firm, leaving no room for debate or doubt that she was actually going to do it. The boys cast each other defiant glares. Their eyes were saying more words than their mouths were.

Asher's poker face masked his anger and annoyance perfectly. If it wasn't for the slightly discreet way his nose flared and he tightened his fists, Perse wouldn't have been able to tell that he was mad. But she was quickly becoming good at reading him.

Josh, on the other hand, wanted to get the final word. He thought it was the only way to heal his wounded ego. But he had known Perse for most of their lives, well enough to know that she would push through with her threat. He didn't want that. He had decided to sit at the same table with Asher simply because Perse was there__ he wasn't just about to give up and allow him to get closer to her than they already were.

Swallowing his ego, he held the urge to retort__ and could only stare defiantly at Asher. A look that spoke volumes as Asher seemed more than happy to reciprocate it.

The tension was, however, still thick in the air. And Perse was brainstorming ways she could break the ice between the two boys. She could talk books__ though she doubted that was a topic either of them was into. Maybe girls they found attractive? Guys were into that, right? But how exactly was she going to begin that conversation? It would be more awkward for her to talk about that than it would be if they didn't talk at all.

"So," Perse began, her gaze bouncing off the two of them. "How's football?" It was a topic they could all relate to. Her being a cheerleader, and them being on the school football team.

But despite the genuine smile on her face, neither Asher nor Josh stopped glaring at each other. Malice and hatred were evident in both their eyes.

"You know, I knew close to nothing about football before becoming a cheerleader," she stated, acting oblivious to the stare-down that was still happening between Asher and Josh. Neither showing any signs of quitting any time soon. But that didn't seem to deter Perse's enthusiasm, her smile getting wider as she reminisced on days when her knowledge of football ended with knowing that the team has to have a quarterback, and the sport happened on the field.

"I thought a 'down' was just a low point in the game? Turns out, it's a bit more complicated than that."

She chuckled softly, hoping to diffuse the tension with a touch of humor, but the standoff between Asher and Josh persisted. Their gazes remained fixed on each other, an unspoken challenge hanging heavily in the air.

"I mean sure, I sometimes can't remember the difference between a running back and a linebacker, but I'd say I've made remarkable progress," she added, still trying to lighten the mood, but the tension seemed to be intensifying rather than subsiding.

Her attempts to steer the conversation toward a more comfortable territory were met with silence. It was as if Asher and Josh were locked in a battle of wills, oblivious to Perse's efforts to shift the focus away from their conflict.

Perse, though resilient, felt a tinge of frustration at the impasse. She glanced between the two, her smile faltering slightly, realizing that their standoff might not be diffused as easily as she had hoped.

"You know," she began in a softer tone, her gaze shifting between Asher and Josh, "I seriously don't understand why the both of you just can't get along, despite having so much in common. If the both of you gave each other a chance, I think you'd actually make pretty close friends, " Her plea held a note of earnestness.

"Not a chance in hell!" They both said, rather angrily, at the same time. Their standoff persisted, neither showing any signs of relenting.

"I mean, look at you completing each other's sentences," she joked, but the glares remained fixed, their conflict seemingly entrenched.

Despite being an optimist, Perse wasn't feeling very optimistic that these two would ever get along. If they weren't busy trying to rip each other apart, they were staring daggers at each other.

"While we're on the topic of football," Josh began, and Perse's eyes lit up with hope. "I want you to quit the football team." He stated, and Perse's face fell almost as fast as it had lit up. The confusion on her face was evident to anyone and everyone who was watching.

Asher cocked his head to one side, a smirk on his face despite the agitation he truly felt.

"Now why the hell would I do that?" Asher asked, a brow perfectly raised.

"Because I said so," Josh replied, with the same amount of confidence.

"Okay," he chuckled, for the sole purpose of getting under Josh's skin. "With a reason that good, how could I refuse?"

"You think you're funny?"

"Guys please," Perse said, sensing the increasing tension in the air. Football was meant to be the common ground that the two would agree on... Not the plank to further divide the already huge rift between the two.

"He doesn't deserve to be on the school's football team!" Josh exclaimed, banging his fist on the table. Anybody who wasn't already listening to them was for sure doing it now. "You think you can just waltz in here and steal my spot?!"

"If you were as good as you claim to be, then I wouldn't be in a position to 'steal your spot',"

"What did you just say?"

"If. You. Were. As. Good__"

"Since the two of you are so keen on ripping each other's throats out, maybe it's best if I give you both space," Perse stated, grabbing her tray, and swinging her bag over her shoulder. "I'll just see you both later, preferably not together," And with that, she exited the cafeteria under the gaze of everyone there.

"Way to go, Sherlock," Josh's expression was laced with the same malice that was dripping from his voice as he glared daggers at Asher. "You chased her away,"

"I'm pretty sure you did that all on your own. We were doing perfectly fine before you came along,"

"You___!"

"Now if you'll excuse me, your company isn't half as thrilling as Persephone's," Asher stated, slipping away, leaving a raging Josh behind, staring daggers at the back of his head.

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