Kapitel 18: Get used to it.

Mondays in Monroe were considered dull, boring, and exhausting , especially after a fantastic weekend. That Monday, however, with all the drama and gossip spreading in the hallways, it was the furthest thing from dull.

Perse strolled into the girls' locker room, glad that she was finally done with cheer practice. Maya had miraculously not made a single comment nor complaint about her leaving practice fifteen minutes earlier than everyone else. Maybe, Perse told herself, she was finally making an effort to accept that Perse had other obligations besides the squad.

She packed some of her belongings in her gym bag and arranged the rest in her locker. She smiled at her reflection on the small mirror attached to her locker, and with a satisfied nod, she shut her locker__ only to shriek in fright when she turned around and found Josh behind her.

"For crying out loud Josh!" she almost screamed, her voice sounding strangled with a hand over her chest. "Make a sound next time__you scared me!"

Perse chuckled nervously, trying to calm her erratic heartbeat, as she looked up at Josh. He had an aloof distant look on his face, one that was very uncommon for him. And Perse unconsciously found herself getting a tad worried.

"I did make a sound, but you couldn't have heard me over how happily you were humming,"

"I was humming?"

"You were, very loudly, if I may add," the amusement and playfulness that normally laced his voice when he talked to her was lacking, and it worried her slightly more.

"Oh! I didn't notice," She smiled up at him in am attempt to cheer him up. "Well it's been a productive afternoon,"

"Yeah?"

"Mmhmmh," she nodded absent mindedly, her entire attention focused on trying to figure out what was wrong with her friend.

Short brief answers, the vein popping out on the side of his head, the subtle way his left eye twitched_ he was mad. They'd been friends for so long it was hard to ignore the signs.

She recalled the time in middle school when Josh had been equally tense, right before confronting a bully who had been picking on her. The boy ended up with a broken nose, Josh got suspended and his father had threatened to send him to an approved boarding school. That same protectiveness was evident now, but there was an edge to it that she couldn't quite place. One that, admittedly, made it impossible for her to feel at ease.

"You look mad. What's wrong, Josh?" she asked, her voice softening. She was worried about him. Anger wasn't an emotion she was used to seeing on his face. And the occasions she did see him mad, somebody always got hurt.

"We need to talk," his voice sounded detached as he looked down at her, an aloof expression gracing his beautiful features. His blonde hair was messy, not surprising as he was from football practice. With a couple of strands falling on his forehead and over his dark green eyes, Perse couldn't help but think how mysteriously dangerous he looked.

"I like it when we talk, not so much when we 'need' to talk," she mumbled, more to herself. What would normally crack at least a smile from him, left him indifferent. His silence and the serious expression on his face spoke volumes.

"Come on__" she took his hand, pulling him towards the door. Josh complied, not putting up a fight. In as much as she'd have liked nothing more than to ease his worry and apparent anger, she feared the consequences that may emerge if Josh was to be caught, alone with her, in the girls' locker room. "I know a place where we can talk,"

Just as her fingers brushed the cold metal handle, Josh's other hand slammed against the door, slumming it shut a bit too forcefully. The suddenness of his movement startled her, and the loud noise echoed in the empty locker room. His hand was now next to her face, palm flat against the door, caging her in.

"What is your problem?" she exclaimed, her eyes widening as she looked up at him. His face was inches from hers, his expression intense and conflicted. The close proximity made her acutely aware of the scent of his cologne mixed with the lingering aroma of sweat from football practice. His breath was warm on her skin, and the seriousness in his gaze was almost suffocating.

"We're not going anywhere until we talk," he insisted, his voice low and intense. The frustration in his eyes was palpable, and Perse could feel the heat of his anger radiating off him in waves.

"Josh, this isn't the place for this," she whispered urgently, glancing around nervously, almost fearful that they'd get caught. "We could get into serious trouble if someone finds us here. And cheerleading is almost over__"

"I could hardly give a damn," he shot back, his grip on the door tightening. "I don't want to see you with Thorne!"

"Sorry?" Perse's eyebrows shot up in surprise, and then furrowed together in genuine confusion.

"I. Do not. Want. To see you. With Thorne!"

"That's quite an audacious request,"

"It wasn't a request,"

Perse's eyebrows raised at that, and for a second, she was left completely speechless. Her mouth opening and closing several times but nothing came out of it.

"Sorry, I had no idea I had to ask for permission from you before talking to Asher," Even though her voice sounded even, the annoyance that was slowly creeping up her spine was hard to overlook. "And why? Because you don't like him?"

"Because he's bad for you," Josh replied, his voice strained with emotion.

"Bad for me?" Perse repeated, incredulous. "Please Josh, tell me what else you think is 'bad for me'!"

"He's using you!"

"Of course he's using me, I'm his tutor," her tone was laced with sarcasm she didn't bother hiding. She tried to step back, but the door behind her and Josh's imposing presence left her with nowhere to go. She could feel her frustration growing, mirroring Josh's own stubbornness.

"Is that what was happening at lunch? You were tutoring him?" His voice dropped to a more serious tone. "Because the two of you sure looked cosy__"

"You aren't a coward West__ if you have something to say, say it!"

"He was basically eye-f*cking you the entire time! His intentions are obvious but you're just too naive to see them! Unless of course you don't mind being his next f*ck buddy before he moves on to the next clueless naive victim!"

Perse took a deep breath, trying to keep her composure. But with every word that came out of Josh's mouth, she found it harder and harder to bite her tongue.

"You don't know him__"

"And neither do you!" His jaw tightened, his anger barely contained as he hit the wall beside her head. "He is trouble Perse, everyone can see that__ why can't you?! The niceness you are so desperately trying to see in him doesn't exist. He will drag you down with him if you don't stay away from him,"

"Asher is my friend__"

"He's playing you__ manipulating you! How do you not see that?!"

"Asher is my friend!" Perse's voice held more confidence, her eyes shone with determination that momentarily stunned Josh. That or it was the way she raised her voice. "I don't know what it is that happened between the two of you or why you keep snipping at each other like an old married couple, but do not put me in the middle of it. You wanna fight, go ahead. You wanna bad mouth each other? Knock yourself out! But not in front of me, not to me. I am your friend, and I'm his friend too. So the both of you will quit disrespecting each other in front of me, or else I'll just walk away again!"

"Can't you see I'm just trying to protect you?"

"Protect me from what, Josh? From making my own decisions? From choosing my own friends?"

"From making the wrong decisions and choosing the wrong friends!" Josh retorted, running a hand through his hair, his frustration evident. "Thorne isn't the kind of guy you should be spending your time with__ you're too good for him,"

Perse felt a tinge of frustration at Josh's stubbornness. He could hardly maintain a rational conversation when he was annoyed, but he was often beyond unreasonable when the source of his anger was Asher. Perse didn't know where their scuffle came from. Was it football? A girl? Or maybe it was just two male alphas seeking dominance in the same pride? She wasn't sure.

What she was sure of, however, was that even though she was curious about what sparked such hatred between the two, she didn't want to be caught in the middle it.

She hated this impulsive, reckless, and overbearingly protective side of Josh. But she knew he was right. In as much as she hated to admit it, she didn't really know Asher. She had known the guy for less than a week. The school had quite a lot to say about him, most of it negative. What's to say she wasn't the one looking for goodness where there was none? Could Josh be right? Could the school? And her teachers?

Maybe.

But Perse knew better. Just because everyone was saying the same thing didn't make it right. And sometimes, people needed a chance to prove they're more than their past mistakes, whatever they are. She believed Asher, behind his unbearably arrogant and cocky self assured attitude, was trying to turn his life around, to at least change. She believed he deserved that chance, and she was willing to help him, even if it annoyed half the school, Josh included!

"Josh, I'm tired of arguing about this," she could feel the weight of their argument pressing down on her shoulders. "My decision is final. I'm going to keep tutoring Asher, and you need to respect that. If you can't, then feel free to stay away every time you see us together,"

Josh's expression hardened, his eyes glinting with a mix of hurt and anger. "So you're picking his side? Is that it?"

"This has nothing to do with picking sides," Perse shook her head, her voice holding a hint of exhaustion. Her patience was wearing thin, as it did everytime she had a disagreement with Josh. He was always determined to push his point, no matter how unreasonable. Perse knew it was pointless. "But if that's how you want to look at it, then go right ahead. Either way, you're going to have to get used to the idea of seeing us together, cause it'll be happening very often!"

With that, she pushed against him, trying to create enough space to leave. Josh resisted for a moment, his eyes searching hers for any hint of doubt. But Perse's resolve was clear, and finally, he stepped back.

She saw Josh's clenched fists, the way his jaw tightened and his expression hardened. His stance was aggressive, his eyes, ablaze with conviction, bore into hers with an intensity that made her muscles stiff and her heart race. A mix of frustration and hurt was lingering in the depths of his eyes.

"Fine. Do whatever the f*ck you want__ see if I care!" He was angry. And she could have said something to calm him down, but her pride prevented her from encouraging his outrageous habits.

She opened the door to leave, fixing her bag on her shoulder and straightening out her outfit. Josh's voice echoed in the locker room, filled with a mix of anger and desperation. "Mark my words Perse, he's going to screw up your life! Don't expect me to be there for you when he does!"

Perse paused for a brief second, her heart aching at his words, words she knew he didn't mean, but she still didn't turn back. She walked proudly out of the locker room, leaving Josh standing there, his fists clenched at his sides, his anger simmering beneath the surface, and a plan to reveal to Perse what kind of a person Asher truly was!

AUTORENGEDANKEN
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Thank you so much for your patience so far, very much appreciated. I know my writing and updating has been inconsistent, but I'm proud to announce that I'll be making an update every weekday, starting today, until the book is completed.

Exceptions will be communicated and compensated with a double chapter update.

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Keep being awesome!

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