Ash's POV.

Walking the halls of the school, I have been here for a few years now. I moved to America because of my Dad's new job. He always wanted to move to America. Boston is not a bad city to study in. Could be better, could be in New York. Running around Harlem. The streets of Manhatten. The kind of shit you see in those movies. Moving wasn't easy. However, being with a few people who were of my nationality, was helpful. It's a multinational school. We learn lots at school, maths, English, sciences. Exams are usually tough but I'm never in danger of failing. I'm not a nerdy individual. I could probably be considered a sort of middle ground student between the top students and the average students. Sort of an A/B student. The loss of a student recently from a lower year group, Vaughn, wasn't impactful on my mental health. It was more of a reflection, you can know someone, even not know them, but feel pain when they are dead. Life's funny like that I suppose. I mainly am interested in one thing realistically after I finish school; Marriage. My mum and dad were married young, had me young, but kept me because they loved me. Well, I'm not the oldest child. My brother Red is the eldest and Leaf, my sister, is the youngest. 

I walk to my locker and open it, seeing the pictures of ex-England footballers scattered across the side of the locker. I was one of the best football players at the school, playing in midfield was preferred for me. Gary always told me that if I wanted to, I could have any of the cheerleaders at the school. Cheerleaders were not my type, they were too arrogant, too self-centred. It was probably because, ever since my first day, I had a massive crush on one girl who was in most of my classes. Crushing on Serena Yvonne, was questioned by Gary, but I knew what taste I had in women, she's the one I want to spend my life with. She's hot, intelligent and caring. Furthermore, she's got the personality of a goddess most of the time. Her twin brother, Calem, me and him have always had a complex relationship. He's never hated my guts. However, I have pissed him off on numerous occasions. I guess you can't please everyone all the time. 

(A/N: Not American Football. Soccer for any Americans reading this)

I grab my books from my locker and suddenly feel water being poured on my hair. 'Agh, it's gone in my eye, what the hell.' I shout, soaked from the water.

'That is revenge, for last week.' Gary whispers in my ear.

'Fucking moron.' I shout at him to which the teachers, sadly, heard.

'Ketchum, detention later.' Mr Oak shouts from down the hallway.

'Looks like, you fell for one of his pranks' Fin states coming up from behind 

'And when on earth did you get here?' I ask

'Depends, it could be a minute ago, could have been here all along.' He states trying to be funny.

'You're comic.' I say in response.

'Pretty sure you got lessons.' He says.

'Don't remind me, this day is miserable.' I say closing my locker.

'Talk later.' He says, walking off down the hallway.

Science class.

'Alright, you're going to have a group project. Pairs for these. Remember they count towards your final grade.' Sycamore says in his French accent. I've never particularly been interested in Science but it could be worse, could have a bad teacher. Sycamore is strict but a good teacher. However, his punishments were often far too harsh. Once, Barry was caught attempting to dissect a dead pig in one of the labs, he was caught by Sycamore, suspended for a week and then told to help clear the labs for a month. And that was on top of several detentions. I never really got into the bad books of the teacher, I just sat there, doing the work, getting solid grades. Well, that's about to change I guess, because I have my crush for the science project. One thing I forgot to mention, Serena has extremely strong science grades, top 3 in the class. Needless to say, she was the envy of a lot of the class. I was never jealous. Why the hell should I care? It's not going to change my grades. 

Me and Serena, we knew each other. Well, that's true, however, she's always super awkward around me. She got me in trouble once for her mischief during a cross country we had to run, where she literally threw herself into the mud along with me and a few other students. In science, she could also be a problem, she was dangerous, she could easily make a Class A drug, and, of course, she had done that before. She made some weed for a party once, well I called it, scorched cobra. 

Just as the pairs were being announced I hear 'Sir, do you know what they call bats?' From Barry.

'What is it? Don't waste everyone's time.

'Chicken of the cave.' Barry responds earning a number of laughs from the pupils in the room.

'As much as that was hilarious, it doesn't help you with your project, if I do recall you are paired with Oak.' Sycamore replies coldly. 

Barry, shocked that his comedy had not prevailed, walks off to his seat, defeated. 

The bell rings soon after and Sycamore requests me to stay behind.

'I wanted to ask you personally, to take part in the school's debating team, later on in the month.' Sycamore requests.

'I'm not a debater, I mean I've seen the House of Commons back in the UK, and they debate, well, like a bunch of schoolchildren, the lot of em! I'm not a political kind of guy, they are all cunts in my opinion, but also because I feel like politics brings out the worst in us.' I reply, trying to get him off my back.

'You certainly sound, like you would be good at debating.' Sycamore says.

'Well, I told you, I have no intention of joining a debate. End of conversation, finito, finished.' I tell Sycamore. 

'Sleep on it, you never know, sleep is the best medicine, it offers liberty to the brain.' Sycamore remarks in his thick French accent.

I'm not a debater, never have been, never will be. Or so I thought.

I walked out of the classroom to see the one person whom I have hated most since I joined this school; Tierno Hendricks. He was a notorious misogynist at the school and recently the last girl he dated, broke up with him and has attempted to take him to court. She'll fail, sadly, money talks and Tierno's dad is rich, reminds me of that one guy Fin would always talk about a few years ago, a Formula 1 driver, I can't remember his name. 

Anyways, Tierno and his prick friends who hang around him were causing trouble in the hallways, abusing quite a few of the girls including Iris and Serena. There were a few other girls there, and they were also being abused. I saw Tierno trying to lift Serena's skirt which she clearly didn't fucking want, she had been trying to break free from his grip but his fucking friends had to, of course, grip her so fucking hard. I'm not going to stand here and let that bastard treat women as some sort of possession.

I walk over to him and shout 'Fatty, get your fucking dirty hands off those girls now. Don't you know they don't want you pissing them off and trying to rape them?' 

Tierno replies with 'they absolutely love those, you're naive as hell Ketchum.' 

I walk closer to him and shove his friends out of the way.

'Let go of them'. I shout.

'Boys, get rid of him' Tierno says.

Just as they approach, Gary sees me in trouble. 

I hit one of the pricks in their baby maker causing them immense discomfort and causing them to cry like a little baby. Gary tripped one up and I threw Tierno at one of the lockers.

'What's your fucking problem. Trying to rape Serena, you full well know she doesn't fucking like you, she didn't give consent. You are a rapist.' I say before punching Tierno in the face and slamming him against the lockers.

Unfortunately, my timing is not the greatest and I get caught by none other than the head of the school, Oak, who isn't too pleased to see me beating up Tierno.

'Ketchum, office, now.' He shouts.

'Fuck.' I whisper under my breath.

Gary walks past me and gives me an apologetic look. It wasn't his fault, he doesn't need to apologise to me, in fact, he saved my ass against those bastards.

Serena then walks in front of me and stares into my eyes. Those beautiful ocean eyes are so stunning I feel like I would give up anything in order to look at them forever. 

'Thanks for helping me. I really appreciate it, Ash. They were threatening to rape me and abuse my friends. You're a real help against those misogynistic thugs. I feel guilty that I got into this situation because of my desire to help my friends, especially Iris.' Serena says, apologetically and with a hint of sadness in her voice.

'Look, I don't like bullies at all, was bullied myself when I was younger in Britain. I don't want to see others be bullied. Females especially are vulnerable to it since well we males are kind of a bunch of dickheads, interested in serving our own testosterone. You wanted to help your friends and got into a situation because you were doing the right thing. I don't want you feeling guilty about any of this, you were fucking brave sticking it to Tierno. As for me, well I might be screwed but hey at least I stopped you and the others from potentially being raped.' I say with an uplifting tone.

'Well, I hope things go well with the head. He's kind of strict as you know.' She says with concern in her voice.

'Been there loads of times, my dad will understand most likely.' I say, trying to be positive with her.

I'm probably going to get a bollocking for this from Oak. However, I think my parents will understand. My dad's a lawyer. An international one to add to that. He and my mother married young as I said. They met in Uni back in the late '90s and the rest was history. My mother, she's a model. Gary used to comment to me that he thought she was a MILF. I would lecture him not to call my mother that, very often in my younger teens. Dumb conversations like that took place when we were younger. The good old days. Times when the pain wasn't a theme in my life.

I walk into Oak's office with a glum look because, well, Oak wasn't easy to deal with.

'Ash, you're a bright lad but you're found beating up a student for a 5th time this term. You surely recognise just how stupid and immature you are acting.' Oak shouts

'Turning a fucking blind eye to Hendricks out there are you sir? Him and his cronies were groping women's asses, trying to rape them, I have the right to beat misogynistic bastards up. If you can't understand how to protect the students of your school, then I have no fucking idea why you have this job!' I shout back at him.

'There is absolutely zero evidence of your claims.' Oak says

'Check the security footage, we are in the 21st century for christ's sake.' I respond.

'Well, your parents are going to have to be called.' Oak says.

'My dad's a lawyer. He'll break your backbone in this job if he needs to' I say grimly.

'You're not getting away with trying to put another boy in hospital' Oak says.

'They all deserved it.' I shout.

It felt like an eternity sitting in the dusty office. I felt like choking on the dust particles. Whatever to get me out of this shithole.  It was an hour later before my father, Alastair Ketchum arrived. My father is not someone to be messed with. He's tall and can pack a punch. I pretty much inherited all my characteristics from my father.

'Mr Oak, I got a call from my office that my boy has gotten into trouble again. I assure you that you must have misunderstood what I meant last time we met.' My dad begins.

'Pardon me, Mr Ketchum?' Oak says baffled by my father's jibe at him.

'I believe you're not deaf Oak.' My father adds.

'You're son beat up another student in the halls earlier.' Oak says bluntly.

'And, what his defence?' My father asks, chuckling to himself.

'His defence?' Oak asks confused

'I'm a lawyer as you well know Mr Oak. I want to hear the defendant's story.' My father states coldly. He is a top lawyer, I'm not surprised he's using this as an opportunity to boast about himself.

'He could have killed him' Oak blurts out.

'No need to quote Ferguson now Oak. We aren't at Old Trafford. We're in Boston, Massachusetts' My father replies.

'Anyways, the assault of another student is unacceptable, he is suspended for 1 week with immediate effect.' Oak says.

'You have to be fucking kidding, I saved the girls out there. I stuck up for them when they needed it. They were being groped and had I not stepped in, they could have been raped.' I shout.

'And that is why Oak you are wrong. My son may have assaulted an individual but you have failed to realise the context. However, judging by your stubbornness we must accept the inevitable.' My father says frustrated. I have never seen my father give up that easily.

We walk out of the office and he takes me to his car, a Bentley Continental GT.

We sit in the car for a few minutes in silence before I ask 'You're not mad at me, are you?'

My dad takes a drink of water, and, responds by saying 'You're an idiot for trying to beat someone up. However, you did so because you felt they deserved it. Especially, after trying to violate the personal space of women'.

'The guy I beat up is called Tierno. Tierno Hendricks' I say silently.

'Hendricks?' He asks desperately.

'Why?' I ask.

'He's a wealthy businessman, is his father. I hate his father a lot. Older than me by about a decade. Still stuck in the past. Believes woman should stay in the kitchen and care for the family. He's what you would call a very archaic conservative.' My father remarks.

'I don't understand American politics.' I say bluntly.

'No one can truly understand the politics of any nation. My opinion is, who the fuck cares? Doesn't change jack shit about the world son. Maybe your generation will fair better in the world than mine has.' My father says.

'Mom won't be angry will she?' I ask.

'Annoyed about you beating up a student? Yes. However, sticking up for the female students, she'll understand that you were trying to protect others. You know what your mother is like.' My father replies.

'Second suspension this year.' I mutter.

'Both times, you haven't deserved to be suspended!' My father shouts.

'I want to go back home. Fucking shit principals. I want to return to Britain again.' I say.

'Maybe, you will when you're older lad.' My father responds sympathetically.

We return home 20 minutes later, I decide to head to my room. I'm going to look at my phone before doing some schoolwork. 

I just sat on a chair in my room doing very little. I was going to start some work but then I receive a text. It was from Serena.

Message:

Serena: Heard about your suspension. I feel guilty about it.

Me: You did nothing wrong.

Serena: You had to save us though.

Me: Don't see how that is a problem.

Serena: You ended up getting into a fight, doofus. 

Me: Tierno deserved it. I regret nothing.

Serena: Of course you don't. 

Me: Well, I'm suspended for a week, so, I guess there's that.

Serena: I'm going to ditch school in a few days time to help with the project.

Me: Are you crazy or stupid?

Serena: More along the lines of rebellious.

Me: Don't do it. I will not allow for you to get into trouble for my own aggression.

Serena: Adorable, but I'm doing what I want. You can't stop me.

End of conversation history

Christ, she's going to skive from school. All because of me. As much as I am curious about her rebellious side, it's irresponsible to skip education. Maybe that's because of the attitude my parents brought me up with. I hope she wasn't being serious about skipping school. She might get in trouble with her mother. My mother would be pissed off if she found out Serena entered the house. I think they've met briefly. 

20 minutes later.

I receive another text message in the middle of doing some Economics work. The aim for me is just understanding how economies work. I haven't a clue my career goal. I don't know why I am being texted at the moment.

Messages:

Iris: Ash, you literally saved me today. I am very thankful.

Me: As I said to Serena, no problem.

Iris: I'm glad you did because of the secret I have.

Me: I kinda forgot about your secret.

Iris: Of course you did.

Me: I meant at the time. I wasn't thinking about your secret at the time.

Iris: You were clearly interested in saving your girlfriend.

Me: Serena isn't my girlfriend. We're just good friends. Nothing more and nothing less.

Iris: Hmm, I remember the tension between you two at the end of last year. It was at Dawn's place and, you and Serena were extremely awkward around each other. You can't deny there's more than just tension between you, it's sexual tension. 

Me: No.

Iris: Who cares anyways? You clearly like her. You're not exactly in danger of losing her to someone else. She's not a lesbian. Calem's her twin brother. He's the only real obstacle, since he is quite judgy on who his sister hangs out with.

Me: Why is there this talk?

Iris: Because you are completely in love with her.

Me: Lies.

Iris: Whatever. Anyway, thank you for not revealing my secret yet. I'm not ready yet.

Me: You're a good friend Iris. You helped me when I started here. I owe you this.

Iris: Good luck with Serena.

Me: What do you mean?!

Iris: She told me she was going to come to your place in a few days. Skipping school.

Me: She wasn't joking was she?

Iris: Have fun.

End of messages.

Shit, I'm screwed. Serena wasn't joking. I also, need to figure out how to tell Sycamore, I ain't interested in debating. That's a problem for me to worry about tomorrow. I've got to finish the work I have in front of me anyways.

2 hours later.

I finally finish all my work and head off for a shower. I alternate between hot and cold showers depending on my mood. I don't understand why but I choose an extra warm shower. As I shower and clean myself in all places. My thoughts are still fixated on Serena, and these thoughts are not exactly clean or innocent at all. I know what I am thinking. It disgusts me that I want to do things to her but that's the human brain for you, giving you an insight into your darkest thoughts as well as your most perverted thoughts.

I finish in the shower after 10 minutes and, after drying myself off, I head down the stairs of my house to the Kitchen. I see a note on the counter.

'To Ash.

Me and your mother  are going away on a trip for a few weeks. House is yours. Me and her decided we needed a break from work to spend time elsewhere. Look after yourself. If you have any house parties, clear up afterwards. Don't get yourself into more trouble. Try, and, maybe get involved with the debating that your teachers have suggested.

Red is currently in South Africa for a while. Leaf is off on a cheerleading meet in California. She should be back in two weeks, hopefully. 

Behave yourself.

Love

Your great father.

Alastair Ketchum'

This just gets even better now. I'm home alone for a few weeks whilst being suspended. My crush is literally going to skip school to work on the project with me. And, I am still worried about the consequences of my actions earlier today.

All in all, my life's fucking wonderful. I have a troubled mind now, and I doubt it will solve itself any time soon.

End.

________________________________________________________________________________

The first chapter of this re-write and it is focused upon Ash. What secret is he holding for Iris? Other questions too. 

I decided pretty much as soon as I started writing this, that I wanted to do a chapter around Ash being suspended for beating up someone over their misogny towards women. This was honestly, a rather unusual chapter to write.

If you enjoyed, follow me and vote this story. Add it to your reading lists etc.

Bye.