"Look at my beautiful face!" Asher shrieked out. "It's all ruined!"

"You got what you deserve, dimwit." I muttered under my breath.

We were in the medical ward, tending Asher's broken nose. Why was I here, you ask? I was too worried to let him off alone with a broken nose because we're friends. Well, what he said. I helped him tend his broken nose, but I had to deal with his whining.

He eyed his reflection in the mirror, looking terrified and worried. I could see that his eyes were already wet with tears, but he was a guy, so he didn't tear up but whine instead. He whined, "Why did you have to do it?!"

"Whatever."

"Stop it with the whatever's."

"You can't tell me what to do."

"I'm telling you what to say."

"Whatever and I hate you."

"I hate you too."

"Aw, that's so sweet. Not."

I looked away from him, crossing my arms. A calming aroma filled the medical ward, making me a little less angry. But, it didn't work on Asher. He was still furious about what had happened. A broken nose that ruined a pretty face, he thought. Idiot.

"Your sarcasm is sickening." He said, still eyeing the reflection of himself. I rolled my eyes, having a desire to punch him again. I got up and stomped towards the door, I couldn't take it anymore. Why did I even bother looking after him?

Still eyeing his reflection, he grunted, "Where are you going?"

"Leaving." I bitterly scoffed, twisting the doorknob. "Go to hell, you and your ruined pretty face."

I swung open the door and stepped out of the medical ward, releasing a breath I didn't know I was holding and closed the door behind me. I leaned against the door, sighing in distress. I ruffled my hair messily, throwing a tantrum.

Why was I feeling this way?

I got it that I was displeased by his actions and words, and the awful personality. But, I somehow couldn't control my temper around him, but I held back. Now, I had broken his nose. What was I, a monster? I wasn't rich, I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I was an average girl who just wanted to get through with her life.

I felt nothing, on my back. All my weight was centered on my back, making me tumble backwards. I squealed, "Eek!"

I collapsed onto the cold, hard ground — stained with unknown substances and dusty. I groaned in pain as a throbbing pain spread at the back of my head. I winced in pain as my right elbow and my left knee started to throb with pain. I could hear my heartbeat clearly, thumping. I blinked a few times and my vision cleared up.

A familiar person stood just a few inches away from my head, the guy with a ruined face. He let out a snort which followed with snickering. He clapped his hands, making me glare at him. He said, "Why are you still here?"

"Whatever." I said nevertheless, ignoring his joy.

"Were you leaning on the door?"

"Nope."

"Yeah, you did, liar."

"Whatever."

I lifted my head up from the solid floor and massaged my pained head. I leaned my weak body against the doorway's wooden frame. I winced in pain once again, massaging my pained elbow and knee. He squatted next to me, smirking. He said, "Get up."

"What?" I mumbled, not listening intently. Then, he grabbed my arm and lifted me up on my feet. But, my legs went wobbly and jelly-like. I almost fell when he grabbed my shoulders, steadying me and lifting me up.

He guided me towards one of the beds and pushed me down on the bed. I didn't mean it like pinning me down on the bed, okay? He just pushed me down into a sitting position. He walked towards the other end of the room and came back with a medicine, I guess?

He poured some into his hands and wiped it against his hands. Then, he smeared the medicine on my right elbow and my left knee. Then, he got up on his feet and cleaned his hands. He kneeled in front of me, smiling warmly. It wasn't like him at all. He leaned in closer and placed his hand on the back of my head, making me wince in pain and nervous. He gently massaged it, making the pain fade away.

"How did you do that so fast?" I murmured, still tensed by our current position. His face was barely inches away from mind, his right arm shielding our faces from the setting sunlight, and our breaths blowing on each other's face.

He stopped massaging and backed away. Looking me in disbelief, he said, "It's a basic knowledge, even a dimwit would know that, idiot."

I glared at him, pouting my lips and crossing my arms. But, I calmed my nerves. He did helped me cure pain. I mumbled, "Thanks."

"What? I didn't hear you." He said teasingly, a devious grin on his lips. I said a little louder, "Thanks."

"Still can't hear you, princess." He said, eyes shooting me a hint of amusement and a devious grin growing even more devious. He's doing this on purpose. I got up from the bed and stomped towards the door, slamming the door behind me.

I wanted to say cuss words, but I couldn't.

***

"How was it?" Damien asked me, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall effortlessly. I shrugged my shoulders and sighed.

"It wasn't that big of a deal, but I have to do community service here-" I told him with a tone of tiredness in my voice. "-for a week."

He changed his face expression into a worried one and said, "At least it's not the discipline committee, I'll accompany you."

"Thanks, but it's fine. I can handle some mopping, cleaning, disposing, and locking up." I told him, making him feel relieved and not burdened. He wasn't the one to blame, he was just there for me as a friend.

He smiled warmly at me, but that smile of his soon turned into a goofy grin. He said, "I have something that I want to tell you for a long time."

"Yeah?" I let out.

"Nice punch!" He exclaimed. "That was so awesome! Taylor Peaksons just punched a bad boy!"

"Whatever, but bad boy?" I replied, feeling confused. "Plus, there wasn't any discipline committee meeting for Asher fighting Zeke."

It was odd, there wasn't any meeting scheduled to handle those two's problems. Maybe they had community service like me, or maybe not. I wasn't in a place to say it, I had community service too.

***

I stretched out my arms, feeling fatigued. Then, I cracked my knuckles and massaged my forehead. I was exhausted by everything in my life. I groaned, "Oh for the love of God-"

"Shush!" Kylie shushed me, making my head whirl back and glare at her. She was lying on th bed stomach down while reading a thick book. It looked old, torn pages and yellowish color. I asked her quietly, "Whatcha reading?"

We were in our dorm, having a quiet session. As you know, she was reading that book. I was editing my english literature essay for grammatical mistakes, illogical words, and some finishing touches. Not averting her gaze from the book, she murmured, "Shakespeare's collection."

"Since when you are into Shakespeare?" I teasingly asked her, shifting my chair towards the bed and reaching out for the book. She grabbed the book and distanced it from me. I whined, "Why? Why can't I see it?"

"You can read it later," She told me. "It's for my literature class."

"Fine." I grumbled, glaring and going back to history essay editing.

After a long while, I said, "Do you remember what happened when you're drunk?"

"I was drunk? When?" She asked me, maybe not remembering at all or she was pretending. I said, "A few days ago? On Friday?"

"Oh yeah, I'm always drunk on Fridays." She murmured, flipping a page of the book.

I whirled back and looked at her. She wasn't really paying attention because most of her attention was on that book. She was biting her lower lip and licked her finger every time she flipped a page. I said, "Did you remember anything from that day?"

She stopped flipping the pages and stared wide-eyed at the current page. Then, the glint in her eyes disappeared and she said, "Nope."

I eyed her closely, but she didn't show any suspicious signs at all. So, I shrugged my shoulders and went back to editing.

She was hiding something, I felt it running down my spine. But, she was doing a great job acting like nothing had happened.

***

"Woo, tomorrow is the Halloween party!" Damien screamed in my ears, making me shove him away in the shoulder — making him slightly tumble.

I scolded him, "Shut up! You're going to make my ears bleed! You keep making a big fuss out of a small issue!"

He whimpered like a puppy, making glassy eyes and trembling lips. I rolled my eyes, sighing. Just then, a loud slam, against what seemed like a bang against the locker, echoed throughout the hallway. Everyone was dead silent and frozen in their place. I saw Asher leaning against the locker, not voluntarily. He was pushed against the locker as he winced in pain. He hissed to the person in front of him, "Leave me alone."

"No can do, the dark knight." The person hissed back, grabbing him by the collar. Dark knight?

As I looked closer, that person was the very same guy from the last fight. Zeke, the quarterback of the school's football team. His face was enraged, gritted teeth and fiery eyes. His grip on Asher's collar made his neck slightly redder than his skin. It was horrible, he could get injured.

I was shameful, but prideful. I stepped up in front, facing them. I roared, "Stop it!"

They averted their enraged glares from each other and eyed me, as if I was an alien from outer space. But, Asher looked pitiful and worried. A frown grew on his face, but his hands were trying to yank Zeke's grip away from his neck. Meanwhile, Zeke's lips formed a vicious smirk, eyeing me — making me feel exposed. He said, "Well, isn't it the princess."

Huh? Why did he say I was a princess? It's a coincidence, right?

"Leave her out of this." Asher scoffed, scraping his claws on Zeke's hand. His face looked pained and he looked like he couldn't take any of it anymore — but, he did.

"I'm sorry for the violence, because be deserved it." Zeke said, grabbing his neck harder — making him let out a suffocated groan.

"Don't interfere, princess." Asher managed to say, but in a suffocated way.

Zeke eyed him and said, "But, she is already in this mess."

All of a sudden, Damien stepped up beside me and said, "Zeke, stop it."

I had never seen Damien like this before, he was dead serious. He was glaring at Zeke, maybe the both of them. His fists were clenched and he was gritting his teeth.

Zeke said, "How nice of you to join us, Damien. Mind switching our places? I'm tired suffocating this dark knight and I want to have a little talk with the princess over there."

"Let him go." Damien stated harshly, making Zeke straighten his face expression which turned into a glare. Zeke tightened his grip and Asher looked like he couldn't hold it anymore.

But, Zeke laughed evilly like what a villain would do. He said, "That's too bad, we could've had fun together. But, I guess not."

He pulled Asher away from the locker, making Asher widen his eyes in fear and suffocate. He pushed Asher onto the locker with all his might and I swore I heard a bone crack. He yelled in pain, dropping onto his knees with his head down. Then, Zeke left and disappeared.

I ran over to Asher and knelt down beside him, lifting his face up. His eyes were closed, his nose was scrunched, and his lips were trembling in pain. He didn't say anything and I wouldn't let him say a word. I turned to Damien and said, "Help him."

***

I heard a pained groan and it tensed me up. I stiffened at the voice, my eyes twitching. I heard the bed being pressed on and the blanket rustling. He mumbled, "Princess?"

"You're awake." I said in my most dramatic voice. It seemed like a scene in a movie, so I wanted to try it out — even in a serious atmosphere like this.

I whirled back, twirling the ends of my hazel hair. I was standing right in front of a curtain-covered window, but the blinding light still came through. It was absolutely movie-like. I felt like the protagonist, looking so fabulous and cool. But, I didn't in real life.

He was looking me in total confusion, a lifted eyebrow and a half-opened mouth. I said, "Whatever, are you alright?"

He sat against the wall, full of agony. He mumbled, "Yeah, I'm fine. I just had an almost death experience."

"Sarcasm much?" I said, making him cross his arms. I walked over to the bed and sat on the edge. Then, I asked him, "Do you feel anything weird?"

"No, just a pained neck and a pained back." He calmly said, as if it wasn't a big deal.

"But I swore I heard a bone crack." I whined like a little baby, making him chuckle. He said, "It's not, okay? I'm fine. It's just that I hit the locker too hard, but bearable."

I sighed in relief, releasing the tension from my mind and body. I was glad that he was fine, but that didn't mean anything, okay?

He noticed my action and said, "Are you worried about me? It seems that you always come to the rescue whenever you see me fighting."

"Whatever." I said, shaking off that topic.

He chuckled once again and ruffled my hair — which earned him, "Hey!". I pouted my lips angrily, looking away and folding my arms. All of a sudden, he leaned in closer and pulled me into a hug.

My cheeks reddened, I could feel the warmth. My eyes were widened and my body stiffened. His arms were wrapping my back tightly, so tightly that my chin was placed on his right shoulder — so was his chin. I could feel his breath blowing on my hair, his heartbeat thumping, and his warmth. He said, "Thank you."

I couldn't help but feel shy and nervous. I wanted to ask him a lot of things, but I wanted to just let this moment go on as long as possible. As long as possible.

Done! I kinda feel bad for Asher who's always getting into fights and getting punched or injured. But, I loved the ending moment. It's heartwarming for me, but I don't know about you (leave your comment down below). The long awaited Halloween party is just right at the corner, it's so near. Cinderella moment, yes! I would like to recommend a Cinderella movie that I thought is good. It's an old movie, so you'll probably know it. A Cinderella Story. It has Hillary Duff in it. I seriously love it because the moments are just beautiful.

Thank you for reading the story again and I apologise for grammatical errors or cliche turns. Goodbye!