Asher had spent the past couple of days at the Henderson house. His dad hadn't been home in four days, and Asher had no idea why, all he knew was that he didn't want to be in house on his own and he definitely didn't want to be there when his dad showed up. So, the past couple of days, Asher had been crashing on the couch at the Henderson household. As much has he said that he didn't mind sleeping on the couch, Claudia wanted him to sleep in an actual bed, so, for the past couple of days, Claudia had been telling Asher that she'd make the spare room into a bedroom for him.

"We never use the spare room" Claudia explains for Asher "All it has is boxes of Dusty's old childhood toys. If we decorate it nicely, it could be a room for you to stay in."

"Claudia, you already do enough for me" Asher says to her with a sigh "I don't want you spending anymore money on the then you already do."

"Son of a bitch!" The two hear Dustin yell as he runs into the living room, ripping the couch apart "Son of a bitch! Another stupid penny!" He shouts before throwing the penny across the room.

"Dusty, watch it!" Claudia says very loudly "You almost hit Mews."

"Can I please check under your cushions?" Dustin asks Claudia and Asher.

"Dusty" Claudia says as Asher stands up, making Dustin check under the cushion to find nothing.

"Mom, please? It's an emergency!" Dustin pleads.

"Dude, going to the arcade isn't an emergency" Asher says with a laugh "An emergency is someone dying or having polio."

"Isn't that the excuse you use when you don't want to get up?" Dustin asks Asher, remembering the times where he got to skip school because he said he had polio.

"Yes, but it's a very real condition that I have" Asher sarcastically says as Claudia gets up and Dustin checks under the cushion to find two cent.

"Do you have any money I can borrow?" Dustin asks Asher "I'll pay you back."

"I'm poorer than you, of course I don't" Asher says with a scoff as him and Claudia sit back down.

"God, you're no help" Dustin says with a groan "Love you mom" He says right before running out of the living room and back to his room.

"What are we going to do with that kid?" Asher asks Claudia with a smile "He's insane."

"But you love him" Claudia says to Asher "Now, about the room. I think--"

"Claudia, no" Asher says to her "I really appreciate it, but I can't let you do that. I'm happy enough sleeping on the couch. It's actually really comfy."

"Comfy enough to give you polio?" Claudia asks Asher with a raised eyebrow. She knows that he doesn't have polio, but she does know that sometimes he needs a break, so she lets him have the day off of school. With everything he goes through at home, he sometimes needs a break from everything in his life, and when he does, she lets him. Claudia knows everything that Asher goes through and she knows that no kid should ever go through that, ever.

"Comfy enough for me to not want to go to school" Asher says with a shrug "It's just middle school. I'll start showing up more next year."

"You're starting high school next year" Claudia happily says "You're growing up so quickly. Soon enough you'll be graduating from high school and going to college."

"I can't afford college" Asher says with a sigh. Yes, he'd love to go to college because it gives him a way to get out of Hawkins, but he would never be able to afford it or get in with his reputation.

"They give out scholarships, you know?" Claudia explains to Asher "With your soccer, you should be able to get into college with a scholarship. All you have to do is pass all of your subjects."

"Yeah, that might not happen" Asher says with a laugh.

"All you have to do is apply yourself at school" Claudia says to Asher "You can do it. I know you can."

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