A typical day for Asher was as followed: wake up, go to school, try not to burn the school down, get into a fight with some jock who had the IQ of an eggplant, go home, do homework, eat in-between and then go to sleep. He liked routine. It kept him from becoming a serial killer because, let’s face it, if everyone in the world decided they wanted to murder someone they would do it just to release the pent up anger they had after dealing with people’s bullshit, but because it was still illegal in all 50 states, they settled for keeping their repressed urges to themselves.

So, when the time came for him to go home and enjoy a nice hot cup of tea after a relaxing bath, he was pulled into the principal's office.

Principal Mayflower stared at Asher from behind thin wireframe glasses, a scowl on her aged face, the fading voices of the student body dulling into soft whispers as they made their way off campus. "Asher," she began slowly. "What you did this morning was unacceptable and grounds for expulsion...however due to the fact if we did expel you our school rating would drop and our funding would be cut dramatically. Not only that, you are at risk for being arrested for severely injuring a student. Do you have anything to say for yourself or an explanation as to why you injured a student?"

"He should have known better than to push me into a germ infested river," Ash explained calmly. "I'm not sorry for what I did; there are many disease ridden parasites in a stream like that. In addition, even if it wasn’t that big, animals tend to drink and defecate in it. If I contract an illness because of his stupidity then being unable to perform any of his sports this season will the least of his worries."

Mayflower dragged the palm of her hand down her face in frustration. "Asher you know you can't damage anyone over every little thing! If his parents decide to press charges there is nothing we can do! You could go to jail young man and that'll affect your college and scholarships!"

Asher refrained from retorting that there was no way this was going to affect any of his college admissions and scholarships; what college wouldn't want a genius like him in their school? He was a walking paradox. He knew practically everything there was to know about anything and was on top of his classes, which was why he was taking AP classes when he should be taking tenth grade work. Hell, he was currently working on his thesis paper for college already! If he went to jail, the college he went to would just erase that little part of his history, pay off the family and act as if it never happened.

Not that Asher would ask them too. He didn’t like it when everyone threw the fact he had a high IQ and acted like his friend when really, they just wanted to be that person that said they ‘knew him in high school and they hung out’ just to get a little bit of fame once he became a millionaire. He hated people like that. They disgusted him and left a sour taste in his mouth.

If they were going to crowd around him like a bunch of hungry vultures, then he was going to continue being cold and heartless. He didn’t ask to be smart. His foster parents adopted him when he was already walking at six months and speaking full, yet broken, sentences at a year old after they took him home. They couldn’t explain it. The orphanage he was dropped off at didn’t know so why should he give two shits? Of course Asher could just not do anything but the annoying thing about him was, he just couldn’t do that.

Mayflower let out a sigh, removing her glasses to rub her eyes tiredly. "Okay, this is what I'm going to do...You will have a month of detention, no extra curriculum activates and that means NO archery either for that period...oh don't give me that look Asher you brought this on yourself. And to add to that punishment you are to tutor one of the worst students we have."

"You mean it isn't just that dick that's an idiot?" he asked casually which earned him a glare.

"Shockingly no. He isn't that bad; he's just failing three classes which he needs to graduate and if he doesn't pass them I'm going to get a call from his mother, who happens to be the head of Board of Directors and we both know how that's going to turn out," Mayflower grumbled under her breath. "Just be grateful I'm not suspending you because lord only knows if you miss one day of school your perfect attendance record would be tarnished and I really don't need a rampaging genius waving around a nuclear laser gun at other students when said genius returns from the suspension. Now get the fuck out of my office and if you start anything else for the remainder of the school year not only will I kick you off the science club but the archery as well do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly...what about the student I am to tutor?" Ash asked as he stood to gather his belongings.

"I'll give you details about that after school before your detention," Mayflower said dismissively and returned to her paperwork that she was looking over before Asher had been thrown into her office.

Ash gave the principal a mock salute before leaving the old woman to her work, missing the way her eyes flashed gold from behind her lenses as she peered over them to watch him leave. They had a somewhat special relationship. She was the first adult in his life and the one who helped get him adopted. She used to work for the orphanage, mostly bathed and read stories to the younger kids but she just somehow knew he was going to make something of himself. Mayflower had been the one to seek John and Veronica out because she had thought they would be perfect for him. It was a good thing he liked her so much cause after the years being pulled from one house to the next after they divorced; she had spotted him looking at the high school he now attended after he moved back to her town.

She often let him slide after he explained what had transpired in the past sixteen years, however her generosity only went so far. Mayweather was still the principal, and quite frankly tired of his shit. Either way, Asher appreciated the old woman’s company from time to time.

He spotted Marie sitting in a rather vacant waiting room area and approached her with a rather sullen look on his face. Just to mess with her. The girl looked up, her eyes filled with worry.

"What happened? You aren’t getting the boot right? Please tell me you weren’t cause I really don’t want to go knock on her door and demand you stay!”

"Not expelled but I got a month's detention and I am hereby banned from doing any extra curriculum activates until then,” Ash sighed. ”I thought it would be more severe given my record of being sent to her office but I guess I was mistaken for once."

Marie gave Ash a scolding look before she glanced at the clock. School ended at 2:15 pm and it was already nearing three. She sighed, almost saddened that she missed the bus but decided she didn’t care. Wasn’t as if someone was waiting for her at her run down trailer home.

"Come on," Marie huffed as she dragged Asher out the main office. "I think by now the whole school knows what you did to Samuel so expect a lot of shit Monday. I’ll walk you home."

He said nothing and allowed his female friend to pull him through the halls but did stop when they came close to his locker. He turned the dial to the combination and pulled the universally colored blue locker open. Searching inside his belongings, he grabbed textbooks and shoved them into his bag before slamming the door shut.

“Alright, let’s get going.”

The walk to his house was at least thirty minutes long. The school was nestled in a secluded part of their town, making it easier to get to instead of having to take the bus. Marie prattled on about her day after she left to her own classes after his English teacher kicked her out but as they approached, she waved him farewell and continued walking. The sixteen year old female had a knack for never stepping a foot on his foster moms property unless she absolutely needed too.

He waved goodbye and entered his house, slipping off his shoes by the front entrance.

“Veronica, I’m home from school,” Ash announced as he started toward the kitchen. “Is John still here? If he is I need to grab a few things before I leave.”

“A-Asher, sweetheart…can you come here a minute?” Veronica’s shaky voice made the teen stop and backtrack towards the living room. His eyes narrowed when he stepped into the threshold and saw both his foster parents sitting stiff on the sofa, body tense and starring across from them. His eyes followed their trail and stopped short at the young, twenty odd year old man sitting in Veronica’s lounge chair.

He was very handsome from where Asher stood. He had healthy tan skin that has a slight warm hue to it from what he could see that wasn’t hidden by a light grey jacket and navy blue denim jeans. Raven hair fell across his shoulders, long and flowing but not completely untamable from how so well kept it looked. His face was somewhat round, with a nice prominent jaw, strong chin, and straight aristocratic nose and full pink lips and his eyes were a dark grey that are surrounded by thick dark eyelashes which narrowed slightly when he entered into the living room.

“Hello,” Asher greeted politely.

The man blinked slowly, as if processing his word before turning to the two other adults across from him, clearly dismissing the youth.

“Is this Asher?” he asked, his tone cold but emotionless at the same time.

“Y-yes. This is our son,” John replied in an equally fragile and shaky tone as Veronica.

The man stood abruptly. “Then I have no further need of you. I will be taking him.”

Asher’s eyes widened at the sudden declaration and at his foster parents refusal to stand and be outraged as the stranger approached him. When he was but barely inches away, the taller man stopped in front of him. Before he could say a word to him, the smaller male gritted his teeth and took a step back.

“I’m not taking a step out that door until someone fucking explains to me what the hell is going on.”