This day was going okay.

‘Yes, yesterday was a mess. I didn’t buy groceries, I got interrogated by what happened to my face, and ooh, don’t forget dad asked. I told him that I fell, which actually happened, so, anyway, this day is going way better compared to yesterday.’

Asher was currently in the cafe, with Jason sitting across from him, and blabbing about food, while eating…food.

“Hey Ash!” It was undeniably Lucas.

‘That bastard- I told him my name isn’t Ash’

Meanwhile, Jason choked on his food.

“Ash?! When did Lucas get close enough for nicknames?!”

Lucas was standing in front of Ash, and bending to see what he was eating.

While Jason…was shocked to hear Lucas called Asher, ‘Ash’.

Then Lucas replied, “Oh hey, bowl-cut! You see, I met Ash yesterday. And you know what? He is a preeetty boring guy.”

‘...What?’

Jason chuckled, and Ash rolled his eyes.

“Hey, hey, Ash! You eat fried rice at lunch, huh? Well guess what, Me too!” Lucas jumped.

“..Okay.” Asher responded and continued eating.

“Man, you’re rude. Don’t ignore me, hey!” Lucas was now shaking Ash from the shoulders.

“Okay.” Ash again replied, stopped eating and looked over to Lucas.

“Hey, I heard, that Blake guy is pretty mad, and he is looking for you. Did you do something bad?” Lucas suddenly changed the topic.

‘Looking for me..? I know I did bad to his lackeys, but they deserved it.’

“Yeah. I hit his lackeys with a brick.” Ash replied.

Jason choked on his food.

Again.

“You hit them with a brick?!” Jason and Lucas screamed together.

“Yeah.” Ash looked at them, Jason was nervously eating at his nails, and Lucas was in deep thought.

“Why?” Lucas asked, his eyes full of…worry and something else, Ash couldn’t understand.

“Why?” Ash half-smiled. “Well, because they deserved it.”

And then Ash stood up and left the cafe, Jason calling for him to come back.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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‘If Blake is looking for me, I should-’

“There you are brat!” A heavy voice called out.

‘I didn’t think they would come this soon.’

Ash saw Blake, smirking, coming towards him.

Four other students were with him.

“Hey. I was looking for you everywhere!” Blake’s smirk grew wider, almost a bit menacing.

He was now in front of Ash, the heights undeniably differing.

‘What should I do? Run back, face them? I know I can’t beat Blake this time, he has other students with him. And from the look of it, they all are really strong.’

“I want you to come with me, brat!” Blake said, but he was already dragging Asher along with him.

‘...I’m in trouble big time. No escape, no help.’ Ash couldn’t free himself from Blake’s forceful grip.

The next thing Ash knew, he was in an empty classroom, and other students and Blake were with him.

“So, are you ready to die?!” Blake smirked, his voice dripping with mockery, the door clicked shut behind them, sealing off the outside world.

Ash stumbled slightly but quickly regained his footing.

He looked around, noticing the emptiness of the classroom, the blank walls and rows of desks seemed to close in on him.

‘No way out. I’m really in it now.’ he thought, a bit nervous.

But Ash had one way to defend himself.

In his pocket, he had a rock.

Ash smirked.

“Why the hell are you smirking, you making fun of me?!” Blake growled.

Ash didn’t respond.

Blake stepped closer, his gang flanking him like vultures ready to pick apart their prey. “Thought you could just hit my guys and get away with it, huh? You think you’re some kind of tough guy?”

Ash’s heart raced.

What is toughness anyway?

Is it about fists, or is it about standing up for what you believe in, no matter the odds?

Maybe it’s both.

Maybe it’s knowing when to fight and when to walk away.

But today?

Today Ash chose to fight.

He could have backed down, let Blake throw his weight around like he always does, but he didn’t.

He stood his ground, even if it meant throwing a rock and taking a punch.

Sometimes, It just feels good to push back, to show that you are not just some pushover.

He straightened up, trying to look confident, even though his palms were sweaty. “They had it coming. They’ve been picking on me and others for too long.”

Blake let out a harsh laugh, the kind that sent chills down Ash's spine. “Aw, poor baby! Look at you, trying to play the hero. But you’re just a brat who doesn’t know his place.”

‘I know exactly what I’ll do. I have a pla-’

“Look, brat.” Blake continued, a sickly sweet tone creeping into his voice, “you might have caught me off guard yesterday, but trust me, I won’t be the one on the floor this time.”

“Yeah?” Ash shot back, clenching his fists, “You really have no idea what you’re dealing with.”

Blake’s eyes narrowed, and he took another step forward. “Oh, I know exactly who I’m dealing with. You’re just another weakling trying to prove something. But you can’t back up your words. I see it in your eyes.”

Ash’s heart raced, not just from fear, but from something deeper, frustration, determination.

‘What if I show him? What if I really make him think twice about messing with me?’

“I’m gonna teach you some manners, you piece of trash.” Blake growled.

As Blake loomed closer, his shadow stretched across the floor, making Ash feel smaller than he ever had.

‘This is it.’ he thought. ‘This is what it feels like to be backed into a corner by someone who thinks they can control you.’

But the question was:

Why should Ash let him dictate his worth?

‘I have to protect myself. I can’t keep letting him walk all over me like I don’t matter.’

In that moment, Ash glanced at the small rock nestled in his pocket, a simple, unassuming object that felt like his last line of defense.

This wasn’t about violence; this was about standing up for himself

Ash was no fool.

He knew very well that he wasn’t strong.

He didn’t know how to fight, he never did.

This was just about showing Blake that he wasn’t afraid anymore. He might not be the strongest, but he refuses to be a victim.

With a deep breath, Ash gripped the rock tightly. He could feel the weight of it, both in his hand and in his heart.

‘I’m tired of being afraid. Tired of waiting for someone else to save me. If I have to throw this rock to make him understand that I won’t be pushed around, then so be it.’

Blake was in front of Ash.

Before Ash could think, Blake forced a blow square on Ash’s face.

‘Too late-’

Blake punched him again, and again.

Blood gushing out of Ash’s lips.

And then Blake smirked.

Blake’s smirk only fueled Ash’s determination.

‘I won’t let him take my power away anymore.’ Despite the pain, despite Blake’s warm breath on Ash’s face, despite all other lackeys around him, in a swift motion, Ash pulled the rock from his pocket and hurled it at Blake’s head.

‘It’s time to make a stand.’ he thought, feeling the adrenaline surge through him.

Ash threw it with aim.