|♡|  ASHLYN'S P.O.V. |♡|

Vanessa was desperately flirting with Chase and the gap between them was exceptionally close and Vanessa was slowly filling in that gap. I considered backing out of the gym for a moment. But then I realized that it would be fun to interrupt Vanessa when she was in such a situation.

"Ahem... Ahem!" I cleared my throat loudly.

Chase jerks his head backwards and he stares at me for a minute and then a small smile creeps onto his mouth.

"Hi Ash," he calls.

"Hello Chase, I'm sorry if I interrupted your... um, special moment. But I just wanted to ask where the rest of the class was?" I ask.

"Oh! They are in the basketball court. We were just coming but Vanessa wanted to talk to me alone. And yeah, you don't need to say sorry. Its alright," he says with a smile.

"No, its not," Vanessa screams. "Its absolutely not fine. I know you did this intentionally. You bitch, how dare you?" 

"Vanessa stop screaming," says Chase. "Ash, you go to the basketball court and we'll just follow you."

"Yeah, that would be fine but the problem is that I don't know where the basketball court is. I'm new here remember?" I say in a mocking tone, even though I had my map with me. It felt nice to trouble Vanessa once in a while.

He laughs. "Okay, Lyn. I'll take you to the basketball court," he says and then grabs hold of my waist.

Lyn. He called me Lyn.

"Don't ever call me Lyn again," I say, coldly.

"Why ever not?" he asks.

"Just don't," I tell him.

"Okay, Ashlyn Wood. You know, you're like a book filled with secrets. Pretty approachable, if you ask me." He surely did know how to lighten up the mood.

"Yeah, right," I say, coming back to my normal mode now.

"Thank you, Ash," Chase says in a hushed tone after some time.

"Thank you for what exactly?" I ask him, confused.

"For saving me from Vanessa." I start giggling at his words. "What? She was getting a bit too cheesy for my taste," he replies, defensively.

"So why didn't you just back off?" I ask.

"She's pretty good at seducing, you know. By the way, you look really sexy in your gym clothes," he says, with a smirk playing on his lips.

Oh, right. My gym clothes. I was wearing black shorts with a white top and Nike sport shoes.

"You know, I will look sexier when I punch your face and then kick you hard on your ass," I deadpan.

"Now, now. Don't sound so desperate to touch me," he says, pulling open the doors of the basketball court.

"You wish, Austen," I tell him, as we enter the court together.

The whole female population present in the gym was shooting daggers at me.

I wonder why?

Then I see one girl narrow her eyes at something on my waist. When I look down to see what kind if dirt was there on my shirt, I see Chase's hand still on my waist.

Instantly, heat rushes to my face.

I look up at him just to see him smiling at me.

"I challenge you to a game of basketball," he says.

Wait, what?

"Why do you wanna challenge me to a basketball game?" I ask him.

"Why are you scared?" he asks.

"I'm just feeling sorry for you, Chase, cuz I'm gonna beat your ass."

"Oh, we'll see about that."

"I openly challenge Ashlyn Wood to a game of basketball," he announces to the whole class. "So Ashlyn, do you accept the challenge?" he asks.

Do I? I need to get a reputation here but I really don't know how well he plays. But I am not scared of losing.

"Yes, I do," I tell him. 

"The match will be held after school in this court. Call as many people as you can," he bellows again, at the class.

My mouth hangs open. I realize that with a start and close it. At a distance, I see Vanessa, Zara and Nicole whispering to each other. I turn around to face Chase, only to see him smirking victoriously.

He is such a royal pain in my ass.

The crowd cheers. After some time, our gym teacher enters the basketball court with a number of basketballs. 

She then divides us into groups of seven. I, unfortunately, am grouped with Chase, Vanessa, Zara, Nicole, Eric and this other guy called Sam.

I remember Eric from my calculus class. He was the first one to ask Laura about me.

We were supposed to be doing lay-ups in a relay. So we all played basketball for the time till the bell rang outside, signalling the end if the class. Our teacher quickly dismissed us and so everyone filed up into the changing rooms. Chase and I were about to go and join them when I hear my name being shouted out for the second time in the day.

"Ashlyn, hey, Ashlyn," I see four girls running up to me. I quickly recognize them as the popular girls from one the tables. 

"Hi Ashlyn," one of the girls says. "I'm Sasha. This is Victoria, Clarissa and Stacey," she says, pointing to each girl in return. "So, we were wondering if you would like to join us in lunch?" she asks, with a sickly, fake, sweet smile plastered on her face.

"Actually, I would love to sit with you in lunch but I already have friends and I can't really ditch them, right?" I ask. "I hope you understand."

Sasha's mouth twitches, like she just tasted something sour. "Yeah, its totally fine. Come on girls."

"No girl ever turns them down. But there are only four of them because they never really ask anybody. Any ordinary girl would do anything to just talk ti them," says Chase, surprise evident in his tone.

"Well do I look like the ordinary girls?" I ask.

"I have physics next," Chase and me say at the same time.

"What the hell?" I ask.

"So you are stuck with me. Anyway, we'll change and then meet outside gym gates," he says, making his way towards the boys changing rooms while I make way towards that of the girls.

I grab my duffel bag which has my dress and then file inside on of the bathroom stalls.

I put on the outfit I was wearing in the morning. As I'm about to change from my sports shoes to my boots, I hear voices.

"That bitch actually interrupted you and Chase?"

"She's a filthy piece of-" says the unmistakable voice of Vanessa.

Vanessa is cut by the voice of another girl. "You know, I'm gonna ask her to join the cheerleading squad."

"What the hell is wrong with you, Nicole?" says the other girl.

"There is nothing wrong with me, Zara," says Nicole. "If she joins the cheerleading squad, I'm gonna make her life a living hell, me being the cheerleading captain and all."

"Anyway, I'll talk to you later girls," says Vanessa. "And, by the way, Nicole the plan sounds amazing," she adds.

And with that, they exit the changing rooms.

I walk out of the gym door, exit the basketball court and then make my way towards the gym. Sure enough, I see Chase waiting for me at the gates.

"What took you so long?" he asks.

"Nothing," I tell him.

"Okay, lets go for physics then," he says. "Oh, by the way, Tyler and Laura are also going to be with us."

"That's great," I say, sounding enthusiastic.

"They are gonna sit together like they always do," he says.

"That means I'm totally stuck with you?" I say, trying to sound less enthusiastic. I'm not sure it works.

"Anyway, I'm inviting everybody to my house tomorrow. Not a party, just a small get-together," he says.

I go awn. "I love parties," I say longingly.

"There is one, you know, at April Banks' house," he says. "Wanna come with me?"

"If its a party, sure," I reply.

"Then be ready at eight on Friday night. I'll pick you up so text me your address later," he says.

"Number?" I ask him.

"Its already there. I took your number from Tyler. Actually, all give of us have your number and we texted you. So you have all of our numbers," he says, smirking.

"All of you are geniuses," I say, with a tinge of sarcasm.

"We all know that," he says, bowing.

"Yah, right."

When we enter the physics class together, I see Tyler and Laura waving at us from the second-last table. They had, apparently, caught places for us in the last table.

"Hello guys," says Laura, with a grin.

"Hi," I reply.

"I challenged Ashlyn to a game of basketball," Chase butts in.

"You what?" asks Tyler, incredulously.

"I said I challe-" Chase starts to repeat but is cut off by Tyler.

"I heard what you said," says Tyler, scowling.

"I'm sorry to say this, Ashlyn, but you're gonna lose," says Laura, patting me on the shoulder.

"No chance. Ashlyn is going to win," says Tyler.

"Bet?" asks Laura.

"Bet," Tyler confirms.

"Fifty dollars it is?" asks Laura.

"Fifty dollars," Tyler agrees. "Text Melody and tell her about the bet and I'll text Zack and Logan. All of us will place a bet. One sec..."

Quickly, he types something in his phone while Laura continuously jabs her own.

"Logan says that Chase is gonna win though he supports Ashlyn. Zack also says that Chase is going to win," Tyler says, happily.

"So does Melody," Laura confirms.

"You're that good?" I quietly ask Chase.

"Seems so," he replies in a superior tone.

"You're gonna lose Tyler, so why do you look so happy about it?" asks Laura.

"Because I know that I am gonna win," Tyler says.

"Whatever, stubborn jackass," states Laura.

"So what's up with Mr. Wren? He is never late for class," Chase asks Laura.

"Mr. Wren is not here today to enlighten us with his presence," says Laura, sarcastically. "So we have a dear substitute teacher," she continues, motioning her fingers in the direction of a man who was fast asleep on the table.

"So is it a free period?" asks Chase, hopefully.

"I guess," replies Laura.

And so we resume our chatting.

"Hey Ash, I don't think I'll be able to come to your house tonight but tomorrow, we have a get-together at Chase's house," says Tyler.

"Yeah, I know. Chase told me," I reply.

"And there is also a party on Friday night. I know you love parties," he continues.

"Yeah, Chase told me that too," I say.

"What the hell?" Tyler says, pouting like a kid.

Chase, Laura and me chortled at Tyler.

The bell rings and we were free.

"Basketball match," Chase whispers to me.

"What?"

"We have our basketball match," he repeats.

Oh, right.

The basketball match.

I almost forgot.

I have to win. I have to prove Tyler right. And I didn't want people to mark me down on my first day at South Boston High School.

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