"Craig," The pleasure in Ashley's voice was obvious, and Craig could feel the blush burning up his cheeks.

"Uh, what's up?" he said, his ears too full of the roar of his blood to properly hear her answer. This tortured small talk. He couldn't think. He could only focus on the small circle that she inhabited.

"Nothing. How have you been?" Her voice was soft and kind of lyrical, musical. Like singing without the melody.

"Okay. You know," He was scrambling to talk to her and to think of what he would say next, and he kind of felt like he was on some narrow beam over a white, choppy river. Any minute he could fall in and be chilled to the bone.

Silence. Just a beat of it. Now was the time to ask her out. He could hear Sean's words echoing in his head.

"Listen, Ashley, uh, do you want to do something Friday night, maybe?" He closed his eyes. This was stupid. Sean was wrong. She wasn't interested in him. She couldn't be. He was a loser. It was obvious to everyone from his father to Jimmy to his teachers…everyone. She pitied him at best.

"Yeah, sure. I'd love to,"

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"Did you talk to her?" Sean said, leaning over and lacing up his sneakers. They both sat on the wooden bench with the metal legs that was in front of the lockers in the locker room. Craig leaned over to tie his own sneakers. Gym class. He hated gym class because of the uniforms, shorts and a t-shirt. No way to hide any bruises.

"Uh, yeah," He smiled, thinking of Ashley talking to him, saying yes to going somewhere with him. It didn't seem quite real.

"And?" Sean said, looking at him. Craig ducked his head.

"And she said yes,"

"Told you," Sean said, and smiled a tight smile.

"Yeah. You did," Craig said, and followed Sean into the gym, where they'd run laps and then play some stupid game and the whole while Craig would be hoping no one would notice the fading bruises on his legs and arms.

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After school he walked slowly from the building, his jean jacket on, school bag slung casually over his shoulder. He felt kind of dreamy, thinking how he was going to be seeing Ashley on Friday night. Thinking maybe he would talk to his teachers like his dad told him to. Maybe he could get back on track with his life. Maybe he could be better and not make his dad so angry and maybe he wouldn't get hit anymore. Maybe things could all work out. He thought this while he walked away from the school, the sun in his eyes. He was kicking little pebbles as he walked, remembering the exact way Ashley tilted her head and looked at him as he had talked to her.

Looking down, he felt a hard tug on his school bag and was spun around when someone yanked on it. Immediately he tensed up and saw Jimmy's angry face just inches from his own. Then Jimmy put both hands on his shoulders and shoved him hard. He hit the brick wall that was at his back. Jimmy shoved him up against it again.

"Hey! What the fuck did I tell you!" Another shove, and that shove made his fear go away and the red anger took its place.

"What!" Craig said, dropping his school bag and shoving Jimmy back, and it felt good to see him stagger. He came at him swinging, but Craig was better at ducking punches than Jimmy may have suspected.