Best Nemesis

Ashley's Pov I knew what it was I wanted to do. I was a perfectionist to the core. Anyone who knew me knew this. I planned my entire life from start to finish like a manufacturer encrypting a code into his design. My life was far, far from perfect, but I chose not to sulk about it. I did the best I could, and worked my ass off to keep myself too busy to think about anything else but the beautiful future I had drafted all out in my head. I drew in a deep breath, hugging my textbooks to my chest as I tried to make my way to class. It was my second week here, and I had to remind myself I had the right just like everyone else within these walls, to belong here. Okay, maybe— I didn't belong, but I could at least fit in. "Watch it nerd!" A deep, familiar voice scolded as hard, muscles arms bumped my thin shoulders, tumbling my books down to the ground. Even from my thick cardigan, I could still feel the toughness of his muscles. I didn't need to look up to know who the annoying tower of a boy had collided in with me. Ignoring any hopes for an apology, I bent down to pick up back my books, frowning as I noticed the cover of my limited-edition favorite novel had ripped. I frowned as I stood to my full height. "Look what you've done!" I scolded. "What I've done?" His deep voice thundered quietly. "You've ripped my book," I responded, refusing to get intimidated. "It's just a book." Just a book? Was he serious? I had to work twelve night shifts to afford that. "You can at least apologize," I said. He met my eyes for the first time as though shocked that someone—anyone could dare talk back at him. "And who exactly are you to ask me to?" His brows bunched together. "Someone that has absolutely no business with you!" I scoffed. "Your attitude is disgusting!" He spat. "Barely as disgusting as your stupid face" I shot back. "I don't know how someone could be so huge not to pass through a barely empty 12 feet wide hallway without bumping into others" "Spare me the math and stay out of my way next time. Maybe if you weren't too busy looking into space, you'd have seen me coming" He hissed and ruffled his hair, looking down at me like I was some trash on the curb, shook his head in disregard and walked away. I blinked back in surprise, replaying what just happened over and over in my head. This was the famous Miles Asher the whole school was gushing over? This uncultured, good-for-nothing prick? I had to close my mouth that I just realised was currently gaping wide open from irritation. I prayed a silent prayer never to collide into him again. The school was wide enough. And my plan to my successful life was too perfect to be dented by popular, athletic idiots. "Ashley!" Hannah waved at me, rushing out of the restroom as she half jogged towards me. "I'm so sorry I took a century in there. It felt like a battle between my body and the toi—" "Save it Hannah" I cut her short. "Please spare me the details" Hannah and I became friends from the first moment we saw each other at the cafeteria. I bumped into her and ruined her dress, and in her attempt to wave off my numerous apologies, she accidentally knocked down my smoothie, sloshing it down my shirt. It was truly an accident. We both giggled about it and our friendship happened just like that. Me and Hannah were complete opposites. She was red-haired and wild, I was brunette and always had my face stuck in a book. Hannah was curvy, I was thin as a stick. Hannah threw caution in the wind, I always played strictly by the rules. "Soooo...you got something you want to tell me?" Hannah started to wiggle her brows at me. "Uhmmm..." I said looking puzzled. "What's there to tell?" "I overheard Gina and Mia talking about it. They literally burst into the bathroom gossiping all about the 'new girl'" "And by 'new girl' you mean me?" I asked. "Yes and you better spill to me now" Genuinely confused, I stared at her. "Hannah, I don't know if there's anything about my life that's worth spilling" "Nothing at all?" Hannah looked at me disappointedly. "You're really not going to tell me?" I panicked "Hannah, is my scholarship..." Hannah rolled her eyes. "You're such a dork! Your scholarship is intact. But I can't say the same with your name. You, my friend are going to be the talk of school for God knows how long. You were talking to Miles Asher?" At the sound of his name, my face dropped. "Oh, I know that look. So you guys really talked? Like talked one on one talked?" "Yeah, for like five seconds and I'm not sure that counts as a conversation" I frowned at the flashback of the rude jerk. "Oh my!" Hannah squealed. "What did you guys talk about?" I pulled her arm and slapped my hand over her mouth. "You're shouting!" "Okay" Hannah dramatically whispered into my hand. "Just tell me already. I have to know before the rest of the school does" I released my hand from her mouth, drawing in a deep breath. "What's there to know? Did he go running his stupid mouth on how he tore my novel?" Hannah slapped a hand over her mouth. "Ashley!" "What?" I shrugged. "It was a limited edition" "You can't talk about him like that! He's Miles Asher!" Hannah prodded. I looked at her like she was a circus clown. "What is wrong with everyone in this school? Miles Asher this, Miles Asher that. Who cares who he is? What's so special about him anyway?" "Well, he's hot, smart and iconic. Not to mention super-duper talented and..." "...and super arrogant" I cut in, rolling my eyes and then asked the question that was bugging me. "How did Gina and Mia..." "...they saw you on their way out of the Guidance Councillor's office" Hannah interrupted, too excited to spill her own portion of gossip. "They quickly detoured to the bathroom and said all manner of things" "Like?" I asked. "Like you both were speaking and in very close contact and he was leaning towards you and you were battering your lashes at him and you probably exchanged contacts" "What?" I deadpanned. "Yeah, I couldn't believe it because I've never really known you to exactly be a fan of his." "I'm not!" I flared "And none of that ever happened! He bumped me, cascaded my books to the ground and called me names! He's rude, arrogant, self-absorbed, ill-mannered..." And then the bell rang, as though to shut me up. "Talk about name calling" Hannah smirked. "Rumors fly, Ash and I can promise you that nobody here cares for the truth. You sure are going to be the talk of school. You're the first in our class to talk to him. You're a living dream!" "A nightmare" I groaned. I certainly didn't need this drama.