Ashley grumbled and dragged her feet as she trudged down the lonely street.
The hot sun beat down mercilessly. "I can't believe he made me do this right in a study session!" she fumed.
"Why did I ever slap that jerk? Now he's turned me into his slave! Even my parents never worked me this hard."
The road to the market stretched out ahead, deserted and eerie.
Just the whisper of the wind and the occasional croaks from frogs in nearby pools of water.
This place wasn't usually so quiet. Ashley thought to herself.
Even Koko, the ice cream man, had vanished.
Ashley shivered, feeling like the next horror movie victim, as she looked around the vacant road.
Her angry mutters and dark thoughts made the short walk feel endless.
Finally, she reached the market and bought the oranges, beyond relieved to head back.
But not long after she entered the long, lonely road, a group of older boys appeared right in front of her from the shadows.
They had apparently been watching her.
Unpleasant-looking bunch—some puffing on cigarettes, others swigging from bottles hidden in paper bags.
Ashley averted her eyes, but couldn't help stealing uneasy glances.
At first, she thought to run back to the market.
But immediately, when she looked back, she saw two wayward-looking boys right behind her.
She was surrounded, but she kept moving forward.
Her heart stammered in her chest as she neared the boys in front of her, her legs quivering like jelly.
Thick sweat trickled down her neck and back.
She walked briskly, staring fixedly at the cracked pavement, trying to look away from the boys. But one of them called out, "Hey baby, where are you going in such a hurry?" His buddies snickered.
Ashley refused to pause or respond, fear spurring her forward, she walked past them while they sized her up as she passed through their midst.
She prayed silently that they would lose interest in her.
But they started trailing behind at her quickened pace, shadowing her every move.
Dread flooded her veins, and she broke into a panicked run.
The goons easily kept up, soon surrounding her with their leering smiles and roving eyes.
"Why are you following me?" Ashley cried, her voice pitching higher than she intended. "Wh-what do you want from me?"
The gang leader smirked, looking her up and down. "Now is that any way to treat a friend? Sweet little things like you shouldn't play so hard to get."
The others laughed raucously at her terrified expression. "P-please, I don't want any trouble! Just let me go, I'm in a hurry!" She pleaded desperately.
But they only guffawed harder at her helplessness, inching inhumanly closer.
"We'll let you go, baby, as soon as we've had a bit of fun first," the leader leered, joined by a fresh wave of cruel chuckles.
Ashley pivoted to flee, but they seized her arms in rough grips.
The oranges fell and tumbled everywhere.
The largest one slung her kicking form over his immense shoulder as Ashley screamed for help.
But the street stayed lifeless and still.
They were carting the sobbing, thrashing girl to an abandoned building nearby in broad daylight.
Ashley was helpless. And as she felt the blood clouding her brain, she felt even more helpless.
She kept screaming and thrashing.
Just as all hope drained away, a new voice rang out - "Leave her alone!"
Ashley's heart somersaulted as Andy emerged from the shadows.
She instantly broke free, jumped down, and ran into his arms, shaking uncontrollably as he held her trembling frame.
"Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" he murmured, gently stroking her disheveled hair.
"I'm o-okay," Ashley stammered through her tears, clinging tighter. Andy looked her over and saw the torn edges of her uniform, eyes blazing.
One of the punks sauntered over, reaching for Ashley's arm. "Why don't you mind your own business, pretty b-"
He never finished as Andy seized his wrist in a vice-grip. "If you so much as look at her again, I'll break every bone in your body," he stated, acid lacing each word.
The others rushed him, but Andy was ready.
Moving with intense precision, he blocked their clumsy blows and countered with crippling force. "How dare you touch her like that!" Ashley heard him snarl, dropping the first guy in a red dress...
Another rushed at Andy from behind with a club but He ducked and in a swift kick broke his left leg.
The rest were shocked as the guy who had a club screamed in pain. They hesistated for a while shocked at Andy's strength.
"Ahhhh,"
The guy with a machete screamed as he lurched towards Andy machete first.
Andy moved out of the way at the last minute and threw a punch that connected with the man's jaw.
There was a snap.
Andy quickly picked up the machete the man had dropped and swerved it in such a way that it glittered in the sun.
The other men, who were not even armed, decided it was a bad idea to fight this man.
So one by one, they walked away with their battered and wounded guys.
***
Andy straightened his coat and turned to Ashley, who could only gape in stunned silence.
She had always believed he hated her, but here he had fearlessly risked everything to protect her. As their eyes met, she saw not loathing, but unmistakable concern and tenderness.
He gently placed his jacket around her shoulders, shielding her trembling form. Cupping her cheek, he brushed away her tears with his thumb. "It's over now. I'm here, nothing is going to hurt you again."
Back at school, the second Ashley entered, Hannah and Miss Lily rushed over and enveloped her in hugs. "Oh thank goodness! Are you alright?" Lily fretted.
She turned to Andy, who gave a silent nod of confirmation.
But Lily detected the worry lingering in his eyes, saw the paternal protectiveness he now showed this girl he professed to despise, and marveled inwardly at the sea change.
As Andy walked off, Ashley watched him go, mind still spinning from the afternoon's events.
Seeing his fierce determination to keep her safe, the intensity when he warned off her attackers - it was like he was an entirely different person from the guarded, annoyed instructor she knew.
Hannah took Ashley to the bathroom to let her put herself back together, the younger girl still reeling in stunned silence.
Once inside, Hannah whirled on her with accusing eyes. "I've had enough of this, Ash! You can't keep being his slave out of misplaced guilt. Remember, he started it - back on your first day, and you finally got your payback. Why are you still playing his silly games after today's close call?"
Ashley blinked, a new tear streaking down her cheek as she shook her head slowly. "You think that's what this is about for me? Revenge?"
Hannah threw up her hands in exasperation. "Well then what, Ashley? You were nearly assaulted two hours ago! If you don't put an end to this twisted assignment nonsense, I will."
"Fine..." Ashley whispered, staring at the crumpled coat in her hands - the one Andy had used to shield her. "Fine, I'll return his coat and tell him I can't keep up his games anymore."
But her words sounded hollow, even to her own ears.
Because as many times as she replayed the scene in her head, she couldn't erase the memories of Andy's burning protectiveness as he fought for her, the fierce way he had repeatedly stood between her and harm's way, the tender concern that had replaced his usual indifference as he comforted her after.
And she realized with surprise that she had no idea what to make of that at all.