Fifteen minutes. 

That's how long I waited for Winnie to get back. Eventually, I got sick of being in the classroom and stood outside the door. I watched with a look of disinterest on my face as all the other students filed out of the school, taking about five minutes for the last person to run out the doors, screaming, "Free! I'm free!"

I pulled out my homework for my classes after another five minutes and finished it in two.

I heard footsteps coming my way three minutes later and looked up, hoping to see Winnie. Instead, I saw Marcus, Tyler, and three other guys I didn't recognize walking down the hallway, high-fiving each other and patting each other on the back. They didn't notice me as they walked by; they were too preoccupied with their conversation.

"Hey, did you see that hit I got in?"

"Yeah, your right hook has improved."

"Thanks, it helps to have a punching bag lying around."

The five morons laughed like a bunch of hyenas and left through the doors. I looked in the direction they had come and clenched my jaw. I didn't know what the feeling in my stomach was, but I didn't like it.

I stood up and decided to go look for Winnie, starting with the way the group had come. I turned the corner and stopped in front of the bathroom. I pressed my ear against the bathroom door and heard nothing. I slowly opened the door, only to throw it open and rush to Winnie's side. 

He was lying curled into a ball on the floor, eyes squeezed shut, blood leaking out of his mouth. I cautiously placed my hand on his side, retracting it quickly when my hand burned and I saw him flinch and curl up more.

I stood up and grabbed a paper towel, dampened it, and brought it over to him.

"Let me help," I said quietly, making him open his eyes and sit up. He winced in pain and leaned back heavily against the wall. I sucked in a breath when I saw the full extent of the damage. His violet eye was beginning to black and his cheek was swollen. His lip was busted open and still bleeding. There were bruises on his arms, and he had a few peeking out of the collar of his shirt.

There were probably more hiding under his clothes.

I brought the paper towel to his lip to clean up the blood. Winnie winced a little but didn't protest. I threw the paper towel away and dampened some more, folding them and gently pressing them to his eye. He reached up and held it in place as he whispered a small "Thanks."

"It's nothing," I said as I sat next to him. The silence was beginning to feel suffocating. There was so much to say, but neither of us knew where to start.

"You didn't have to help me," a small voice said. I looked over at him in disbelief as he turned the makeshift icepack over and pressed it against his eye again.

I shook my head. "Of course I did. You're my friend."

What the fuck Asher?! Why would you say that? You barely know the kid!

Winnie turned to me, surprise lighting up his grey eye. "What?" He looked down at a spot on the floor. "Why would you say that?"

I don't know!

"Because it's true."

Winnie forced out a laugh. "No, it's not. I'm not supposed to have friends."

"Why not?" I asked. Who the fuck told him that? Why did he believe it?

"Because!" he exploded. "The freak of the school doesn't get to have friends!" He threw the paper towel against the wall, where it stuck.

"Says who?" I demanded angrily. "Why would they call you a freak?"

"Everyone! Everyone says it! They may not say it outright, but they still think it! That's why no one talks to me or sits next to me!" He drew his knees up to his chest as his voice became quieter until I had to strain to hear him.

I softened my tone and asked again, "Why would they call you a freak?"

He sighed before mumbling, "Ish bemanse of m' esh."

"What?"

He lifted his head up and turned to me. "It's because of my eyes! They think it's some sort of contagious disease," he said sadly as his glassy eyes looked back down at the floor in front of him.

I scoffed. "That's so stupid."

He let out a bitter laugh. "Isn't it?" After a moment's pause, he whispered, "Sorry I'm unloading all this...crap...on you."

I shook my head. "Don't worry about it. I don't mind."

We sat in silence on the bathroom floor for a while, neither of us speaking. Winnie groaned and struggled to get up, only to wince and sit back down. I stood up and extended my hand to him, suddenly not caring my hand would burn. "Need some help?"

He looked at my hand uncertainly before grasping it. I was surprised that my hand didn't burn, but I didn't let my face show it. I pulled him up, catching him as he threatened to fall. I stood him on his feet and watched as he limped to the bathroom door. I opened the door for him and picked up our backpacks. I looked at him before fishing into my pocket for my keys. 

"I'm guessing you don't want to go home looking like that. Do you want to stay at my house for a little bit?"

Winnie whipped his head to look at me before nodding and looking at the ground, yet another blush coating his cheeks. "Yeah."

WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK ASH, I screamed. You're supposed to be emotionless! That's what makes missions like these successful! You're not supposed to go around being all buddy-buddy with the person,  I said, thinking back to what Dexter had told me before I left.

Despite everything I was yelling at myself, I opened my car door and gestured for him to get in.

After a car ride full of awkward silences broken only when Winnie asked if my parents would mind if he came over unexpectedly(to which I explained my dad had gone on a business trip so it was just me), I started to pull into my driveway and tensed up.

"Wow," Winnie whispered as he stared wide-eyed at my house. "You even have two cars?"

No, I don't.

I didn't say anything and got out of the car. Winnie quickly followed my up the porch steps and stood to the side as I unlocked the front door. As soon as I did, I was knocked to the ground by a big white fluffy...something. I frowned and tried to push it off me, but it only began to lick my face. I scrunched up my face and tensed as I heard a familiar voice come from my doorway.

"Asher! There you are!"

***

Don't forget before you go
To not be a ho
My self-esteem is at an all-time low
And don't drink wine
...unless you are of legal age and in that case it's fine
                 ~A poem by me

And that is why I shouldn't write poetry! Also, can you tell it's nearly 3 in the morning and I haven't slept?

Edit: It's not three in the morning anymore, and I have slept. I couldn't bring myself to erase this masterpiece, so I'm going to let all of you read it.