Strike One

Chapter 6

Lunch was here in a flash it seemed. I walked in but didn't get food like I normally do. I just sat at my usual table. Alexis was already with her team at their table. I'm guessing since I didn't get any food Eliot finally acknowledges me. He came up to me at my table while I just sitting there thinking. He knocked me out of my train of thought by calling my name. My full name. He only does that when he is either upset with me or worried.

"Elizabeth Ann Johnson!" He yelled in my ear.

"Jeez! What do you want? To blow up my ear drum?"

"Sorry but you weren't answering the other 15 times I called your name."

"Sorry." I sighed. Now there's no getting out of this one.

"What's up? You're not getting food so now I have to buy food. Aren't you hungry? School always makes me hungry." Since when does he care?

"Oh poor baby. I'm not hungry." I was on the verge of tears now just thinking of the reason.

"Hey, what's wrong Liz. And why aren't you with Alexis?" Can he be caring any other time when I want him to?

"Because she has new friends now! I have practice so tell mom I'll be home late." And that being said I ran out of the cafeteria and to the girls bathroom to cry.

I was in there for like five minutes balling my eyes out when I hear a toilet flush. Great! This is not my day I thought. To make things worst, guess who came out. Alexis. I was turning to leave when she made a remark on how I look.

"You ok? You look like your sick. Oh wait that's how you normally look!"

I can take anything except insults on my looks. Say I'm stupid? I'd probably agree. Say I'm annoying? That's my specialty. Call me ugly, or sick looking? That takes me to another level because I'm unique and just because I don't pretty cry like you doesn't mean I'm not beautiful.

"You jerk." I whispered under my breathe then left.

Just half a day left. Then I can go to practice then go home.

Tyler was surprisingly in most of my classes. And he chose to sit next to me in all of them. Alexis was in all of my classes and she used to sit next to me but she has better friends now. So that leaves a spot for Tyler.

"When's your practice?" He asked before class started.

"After school. Why?"

"I wanna watch. Where is it?"

"It's at the field. You don't wanna watch. Alexis was right I'm not any good." I was being honest. I always thought I was bad and she was the one that told me I was good. If she says I'm bad, I'm bad.

"I don't think that's true." He is so kind. He doesn't even really know me and he is acting like a better friend then my so called best friend.

"How would you know for sure? You just moved here. You haven't seen me play like practically everyone in the school has?" I was starting to tear up again.

"Hey! I know a lot of things for sure. I don't know that you're good for sure so I'm gonna find out so I know everything for sure!"

"What do you know for sure? I'm lame? That's what everyone is saying these days."

"I know that the Earth is not flat. I know ice cream is cold flavored milk. I know that your beautiful and I know your not lame." He started blushing as I grew wide eyed.

"D-did you j-j-just call me b-b-b-beautiful?" I stuttered. I was kind of surprised that he would say that because he doesn't know me. He's new. He could be just messing with me. Right?

"Uuuuummm....."

Just then the teacher walked in and told everyone to be quiet. Everyone shut up and payed attention. Well everyone but me. I was doodling on my paper, a habit I have when I am upset about something.

After class I walked out of the classroom with Tyler and saw Eliot waiting outside the door waiting for someone. He made eye contact with me and started walking towards me. Great. He was waiting for me. I started walking the other way to my text class when he called out for me.

"Elizabeth wait!" He called. I pretended I didn't hear and kept walking Tyler looked back and said someone was calling my name. I sighed and turned around to face my brother.

"What's the matter with you? You keep ignoring me every time you make eye contact with me. And what was with you at lunch?"

"Nothing ok? I might talk about it at home but not now!" I yelled and walked to my next class with Tyler trailing not far behind me.

One more class then school is over. Then practice starts. After that I can go home and cry into a pillow.