JustAMatt

Chapter 9

I got my gym bag out of my locker and hurried down the staircase. I walked down the long hallway until I met the locker room. I went through the doors and down the stairs and went into the boy’s locker room.

All of the other boys were all getting dressed so it was pretty awkward for me. I put down my book bag on one of the benches and went to my usual spot which was back by the closed off shower area. No one else went back here so I felt more comfortable.

I went over by the corner and took my shirt off. I exchanged that shirt with a new shirt which was my gym shirt. I really liked this shirt because it was Justin’s. I might’ve stole it from him? It was blue which made him look like Sonic with his blue basketball shorts. I feel like he really loved Sonic which is why I also loved Sonic.

I was done with the changing portion. I then sat down on the tile flooring to put my gym shoes on. While I was on the floor, I felt a drop of some liquid fall onto my head. I looked up to see a drippy shower head. I laughed, I was sure it was nothing.

After getting my first shoe on, the drops were still hitting my head. I chose to ignore it as I stuck my second shoe on. By the time I was done, I jumped up. When I jumped up, my hand hit something metal. As soon as it did, water soaked my body. I looked up to see the shower going and hitting me. My vision was blurred as I tried to find the handle again. But I had no luck. I leaped out of the water and grabbed my (now soaked) gym bag.

I looked around to see some people staring at me through the little archway from the changing area to the showers. I even saw Scotty R. Since when is he in my gym class?

“What are you doing here you man child?” I yelled at the tall figure who was Scotty R.

All heads turned to the mustache man and several chuckles were heard. Probably laughing at him.

“I take gym, midget child,” he said coolly. Ha, think he can talk back to me? Don’t think so.

As my eyes finally adjusted better, I could see the facial hair was no longer there. “You look like a shaved rat,” I tell him.

“I wouldn’t be talking. You look like one of those rats from Flushed Away. So go back where you belong, in the sewer, punk.” Punk? Really Scotty R? Lame.

“I used to love that movie so that’s fine with me, bub. But you remind me of the movie Chicken Little, you chicken. Baahhkk, Baaahhk, Baaaahkk.” I then wave my arms like a chicken to show him that he’s a chicken and that he does that. ‘Cause he does do that.

The ringing bell silences us for a moment. When the bell stops, we start again.

Scotty R then walks closer to me.

“Get off of me.” I say once his hands are on my shoulders and he’s towering over me. “I don’t like people who look like they can be dads, all over me. Like sorry, but I’m taken.”

“Listen here buddy,” he ignores my comment. “One, I am not a chicken. Two, I do not look like a rat. Three, I don’t like Justin like that. He’s just a friend. Plus, I have a girlfriend so. And four, I do not look like a dad, nor do I want your midget ass.”

“One, you are a chicken and act like one. Two, you really cannot be the judge of that if you obviously haven’t looked in the mirror lately. Three, you’re just scared and a lil’ bitch so you say you have a girlfriend, like ha, yeah right. And four, you actually do look like a dad, and you most likely do want me, but you know I’ll never want you. Because I’m AJ Provolone and who doesn’t want me? Like I get the bitches from left and right!! Also, at least I have an ass.” I probably have him now.

“You actually don’t have an ass. And I’m pretty sure like no one wants you.”

I have to admit, his words stung like venom when he got to the second part, but that didn’t stop me. “People do want me, believe it or not, so you can just shut the f' up. Maybe more people would want you if you just stopped and stopped trying to steal people’s boyfriends. So you can just stop. Do everyone a favor, including yourself, and just stop. You’re not helping anybody here, not even yourself. Words do hurt, AJ, I mean, Scotty R. And you need to understand that before people take your words too far. Because once they do, you’re going to feel really sorry but it’s going to be too late. And when it is, you’re going to regret everything you have ever said or done. But again, it’ll be too late. And it’s not like you can just easily take back everything you’ve said that might’ve hurt someone because it’s not that easy. It isn’t like dumping a cup of water into a bucket then scooping the water back up again as if nothing ever happened. No, it’s like breaking some wine glass and trying to put it back together without any cracks left to see. It’s not possible and still there. Your words are still left in someone’s mind and there’s no way you could erase those words so they’ll never remember them. So next time, think before you say anything.”

“Hypocrite,” he said just so everyone near him could hear. “And did you just read all of that off of your phone?”

“Don’t talk back to me!” I quickly shut my phone off and stuck it back in my pocket. Most of that was actually from a text message that was sent to me from someone a little while ago. But he doesn’t need to know that.

“AJ, we all know you wouldn’t think of any of that,” someone from by the archway said in a higher voice. He wasn’t seen but was heard.

“Wasn’t talking to you,” I said, much sassier than I intended.

“And AJ, again, I’m not trying to steal your boyfriend. How many times do I have to tell you this?! I DO NOT LIKE JUSTIN LIKE THAT! WE’RE JUST FRIENDS!” Scotty R’s lies are so bad.

“I know you are. But I’d love to stay and chat but I have gym class to get to. We have the pacer test today so.” I tilted my head in a sassy way and walked through the people. I ran through the locker room, through the door, up the stairs, and through the other door so the gym teacher could check me off as present.