Somewhere In The Woods

Chapter Five - Physical Education and Other Torture Devices

West Salem's gymnasium was nothing short of every other high school gym. The same flooring, the same smell, the same feeling of dread hanging in the air. Most of the kids sitting on the bleachers in athletic wear looked like they'd rather be just about anywhere else.

The bell had already rung, and the teacher was running late, which meant he left the seals alone with the sharks.

"Who are you?" A guy wearing what I assumed was a shirt from the track team, eyed me up and down. "You're one of the twins, aren't you?"

"Maggie," I nodded. "And you are?"

"Ian." He smiled. "I'm on the track team-" he gestured at his shirt- "if you couldn't tell. The best on the team." He said it like it was his only personal quality.

The gym door slammed, and we all turned, expecting to see the teacher. Instead, we saw Emmett, luckily not as late as the teacher. Eliza waved at him with a big smile, making me internally groan. There goes her thinking I'm cool.

"Emmett!" Eliza called her over. "I want you to meet my shadow-"

"Maggie Marley." Emmett frowned at me. "Yeah, we've met. Last night. Tried to show her some of the town's nicer places, and instead, she decided to hang out with the trash."

I smiled up at him. "Well, from where I'm sitting, it sounds like I chose correctly."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Emmett huffed.

I shrugged. "You call this side of town the good side, and that side the dark and scary one. Yet, on this side of town, all I've met are people who call me names and act like I'm a horrible person." Emmett seemed to be taken off guard with that comment. "While on the other side of town, I met a charming boy who took me out for my birthday and followed me out into the dark to make sure I was okay."

Emmett sat down on the seat in front of us, and now it was my turn to look down on him. "People are really being horrible to you today?" He looked honestly surprised.

"Don't act surprised. Every righteous man catches another under their feet. You can't make a perfect world without getting rid of the undesirables." I rolled my eyes. "Turns out, the people you chose to keep aren't all that great."

Before Emmett could reply, the gym teacher walked in, a young man of about thirty, wearing what seemed to be the uniform of men that age, cargo shorts, and a tee that looked older than he was. I didn't have to look to know he was wearing a pair of old white tennis shoes. All the girls in the room seemed to turn all their attention towards him, taking in his five o'clock shadow at ten in the morning and his strong chin. They admired what leg they could see and hoped to glance more when he turned around. I had to say, this was the worst thing I've seen since arriving at this school.

All I could do was hope my face didn't give away the feeling of disgust I felt. Eliza seemed to feel the same way, rolling her eyes at the fellow members of her gender.

"Good morning class." He smiled as he scanned over the faces.

"Good morning Coach!" The class unanimously replied.

The coach looked over his roll sheet. "I'm sorry to keep you waiting, I was caught by Principal Green in the hall. She informed me we have a new student. Maggie, please stand." I did as he said and felt all eyes turn to me. "Guys, this is Maggie Marley, this is her first day. I want you all to show her the ropes in this class. I understand you're shadowing Eliza. May I ask why?"

Emmett looked up at me, curious just like the rest of the class. "I got into a fight."

"Principal Green said it was a bit more than that." The coach pressed.