Projection (Male reader x Female OC)

020

Getting dressed in the boys' bathroom for PE. I stretch all of my limbs before I end up being the one overexerting myself and fall face-first into the gravel. Pulling my shirt over my head I start heading out to our starting point and stretching on the way there.

"Yo, (Y/N)."

I glance to my side, "Hey, Toby."

"It's actually weird seeing you walk around on your lonesome without him, well now her, attached to your side."

Is this some way to say that he feels bad for how lonely I am? 

I press my hand against my neck, "Hmm. If anything he was just annoying and now if I say anything about it people would think I am insane to chase a girl away so I just shut up and don't complain."

"Oh is that how it is between you two?"

"Hmm?"

"Heard some girls gossiping about it so I thought I'd come here, start a conversation normally before asking if the two of you are dating but you are making it out that it is more of the same."

"What? Unwilling friendship?"

"Yeah," he chuckles.

"You are better off asking Rin about that if I have to be honest with you."

"Something you don't want me to know?" he arches his eyebrow.

"No, you are likely to get a better understanding from her seeing as I am just being roped along for the ride half of the time."

"Ah that is also fair, maybe take control a bit?"

I cock my head to the side, "I am too used to letting her get her way so there isn't a going back in this case, so what, is this just you trying to figure out if I am dating Rin?"

"Just curious."

Or just asking with the hope to talk to her yourself? Reaching our starting point which is at the west gate, we will be running through a number of checkpoints and the endpoint is back at the west gate.

They do it every single year, thinking that it is fair that the kids that don't want to exercise should run it. It was awful my first time around doing it as a skinny unathletic kid and then Rin forced and pushed me into getting fit.

I hated that part of my story arc.

I slow down in a crouching position to start stretching my legs at the back while everyone else either does the same or they don't plan on running it but instead walk it because you get like 60% just for attending the stupid thing.

At least it isn't the fitness test.

The girls arrived shortly after us with the teacher telling us to start forming groups. I glance around and pretty much instantly spot Rin with nosy Toby right by her side caught up in a conversation.

Annoying.

I would start claiming that I, of all people, do have someone in my life but at that point, I need to get the story straight before Rin starts doing the thing where she actively fights back just to get me into a shit situation.

I mean maybe not.

I walk up to her and into the middle of the conversation. She glances at me and instantly chuckles, "I don't even have to come and fish you out."

I gesture to the front, "Might as well start it off? Seeing as nobody wants to run first."

"Still remember the way?"

"It is marked."

"Good because I don't remember at all," I roll my eyes at her, she then glances at Toby, "Want to tag along with the runners?"

He twists his lips to the side, "You two are running this thing?"

She nods, "Well, not really run but not going to settle for anything other than first."

"SO what? I should just let you win?" I interject.

"Since when are you the athlete?" he points at me.

Rin chuckles as she walks past me, "You'd be surprised about (Y/N)."

I narrow my eyes, "You are making it sound like I am into exotic sex," I breathe out a heavy sigh before following her to the front.

"I mean..."

"Shut."

"Okay~"

I shake my head as the two of us get in front of the class with the rest of the athletes. Though usually, it is a pain in the ass to get it started Rin was always the one running in front and because she thinks I have crippling anxiety I am often forced to go with her in the case of me having a breakdown.

We start in groups of four, and the two of us settle at the front with two more filling in the spots.

The two athletes, Will and Meredith, take their spots.

Rin instantly smiles at them, "Looks like the four of us are always the ones to start."

Will lifts his hands behind his head, "Maybe you two should do something about being fit like track and field to help out the school in beating our rivals."

Rin shakes her head, "Nah. Not for me."

I groan, "I have crippling anxiety."

"He doesn't, he just doesn't want to give up a weekend for track and field."

Meredith snorts, "I guess that is also fair."

The teacher sits behind the desk with a stopwatch and a clipboard then lifts a model gun, "Get ready."

Rin winks at me, "Actually try, alright?"

"Yeah yeah."

My body still feels stiff no matter how much I stretch.

"Go!" she shoots the model gun into the air.

The moment I start leaning into a sprint I question the point of the model gun if she is just going to yell go anyway. For now, the four of us match pace into a jog after the initial sprint because there are way too many uphill jogs here.

"Don't you just love this?"

I shoot her a quick glance before stating, "So much that I want to do this every single day."

"Come on, let's put a little bit more into it."

I groan wondering if putting myself through this is worth the added credit. In any case, the moment Rin picks up the pace both the two athletes get a burst of speed and that leaves me behind.

Fuck me.

I push myself forward into a sprint even if I do come to regret it.

I don't manage to keep up with them despite being fit, unlike them I don't really keep myself fit for the sake of running or competing with others. But I make in a comfortable enough time to be at least in the top six.

I come to a running halt after passing the finish line, hands on my knees I bend over to catch my breath.

Patting my back, "You shouldn't bend over, makes it harder to breathe."

I glance at Rin, making sure that she acknowledges me not listening to a word she says even if I know that it is probably better to breathe that way. She is resting her hands on her waist as she glances at some of the students that have yet to go.

"That was fun."

I finally lift myself fully, take a deep breath and then walk back into the building, "Glad someone enjoyed it."

"You don't?" She snorts, "Okay don't answer that."

We freeze in the hallway and I quickly lift my arm to smell myself. I can at least just wash myself off but I don't have to take a shower.

"Luckily we skipped the gym this morning, otherwise you'd be dead on the floor."

I nod, "Yeah. I am just going to wash myself off, we have recess after this, right?"

"Yeah. I am going to do the same, see you in a bit."

I should probably ask her. Better to know than make a fool of myself assuming.