looking for attention (clifford)

chapter six

- michael -

Dodgeball again. Really? These teachers have no imagination whatsoever. I mean, at least let us play tennis once in a while.
Of course I wouldn't put any effort in either way, but still, some variety would be appreciated.
At least with tennis I have the option to stand in one place and hold up my racket, pretending to be interested in hitting the ball when I actually couldn't care less. Whereas dodgeball requires you to move... Constantly. Unless you want bruises all the way from your toes to your ballsack. Which, I do not.

"You planning on breaking your nose again this week Clifford?" Luke yelled from across the hall, laughing with his stupidly enormous group of friends.

Fuck me. That was ONE time. And it was only a fracture. Not many people are unlucky enough to be hit by a ball square in the face, especially in a sport that doesn't allow you to aim for your opponent above their waist. But then again, I do have terrible luck.

"Ignore him." Calum whispered. I shrugged, and laughed back at the group as if I was in on the joke. I knew that didn't fool anyone though. I was the joke.

"Did it hurt?" My heart raced when I heard her voice. I didn't even see her come into the sports hall, yet here she was stood beside me, looking up at me with genuine concern. Had she been here this whole time?

"Hailey.. Erm, hey. Er, did what hurt?" Why are words so difficult when she's around?

"When you broke your nose..." She trailed off, waiting for me to snap back into the conversation.

"Oh. Kinda I guess, yeah. But it was only a fracture. Luke is exaggerating for comedic effect." I answered sarcastically without checking myself first. Shit. That's her ex. I should be respectful of that. Even if he is a prick.

To my surprise, she let out a small chuckle. It seemed like she agreed.

"Yeah, he does that. I'm sorry. I'm sure you don't deserve the humiliation." She sounded so... Kind. This was the most we'd ever spoken. And she was being nice to me. I was almost speechless.

"You don't need to apologise for him. But thank you." I smiled at her. She smiled back.

Before we could exchange further words, her friends called her name and she was gone. That conversation should have been enough for me, but I wanted more. I wanted the room to empty so it was just us, talking about anything and everything. Our favourite bands, concerts we had coming up, childhood pets, ambitions, dreams, top 5 Tim Burton movies... I wanted to know her. I worried that it would never be possible.

But as I watched her walk over to her friends, she turned back around and waved at me as if to say "see you later."

A feeling of hope flooded through me, like ice cold water being injected into my veins (but in the best way possible). Maybe she had finally noticed me after all. Maybe I wasn't a loser. Maybe this time, my luck will turn around.