The only one

Chapter 7

He left my there drowning in my thoughts. One question coming after the other, the answer yet to be found. The thing was, he said that I knew where to find him, but the thing is

I don't

Not that I as wanted to find him or anything...

But he was right.

I was lying about everything. I was upset that day. It wasn't okay and I don't know when it would be. But what kept me wondering was how he knew, when no one else did.

It's been a week since I met him. Now when I see him, he stands out, I notice him. Sometimes I even try to look for him in places, not even realizing it.

The day I met him, I told Robert I wanted to talk after school.

He said no.

When I asked him he was standing there in front of me slouching, his hands placed in the pocket of his sweatshirt with his sweatpants slightly too large, with his mud crusted shoelaces untied, he said and I quote
" Nah, I don't feel like it today"

He was probably having a bad day or something except for when that "bad day" turned into everyday.

He would always say the same thing. So I eventually gave up.

But one day I stayed after so I could get some extra help with a teacher but I finished early.
This day was two days ago. That morning I woke up my stomach aching for no good reason. Once I got down I made my cereal and didn't put the milk away my mom found out and one thing led to another and now I have a few new bruises.

But that day got worse.

I failed my math test.

Someone spilled chocolate milk on my shirt.

It seemed like everyone was being extra aggressive.

That day, I thought about Marcus the most today, not knowing why, he strolled into my head and never left no matter how hard I tried to push him out.

Today I decided to stay after with one of my teachers to see why I failed my test. It went for only about half an hour of pure torturous activities, I had to redo problems and the teacher didn't even add extra points! She would yell at me and I just felt so stupid. When she didn't make me stay the full hour I was relived. Finally something not terrible happened today

I had nothing to do so I decided to go outside.

Once I stepped out, I automatically felt a huge weight being lifted from my shoulders. I let out a deep sigh. I dumped my backpack onto the gravel against the the wall of the school. I decided to just walk around the field.

While I was strolling along the path, a thought about my day, the weight automatically came back to my shoulders and I felt tired and irritated.

Then I thought about Robert.

He definitely likes me, I thought, just had a bad week.

I smiled at the thought of him.

While thinking I was looking down I wandered over onto the far side of the field but then I looked up, and in the distance I could see two people.

I went up closer to see who they were.

As I got closer I could see it was a boy and a girl.

I was looking at them from behind.

His arm was around her and they were talking but I couldn't make out what they were saying exactly.

Then something caught my eye, the boy's sneakers looked familiar.

I inches towards them, slowly increasing my speed. But once I got close enough they could feel me in their presence.

They turned their heads in sync as if they rehearsed it.

It took me a moment to register what I just walked into, and once I did, I wish I hadn't.

My breathing quickens as I feel my face getting red, the lump in my throat rapidly expanding.

"Robert?" I say in a whisper. But I don't give him a chance to answer.

I sprint away from him and the girl, who of course was prettier and more popular than me.

My lungs were burning and my legs aching but I didn't care, I turned around with a small spark of hope but I saw him and the girl still together giggling.

At that moment, my world was crashing down. I was running as fast as my legs could take me but I was holding my breath trying to prevent the tears threatening to spill.

I went to the wall where I left my backpack, I was out of breath and the tears created a never ending river down my face.

Before I went inside, as rushed as I was, I turned around, hoping to find Robert coming to apologize.

But he wasn't there.

I tried to wipe my tears off my face because there were others outside, but I was no use, because more would pour out faster and faster, I gasped for breath trying to calm myself down.

There were guys playing on the basketball field as I began to rush inside, I glanced over to where they were playing basketball, they were all so into the game.

I tried to wipe my tears again but they were still splashing down my face, but I didn't care anymore, they would see me cry and there was nothing I could do about it.

But nobody noticed.

I looked back to the field they were all playing except there was one pair of eyes on me.

His eyes caught mine making my stomach flip. He had a concerned look in his eyes. All of his friends trying to get him back in the game, but he wouldn't look away. He began to make his way over

But I quickly looked away briskly walking towards the door. Making my way towards the bathroom inside.

I knew he was coming though.

He might actually care.

His name always in my mind.

Marcus.