You're Supposed to Hate Me

Chapter 3

Travis

One thing disgusts me more than three pathetic words. One word. One name. One person. Sal.

I hate him and he disgusts me and he makes my head hurt because I can't think straight and he makes my heart pound whenever he's near.

I always know when he's nearby. I always know if he's about to round a corner into the hallway I'm walking in. I always know if he's in the same classroom as me. I always know if he glances at me. Why am I like this?

We had two classes together, algebra and english. But, Larry was also in english, so I didn't ever glance in their direction.

I always hear Larry talking, because his voice is so damn deep and so damn loud, but I never hear Sal. Is it because of his prosthetic? Or is it because Larry annoys him too? Or is it because he just doesn't talk much? Is he mute?

No, wait, scratch that. He's not mute. He called me a- quote in quote, 'cliché bully'. He's said things to me other times too, but I remembered those words most.

His voice. There was something about his voice. Probably because it's not heard often. Or-

"... Travis and... Sal." The teacher speaks, and my head shoots up, and I hear a small, "What the fuck?" Probably from Larry.

I needed to stop thinking about random shit. Because I have no clue why she said our names, until I looked around.

A partner project.

Shit.

I hear a chair squeek, and small, soft, shoes hitting the floor as he walks over to me, not even complaining or saying a word.

So I did.

"I can't work with him!" I stand up, shaking my head. This can't be happening.

She shoots me a look, and I saw a flicker of something I'm too used to. "Phelps, sit down. The partners were randomized, and you will work with him. He's a smart and nice boy, you'll be fine."

"But-"

"No buts, Phelps. If you want to complain, you can stay for detention and call your father." She crosses her arms, clearly done talking.

I groan, sitting back down and crossing my own arms, glaring out the window to avoid eye contact with Sal.

I listen as he sits down in the chair next to me, not saying a word. But I could feel his eyes observing me.

Correction. His eye. He has a prosthetic eye too, but he also has one actual eye.

Maybe he pissed me off so much because he always looks at me the same. He looked at me differently than anyone. He looked at me like he was trying to understand me. Trying to see past the walls that I so carefully put up. Sometimes, he looks at me with understanding.

But he doesn't fucking understand shit about me. He doesn't know me, doesn't know what I go through, doesn't even know I used to be best friends with his best friend.

I flinch as I hear his deep yet soft voice. "So... This project is due in two days, and she's staring at us waiting for us to start working..." He pauses, a small sigh leaving his lips. "Just- Look at me, act like you're doing something, Travis."

I grit my teeth, slowly and painfully turning my head to look at Sal. "Happy?"

I could see the faintest squint of his eyelids, telling me that he was smiling, at least a little. "Happy." He repeats.

I bite down on my tongue as hard as possible, trying distract myself from him. I fucking hate him. Why do I have to work with this freak?

"I know this is going to suck-"

"You don't know shit." I cut him off, my eyes narrowing.

Sal puts his hands up, another sigh leaving his mouth. "-But," he continues anyways, "we have to work on this and I'm not doing all the work myself, so you're going to suck it up and work with me. Even if it's just a little bit."

Which, that's exactly what we did. We worked together, even though it was annoyingly painful. We didn't get as far as we needed to, but he said he'd work on it at home. Thank god he didn't ask me to go to his place to work on it, because I would've punched his face in.

I think he knew that.

Either way, when the bell rang and we got out to the halls I shoved him into a locker, again.

I hear him mutter under his breath, causing me to stop and turn. "What was that?"

Sal looks up at me, his eyes narrowing. "You're always the same." He scoffs, rubbing his arm from the impact of the lockers.

Anger fuels through me and I grab him by the collar of his sweatshirt, pulling him towards me. "You don't know shit about me, Sally face." I growl.

I shove him away when Larry walks out of the classroom, already stomping towards me. "You can't go one minute without throwing him into a wall, can you?!" He shouts.

I should've just walked away. I should've just ignored what Sal said and left.

Because now, Larry's arm went back before he punched me directly in the nose.

"Fight!!!" Someone screams, and everyone starts to come running.

I'm fucked.

CHANGING THE UPLOAD FOR EVERY PART TO ONCE EVERY DAY BC I DON'T NEED THAT MUCH TIME ANYMORE 🤑