Tricky Heart (Wattys 2024)(English)

Chapter 8 - Walkgirl

Paul is playing at the basketball field.
He is in sportswear. I can't tell if he can play well, however, he just score.

Karol approaches with a quick step. "So? Why did you go to the principal? And where are your headphones?" She shakes my hair to see my neck.

"He seized them from me." I touch my bare neck with one hand.

Miriam takes it from me and squeezes it tightly. "What happened?"

"I was in the bathroom and there were two girls smoking."

"Were you eavesdropping on the conversation?"

"No! I mean, yes, but that's not the main thing."

"Did you hear anything important?" A big smile prints itself on her face.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I discovered something interesting..."

"Let's go step by step." Karol stops us before the questioning led who knows where. "You are digressing. Tell us why you went to the principal."

"I was in the bathroom and these two girls were smoking. At one point, the janitor smells the stench and bursts into the bathroom."

Miriam's eyes go wide. "What about you?"

"When the janitor knocked on the door, I snatched the cigarette out of Nicole's hand."

"Nicole?"

"Yes, one of the girls in the bathroom."

Karol frowns. "I didn't understand. And why did you snatch the cigarette out of her hand?"

I remain silent. I don't know what to say.
I stroke the back of my head. "I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"It came naturally to me. I saw them in danger and took the blame."

Miriam raises her head to the sky. "My God. Can one be so stupid?"

"I know. I know. I don't know what came over me."

The gaze, which was staring at the sky, falls on me. "How did you not get suspended?"

"The principal wanted to change the regulations."

"Really?"

Karol intercepts a basketball that was bouncing at me.

Wow! What reflexes.

I think she's hurt: she's waving her hand hard.

"Man. I hurt myself." The ball tumbles a little farther.

I grab her fingers. "Let me see."

"I didn't hurt myself." She slips her hand from mine and squeezes it tightly.

Paul comes running up. "Hi girls, sorry. Are you hurt?"

"Nothing much."

"Sorry." He picks up the ball from the ground. "Maybe you'd better go to the nurse's office. You can find some ice there."

Miriam rests her hand on the girl's shoulder. "Come on, I'll go with you. Before it swells up."

"It doesn't swell."

"Let's avoid finding out." Miriam turns to me. "I'll see you later. We're going."

Karol whispers in a pained voice. "See you later."

I nod. "See you in class."

He and I are left.
Because of him, Karol's fingers could have broken.

"Anyway, just to say: it wasn't me who threw the ball out of the field..."