What Collides Us

Leslie

A slight knock on my door would tell me it was time to go to school and I’d rush to get to the car like I had a personal vendetta with the sun.

“Did you eat?"

“Not yet but I had packed something to eat.” Lisa nodded returning to put her seatbelt on.

Frank had his own car. From time to time, they’d drive me to and pick me up from school taking turns. Lisa did it most of the time, but I guess we were introducing Frank to the equation.

“Text me if you need me or call. I’ll pick you up?" I just nod and get off the car pulling onto my oversized hoodie.

We were taking baby steps, at first, I couldn’t even walk into school on my own, but these 3 months have been progressive. I walk amid the ton of teenagers to find my locker and unexpectedly the lacrosse team is standing over there bullying some boy with curly red hair and glasses.

I frown because this is not good, more especially for me because they could notice me too then bully me because I am small.

I suddenly felt self-conscious as I took steady steps towards my locker, they’re just a locker away nothing will happen. Just a locker away. I reached for my lock and put in the combination; I slowly opened it trying not to glance at them as they make fun of the boy.

Once it opened, I took the first period book and shoved it in my bag with my anxiety building up as I heard their chattering die down. My palms sweat up and suddenly it felt like they were watching me, like they were turning to look at me and I just wanted them to NOT!

Slamming the locker shut, I startled not only myself but the group into a long silence. I kept my head down then turned to leave without having to say anything.

“Did you just slam the locker at my team?” I paused, I didn’t walk, and I didn’t turn.

I just stopped moving hoping the bell would ring in time to save my life.

I could feel him walk towards me and I felt like crazy Margot as I tried to shake the surging memory off. He stood in front of me, and we remained as we were, I just had to do as told and they’d leave me alone. The mechanism kicked in as I held on tightly to my books.

“What do they call you?”

“Leslie”

“And does Leslie have something to say?” he asked but I shook my head no.

“How about she looks at me so we can get a few things clear.”

I didn’t move, and I didn’t speak.

Shouldn’t he have left me alone now?

I thought to myself.

With the hallway filling up, it’ll start to draw attention to me, and I was doing just fine.

“I said look.at.me”

My head snapped up like I had just been hypnotized. My eyes became warm, and I pressed hard on my bottom lip,that I could almost feel the metallic taste in my mouth. I couldn’t tell if he was angry that I hadn’t looked at him? And maybe I should have looked at him.

My eyes ran on his face as I tried to see it, but it was not there. His electric blue eyes were looking but to me they didn’t seem like they were looking at me at all. His hair fell to his forehead, and it was the darkest shade that complemented his olive skin. His nose fell in place with his reddish lips and his almost prominent jawline.