What Collides Us

Leslie

I was already labelling myself to be hearing things when I heard someone call my name. I looked behind me and he was jogging my way while trying to impress the girls who were clearly swooning over him.

He looked good under the sun, his black hair was shiny, he had genetic paternal bushy eyebrows and the healthiest skin. His facial structure had always been accompanied by the laziest of eyes, which made him seem like he didn’t have any care about anything in life.

His built probably being the reason why he was captain, and he was tall. I did not understand why I was cultivated by his looks considering he had me bowling my eyes out in the restrooms during the first period.

“Do you even know your own name, damn.” He exhaled resting an arm on my shoulder, with evident exhaustion.

“I’m helping you with Maths, my house or yours?”

sorry what?

I looked at him slightly confused and he caught on to that.

“She didn’t tell you...” that part he said to himself but loud enough for the both of us.

“Is she out of her mind, that woman- listen”
He placed both his hands on my shoulders and leaned because he was tall and also it was a habit of his.

“Mr Klark told Mrs Sterlin you were getting worse at math, so she told the head teacher who told Mr Klark to tell Mrs Sterlin to tell me to assist you. I tend to think it’s because I’m just that good in Math-”

Someone reached for my hand and my eyes moved over to the hands then to the face. Isaac long stood up straight then, my sister seemed uneasy by the interaction. I didn’t even know how to react, Isaac Sterlin was just like that he simply didn’t care.

“Is everything okay here?” Lisa asked looking at me, but I didn’t reply.

I think I had reached autopilot so, I pulled my hand and just walked off to the car leaving them standing there. I sat at the back and just slowly laid down and officially blinked in a long hot minute closing my eyes. A tear trailed its way from one eye to the next because of my sleeping position. I didn’t bother to wipe it away, but I curled myself into a ball and shut down.

Lisa had Frank calming her down quite a lot yesterday, they were whispering in the kitchen, and I was listening as they spoke. I found her in a better mood in the morning because she wanted to talk a little before I started my day.

“I spoke to the Dean... then Mrs Sterlin last night. Isaac is her son and so he’s the only person Frank said we can trust. It’s going to work out fine… you can always call me if anything happens.”

“Do you trust him?”

“Huh?”

“Isaac, do you trust Isaac?”

I asked and she smiled looking at the probabilities.

“I mean he is our best short and his mom has been helpful. It’s okay if you’re not comfortable with it.”

“I got an F in biology, and I am getting worse at Math.”

I announced opening the car door and walking into the school without turning back. Today there was no one by my locker and I sighed in relief as I approached it. I had made it a routine to take out what I needed first before I shoved my bag in there.

Slamming the locker shut my heart almost jumped out of my chest and I literally gagged.

“I was not expecting that.” His voice followed unfazed.
I kept my head down and tightly held onto my books as they rested on my chest.

“You didn’t say anything to me yesterday and your sister scared the life out of me, are you okay?” I didn’t reply.

Is this boy sent to torment me.

“Are you shutting down again?”

My eyes snapped up to him and it’s like I caught him off guard because he was doing it again. He was looking at me but not actually looking at me.

“Uh... I... “

It never came, I didn’t think he stuttered. It had been 3 months and I’d never heard him stutter at least not under that oak tree where I got to mind everyone’s business but my own.

“Your house.” He finally said then turned to walk away.

I found my seat in my first class of the day and as usual I was early, I rested my head for a moment, like I always did to avoid meeting someone’s eye, and getting their attention. A student sat next to me for the first time which woke me up from my unexpected sleep. The scent hit hard in my nostrils that I quickly put a face on.

“I thought it would be a good idea if I sat here, we’re study partners, so we have to help each other out.”

I almost reached for my phone to call Lisa; he was too much of a ball of energy and I want him away from me, better yet- they should take me away.

“Do not get any ideas okay? I’m only helping you with schoolwork”

I looked at him like he is the craziest thing I’ve ever seen before I almost gag.

“I am not that disgusting, actually not even disgusting but offended.”

“Sorry, I had breakfast”

I was not really trying to offend him; Frank wouldn’t let me leave the house without eating.

He saw right through my ‘I’ll eat at school’. I kept my head down and I heard a soft chuckle from him before I stole a glance and found him shaking his head in amusement.