The B Team

Charlie

"Hayley! Hayley!" I yelled from the driveway, she ignored me and walked straight past. Again. I felt more confused than ever. Hayley was my neighbour, she's in the year above me, and we have been best friends since we were little. But since I joined her secondary school a couple of years ago she has completely blanked me out. Hayley isn't the kind of person to do things like that. We are very different people, I'm nerdy, she's cool, I'm quiet, she stands out on purpose (she dyed her hair blue), I never know what to say, she always says the right thing. Despite our differences she has always included me in everything and been a close friend. Until now.

"You should give up on that girl." my friend Isaac said from behind me. "She is way out your league." He said, grinning underneth his glasses.
"Oh no I'm interested in her in that way... She's my friend... Hayley's my friend..." Isaac rolled his eyes and went back to the computer.

Give up on her? But I knew Hayley since I was 5! She's the one who introduced me to Banksy's artwork. I was 9, she was 10 and we were sitting up in her bedroom when she got down this big book from the shelf. She opened the book and said the photos of artwork was Banksy's and when I asked who that was she said 'the greatest most awesome street artist in the world.' and we looked at a hole he had painted on the road which looked so realistic all the cars were driving round it.

Hayley was the one who told me to be myself and ignore the kids at school who said I shouldn't be. Hayley was the one who put her cat in my arms when he was just a kitten. She was the one making up stupid games to play on her trampoline and playing knock down ginger on all the doors in the street. Hayley was the one who made a secret den in the woods and gave us both nicknames. She was the one who attempted to teach me piano then gave up. Hayely was the one that posted notes through my door and I wrote back because it was more fun than talking or texting. She was the one who bitched about girls at school to me and I tried my best to listen. Hayley was the one who caught a newt in a pond and let me hold it. She was the one that introduced me to good music. Hayley was the one who encouraged me to continue studying computers.

Hayley was not the one I was going to give up on.

I walked out the house and headed towards the park. "Charlie! Where are you going?" Isaac's voice yelled.

"To talk to Hayley."