Perfectly Imperfect 1

3- Oh my god! It's Cal Cafferty!

CAL:

“Weird kid!” James mutters, shrugging.

“Kinda,” I agree. “Is it just me or is she completely and utterly shy?”

“I donno. It could be... or she could just not want to talk to anyone,” Jordan suggests.

“Yeah, Jordan, coz that’s what all new kids do!” Keith mutters sarcastically.

I grin at the bickering as we walk down the crowded corridors.

“Oh my god Amanda! It’s Cal Cafferty!” one of the girls whispers as I walk past.

I grit my teeth in annoyance and shoot my friends a glare. “Dude, it’s the tan!” Jordan mouths, grinning.

“What is he doing here?” another whispers.

“I thought he ran away?”

“Sure takes guts to show his face back here!”

“It’s a pretty face though!”

“Dude, Cafferty looks different!”

“Is he trying to change the way he looks so we wouldn’t recognise him?”

“Pur-lease! A fake tan? Really?”

“Who’s he trying to impress?!”

Keith rests a hand on my shoulder, trying to soothe me, I suppose. “Just ignore them,” he encourages.

I nod my head jerkily. Yes, I’ll just ignore them. So easy to do! Why didn’t I think of that?! Oh right...because it’s freaking impossible!

“I wonder how much his parents had to pay to get him back in here”

“More like, I wonder how many people his mum had to sleep around with!”

Calm, Cafferty, I chant in my head, over and over again.

“I can’t believe the fag is back!”

“Okay! That’s fcuking enough!” I shout, making almost everyone in the corridor jump. “I’ve had it with your shit! I’m back! Suck it up and move on with your pathetic lives! And stay the hell out of mine!” I hiss, storming off down the hallway.

Well, if anybody didn’t realise I was back, they sure as hell do now.

I throw the door of the lecture theatre open and ignore the stares it earns me. I head to the back of the class and sit down silently, slouching in my seat to ignore the stares.

“That was a cool breakdown. I’m sure it would have made Amy jealous,” Keith teases, taking the seat beside me.

“Shut up man! Not the time,” I warn through my clenched teeth.

“Relax will you, drama king!” Jordan guffaws, straddling his chair so he’s facing me. “Besides, you’re notorious now! It’ll do wonders for your popularity!”

I give him my best glare and pull out my books, slamming them down onto the table irritably.

Jordan rolls his eyes at me before turning to face the white board just as our teacher walks in. Great, another long, boring accounting lecture!

***

The moment the bell rings, I jump out of my seat and hurry out the door. I’m going to try my best to beat all the other students to the car park. At least this way I don’t have to deal with more stares and the not-so-whispered comments.

I don’t watch where I’m going and the next thing I know, I’ve knocked into another student who must have had the same bright idea as me.

It takes me a moment to realise I knocked into the new girl, Kayla. Her binder’s on the floor and her books are scattered around.

I sigh audibly and shake my head in frustration at myself. 

“Sorry,” I mumble, bending down to gather her things as she remains standing. 

Is she alright? Is she still shocked from the knock? It’s only then that I notice her slightly red eyes and nose.

“Are you okay?” I ask softly, resting a hand on her shoulder.