Distance

Chapter Seven: Eh...why not?

            That afternoon I went home frustrated.  I was frustrated that the new guy wouldn’t leave me alone.  I was frustrated that I felt powerless.  I was frustrated that I felt trapped in my own world.

For a while I lay in bed, listening to my ipod.  I felt my stomach rumble and ignored it.  In the past week I had barely eaten due to stress.  I understood it was most likely unhealthy yet I didn’t care.  I pressed the thought of food to the back of my mind and instead found myself once again focusing on frustration.  I needed to be free of it.

Barely thinking about my actions I grabbed a pair of sneakers and socks.  I didn’t bother to change out of my leggings and a sweatshirt.  After tying up the shoes I was ready to go. 

The feel of the feel of the pavement beneath my shoes was wonderful.  The muscles around my knees were tight and painful due to lack of use recently, but I knew from experience that they would soon loosen up.  I let the pounding background of the bass sever me from the outside world, the only break from its regular melody being the rapper’s cutting lyrics.  They enveloped me into an existence that was only me and my straining muscles.

The way I ran wasn’t for distance.  I didn’t count the miles as I used to, as if they were some kind of accomplishment.  I just ran.  I didn’t notice it was getting dark until it was almost pitch black.

By the time I returned it was seven thirty.  Thoroughly exhausted I grabbed a banana finished my homework and went to bed.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

The next day I woke up with sore muscles.  My hamstrings were tight and I could feel the beginnings of shin splints.  Though it was uncomfortable it was a kind of good feeling.  My limbs felt relieved. When I walked into the school I felt lighter than I had in the past week.

“Hey Rosie!”

Instantly my relief left me.  It was Evan. I decided to ignore him.

“Ready for bio today?” 

I scowled.  

“Well, okay see you around!”  he gave me a wave then continued on down the hallway.  I did not understand him. Did he just not take hints?  Or did he understand my dislike and just chose to ignore it? I decided over thinking it wasn’t worth it and would just give me a headache.

Throughout my math class I deliberately did not think of Evan, which was quite a feat actually considering how my thoughts tended to wander during math class. 

Soon math class had ended however and it was time for bio.  I walked into the room with a sense of impending doom. 

I could see Evan’s bright smile lighting up the back row.  I groaned in annoyance.  Seriously…who was that happy in bio class?  I took my seat next to him. 

“You ready for Bio Rosie?” he questioned “I heard we’re doing a lab today.”

Since ignoring him only seemed to encourage him so I decided to be more forward, but I didn’t know how exactly to voice it. Finally I just gave up trying to explain it completely and settled on one word.

“Stop.”

His brow furrowed in confusion.

“Stop what?”

“This!”  I said, gesturing towards him with my hands.  This did nothing to ease his confused expression.

“What is “this”?”  He said, vocally casting air quotes around the word “this.”

I spluttered, trying to put everything into words.  I  couldn’t exactly tell him I wanted him to stop being nice, that I wanted him to stop smiling, that I wanted him to stop liking me when I didn’t deserve it.  I would sound ridiculous. So I just settled to pointing at him again.

“Well okay then…I’ll try and…stop?” he said awkwardly.

“Good,” I replied quickly and turned to face the front of the room where the teacher had just walked in. 

I zoned out as she introduced the lab.  About five minutes later I was drawn back to reality as people began to move around.  I cursed myself internally as I realized my former partner, Chloe would definitely not want to pair up with me now.  I started to make my way to the only empty table.  I looked down at the lab sheet in front of me and attempted to decipher it.  I didn’t even notice as Evan snuck in next to me.

“Sup bro?”  he said cheerily.  I glared.

“First off I am not your “bro”, and secondly in answer to your question I am attempting to work on a lab but I have this annoying twat who can’t seem to leave me alone.”  For a second he looked at me oddly before he burst into laughter.

“Twat?  What are you British?”  At this point he took on an obnoxiously bad imitation of a British accent “You’re such a twat.  Now why don’t you go put some shrimp on the Barbie governer?”  I mentally cringed.  He had butchered that worse than I could have imagined.

“Shrimp on the Barbie? What are you Australian?”  I mimicked his tone. 

“Yes actually.” He deadpanned. At this point I had no response so I opted for returning back to my work once again.

“I never pegged you as an ignorant one.”  He spoke suddenly.  I was taken aback, was he referring to my inability to decipher this lab?

“What?”

“You do know ignorance and ignoring come from the same base?  And you’re awfully good at ignoring me.” 

“Well ha-ha,”  I replied sarcastically.  I mean really was that supposed to be a joke?

“I guess my point is you should stop this whole ignoring me thing.”  He continued.

“Nah,”  I said simply and continued staring at the lab sheet in confusion. 

“I could help you with your lab…” he said in a sing-song voice.  I sighed in frustration.  That actually did sound like a nice offer right about now…maybe.  Oh whatever, I decided, what’s not ignoring him for one period gonna do?

So, with that thought for the rest of the period I relatively civil to him and he helped me through the lab.