Red ✔

What Counted

"Clive! Clive!" I shout in the washroom, trying not to make a step inside. "Come out!"

The washroom is quiet. I wedge the frame of the door. I step into the door, but move back, remembering it is boy territory. When I was younger, I will go to the Men's washroom with Dad if Mom was not around. When I was young and naive, I thought the boys' washroom has cars inside or video games on the walls and other guy stuff. Instead, the boys' washroom was like the girls' but with urinals and yellow liquid on the ground. I shiver at the thought. Back then, I did not care if I went in or not. My body was not fully developed so I was safe. I could disguise myself as a guy, since my hair was not that long. I was actually bald when I was young so many of my relatives were fooled into thinking my parents got the wrong results from the hospital.

"Clive, please come out," I beg.

"Leave me alone!" he barks.

"Please, Clive. I need to know why you did that. The reason you lectured him about...me."

He sighs quite loudly. As he walk sout of the washroom, he nudges my shoulder and walks on like I did not exist. I follow him.

"Why did you do that?" I inquire, panting from chasing him with his long strides.

"Did what?" he says lamely, not slowing down any time soon. He wants to play dumb, eh?

I place my hand on his shoulder to stop him temporarily. "Don't give me that crap. You know it and I know it," I say.

"I was defending your honour or rather, your dignity." He shrugs off my hand doggedly.

What does he think I am? A bird? A house? A mute person? I am not helpless!  "I think I can handle my own dignity."

"But he just about made the worst mistake in his life." He stops to face me.

The way his eyes blaze with fire and passion is impossible to look away. I become lost in his eyes, but snap out of it as fast as I have been defeated by it. Even though Tyler hurt me, it is not worth blaming him for it. Boys jsut cannot control their feelings.  I cannot either.

"He rejected me because he likes Leo. She was the only girl in he was really interested in," I point out.

We push the recess doors. I accidentally step on a slushy puddle. My jeans get very wet and my shoes are flooded with water. I ignore it, determined to get my answer.

"Any guy will have chosen you easily over any girl," Clive says matter-of-factly

My heart is pumping fast. Clive believe any guy will want me? Me, of all people?

"So, all those things you say. You meant them?" I ask. "You were not exaggerating any of it?"

Clive takes my wrist roughly. My palms start sweating buckets more than the times Tyler has caught me from tripping. If this happened before, I would have immediately hit him and smack him down town, but am too stunned by his hand on my wrist. I shrug off the feeling while he leads me behind the huge black garbage bin. Rotten compost, buzzing flies, and spoiled juice smell filled the air. I scrunch my nose at the second the scent flows in my nostrils.

"Of course I meant them. I like you." What? "As a friend," he finishes his sentence quickly, not wanting me to assume anything.

"Oh." The last part makes me disappointed. I do not know why but I feel upset.

"Oh?"

"What?"

"You say 'oh' like you thought I was going to buy you a special prize but instead I gave you a box of bubble wrap."