Second Best (Rae and Callum's Story)

Second Best Chapter 19 - Oh Hey, Why Don't You Join Me?

Okay guys, I'm trying to get this story out of the way first, so I could start my sequel. Rae will be 17 then, and who knows what more drama could happen!

I hope all of you enjoyed reading this story so far! I'm so grateful for all your comments and votes. It means so much to me. There will probably be 7 more chapters :) Again, happy reading!

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  There was tension, between me and Sam. The depressed feeling kept gnawing at me, and I couldn't figure out what was actually going on. I was hurt that she didn't want to share her problems with me. Maybe I could've helped. In some way. But no, I wasn't even given the opportunity.

  I stared miserably at the walls, refusing to look at Sam or pay attention to the teacher. I was tuning his voice out, his lecture was irrelevant next to the inner turmoil I was feeling. My gut clenched at the thought of my best friend hiding something from me.

  I could remember back to the day, one year go, when Sam and I had really started talking, when we found out that we had so much in common and then we just kind of came together - as a team, partners in crime. On that day, as usual, I found myself being questioned by a teacher, I was forced to stand at the front of the classroom, with the entire class's scrutinizing gazes on me. I tried acting innocent and clueless, with my head hung low and worried look in my eyes. But the teacher wasn't buying it.

  'Rae Danvers, I'm going to ask you to be honest with me. Where were you when the bathroom was vandalized?' The stern tone of his voice caused me to start to panic, but I managed to control my expression, when I looked up at him, my face was composed.

  'Sir, I was... in the library.' I muttered, keeping up the good girl act.

  'You? In a library?' he arched an eyebrow, 'what were you doing there? Can anyone vouch for you?'

  'Er, I love studying. I have always loved to read books...' I was deliberately avoiding the question. No I didn't have anyone to cover for me. I was too busy vandalizing the bathroom to think of that. The guys who I was with, were probably asked the same question at this very minute. Will they rat me out, I asked myself, I hope not because we were good friends.

  'Answer my question, young lady. Were you involved in this?'

  I opened my mouth to tell him 'No' when a voice interrupted my debate with myself, whether I should just spit out the truth and get a detention and a letter sent home, or tell a lie and risk being discovered. I hesitated, but that voice rang out so clear and I was genuinely surprised. I turned around to find the source of the voice, and it belonged to a petite girl with shiny brown hair and big round hazel eyes. She was very pretty, I thought.

  'I was with her.'

  Four words. So simple, yet it had such a huge impact on me. I was stunned, at her kindness and I had a moment of doubt. I didn't want to owe this girl. I didn't want to owe anyone anything. How would I repay her, or will I be in her debt forever.

  'Are you sure, Samantha?' he sounded dubious, and suspicious. I didn't care, I kept a straight passive face and looked him square in the eyes. My gaze can be smouldering and intimidating, and here I came across as what I hoped was sincere. He sighed and shook his head, dismissed me with a wave of his hand. I returned back to my seat with a grin on my face, people saw and chuckled to themselves, but I was heading straight that brunette girl. Samantha? I plunked myself down next to her, and simply smiled. She smiled back.

  'What's up? I'm Rae. Samantha right?' 

  And a friendship formed.

  'Are you serious?' I asked skeptically.

  Surprise flashed across his eyes, and he looked me strangely, as if I suddenly sprouted two extra heads.

  'Um, what do you mean?'

  'I booked this gym this afternoon. I have this place all to myself,' I gestured around me, in case he didn't understand what I was trying to say, 'you need to get out. Now.'

  I was in a worse mood than this morning, my mood had soured over the course of the day when Sam avoided me and I was forced to sit with some of my guy mates and some fake ass girls who pretended to be friends with me, simply because I hung out with the popular crowd. I tried to catch Sam's eyes, but she wasn't looking at me at all. She sat with Una and her group, all the way across the cafeteria from me. Only thirty metres away or so, but it felt like thirty miles...

  'Are you alright?'

  I was speechless for a second, shocked that an acquaintance like him, someone who didn't know a thing about me, could actually care about my feelings. Maybe it was really alright to let someone in after all, maybe it was alright to trust someone, to accept help because you really needed it.

  'No,' I answered before I could regret it, such a simple word though it was a huge step for me. I didn't trust people, easily, especially not strangers. I inspected him closely, for any trace of emotion but he only stared back and somehow it oddly made me feel uncomfortable under his unwavering gaze.

  He was shooting hoops when I burst through the gym doors, somewhat a guilty look on his face when he saw that it was me. Now the basketball laid beside his feet, unattended. I shifted my attention to the ball, and traced its pattern with my eyes.

  'You want to join me?' His voice was quiet, and soothing. I pondered over his offer, and picked up the ball in response. 'Sure.'

  All strangeness and distances had vanished between us, as we smiled at each other. Then I ran forwards, did a layer up and fed the ball through the hoop. Basketball wasn't my favourite sport, I wasn't great at it, but good enough to make an impression on this guy. He clapped, and I spun around to give him a high five, grinning from ear to ear. I could already feel the anger and neglect seeping away, into nothing.

  I decided I liked being with Toby. He made me forget things for awhile. I felt like... I don't have to pretend when I was with him, not like the way I had to pretend when I was with the rest of the people in our school. I decided I liked this feeling.

  Right now, I had the ball, I was trying to dribble away from him, though I could tell he was letting me on purpose. I tried turning my back, turning to the side, feigning him but he was on me in an instant. I pouted, and dropped my hands to my sides, and glared at him.

  'That's not fair!'

  'What's not fair?' he teased me, eyes twinkling, and I decided I liked his eyes, 'the fact you couldn't get the ball off me? Is that it?'

   'Oh yeah? Is that what you think?' I couldn't counter back with a better comeback so I just crossed my arms in front of my chest, and tried my best to hide the smile already forming on my lips.

  His boyish smirk said that was exactly what he thought.

  If that was how he was going to be, then I shall prove him wrong, I thought smugly. I will jump, and the element of surprise will be on my side. So I took my chances, I pounced on him, grabbing for the ball, but he was too quick for me. He switched the ball to behind his back so I ended bumping into his solid chest, way too close to him...

  His arms went around me and I looked up, into his lovely eyes. I nearly melted into him, my knees were jelloid and I couldn't take my eyes off his face.

  The gym door banged open.