Because of Her

Chapter 2

I got off the bus, waving good-bye to my bus driver, and walked up the stairs in the courtyard to head into the school. I saw a freshman boy trying to open the doors, but struggling to do so. The doors were pretty heavy, but having dealt with them for four years, I've gotten used to it. I walked up to the door and opened it for him. He looked between the door and me, possibly confused to how I opened it. He said "Thank you" then walked through. 

I looked at my watch. I had about ten minutes left until I needed to be in class. I walked quickly to my locker and threw my backpack in there. I was in too much of a rush to care about it being neat. I grabbed my chemistry book and a pencil, then looked at my watch again. Two minutes left. 

Damn it. I thought. I slammed my locker and practically ran to my class. My class was four hallways away. Running was the only way I would be able to make it. As soon as I got into the hallway, I looked at my watch again. Less than a minute. I ran past two classrooms to get to mine, but I was too late. '7:35' read the clock in the classroom, but fortunately for me, Mrs. Halfring was turned away from me. I breathed a sigh of relief. 

I walked quickly to my seat, but before I could get there, one of the guys from my bus tripped me, making me fall on my face. I slowly stood up and looked around at everybody. They were all looking at me and laughing... Except for one. Her name is Elizabeth. I've had a crush on her since the fifth grade, but I'm shy and don't talk so that kind of complicated things. She looked at the guy who tripped me with intense anger and then looked at me with apologetic eyes. She looked to the front of the class and back at me. I turned and Mrs. Halfring was looking at me, enraged. I could tell she was scolding me, but her lips were moving too fast for me to be able to see what she was saying.

I saw movement to my right. Elizabeth had gotten up and she was walking towards me. She put her hand on my arm and I watched her speak.

"Mrs. Halfring, you do understand he can't hear you, right? How is he supposed to know what you're saying when you talk that fast?" She asked. 

Wow. I thought. She is one brave girl. 

I looked back at Mrs. Halfring and she seemed to relax a little. "You're right, Miss Hartt. I apologize." I looked at Elizabeth and she smiled and looked at me.

"Mrs. Halfring said that you need to go to the office and get a tardy slip."

I nodded in response.

Still facing me, she turned back to Mrs. H. "I'm going with him." She didn't argue and told us to go ahead. Before we moved she looked around me to the guy that tripped me. 

"That was really messed up, Mathew. We're done." With that she grabbed my hand and led me out of the room.

I was in utter shock. She stood up to Mrs. H? She was dating that guy? She broke up with him because of me? There was so many questions I wanted to ask her, but I couldn't. She looked at me with a questioning look. 

"Are you okay, Liam?" She seemed genuinely worried.

All I could do was nod. I could tell she didn't believe me, but she didn't ask anymore, somehow knowing that's what I wanted. After a minute she finally spoke again.

"You know, since the seven years I've known you, I have never heard you speak." She thought out loud.

I laughed to myself. For the seven years I've known you, I haven't heard you speak either.

As if reading my thoughts, she paled. "Crap! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

I cut her off by shaking my hands and smiling. 'Don't worry about it.' I mouthed. 'I'm used to it.'