A cLiChÈ lOvE sToRy

1 - JuSt A lItTlE hArMlEsS cOnVeRsAtIoN

I got on my knees and tied my sneaker laces before getting up. The sound of lockers slamming closed mixed with the idle chatter of over thirty high school females filled the background. I took a deep breath and then relaxed slowly, shaking off all the anxiety that had built up since I signed up for this PE class.

Flaca Dains, the most popular girl in the school who had everything she wanted, walked past me, her hair slightly slapping my face. In comparison to me, she looked like a goddess - I looked like a decomposed frog. She walked past me, swaying her blond hair as she drank from her MateFit water bottle with her perfectly plump glossed lips which prevented a droplet of water from spilling on her pristine white crop top which complemented her pink Adidas short - shorts wonderfully. Her pink converse sneakers alone made me insecure.

I, Aberdeen Jatoar, had straight black hair that hung messily at my waist and my water bottle was plain with no brand that barely held any water which I drank with my average sized lips that were bare of any gloss. My top was once a white shirt and my grey shorts hung awkwardly beneath it. My Champion sneakers were washed and years old. Flaca made me want to drop everything and run away. I turned around and locked my locker before yanking down my shorts, pulling them back up, and walking out of the double doors.

When I stepped into the gym, I dropped my bottle on the bottle table before quickly scanning the room.

The popular males in the class sat, unchanged, on the seats on the grandstand and stared down at Flaca and her minions. The leader of the pack, Oscar Bdight, had Flaca on his lap and her perfectly manicured fingernails were roaming through his brown hair. He looked at her with his hazel eyes and laughed at a comment Flaca had made with his thin lips. His perfectly toned abs were complemented completely with his leather jacket and white shirt that was basically transparent due to something-I-think-is-sweat. His slim fit jeans left nothing to my imagination and his red vans went completely with the outfit.

I looked back at his hazel eyes just find that I had a better view of them. It didn't take me long to realize that he was looking at me. In fact, they were all looking at me. I turned around sharply and walked smartly to Amanda Taryn, my best friend, who sat by herself on the bleacher seats.

"Hey you." She smiled at me.

"I just got caught staring." I blurted out.

"OMG."

"Are they still looking at me?"

"Hold on, lemme check."Her eyes opened as she looked behind me; "Oh yes they are. OMG. He's doing that smirk. The too-die-for one!"

"OMG I can't believe I'm missing it." I sighed, squeezing my face.

"Oh now they're laughing and... they aren't staring at you anymore."

"Oh thank god." I sighed and buried my head in her lap.

"Okay lazybutts, I'm here now - no relaxation. Get up - up, up!" Judy, the P.E teacher, walked into the gym, clapping her hands.

There were grumbles as reluctant students all went to line up in front of Judy. Amanda walked up to Judy and handed her a note which she read with a slight raise to her eyebrows.

"Amanda Taryn," Judy folded the note and tucked it into a file she was holding: "If you come for your next PE class with another doctor's note, I'm sending you to the principal."

"But what if I'm sick during the next class?" Amanda whined.

"Then don't come to school Ms. Taryn. Is that clear?" 

"Yes." Amanda went back to her seat.

"Mr Bdight and co, where's your excuse?"Judy crossed her hands and stared at the popular group.

"We don't have any." Oscar smiled at her.

"You've got nothing. Really?"

"Yup. We've got nothing."

"Nothing at all?"

"Yup."

"How about a trip to the school office? Is that something enough for you?"

"Ah yes, but we really would just walk out of here and take a detour and when asked, whose words do you think would matter more? The words of a promising varsity basketball player that's bringing good publicity to this school or the words of an underpaid PE teacher?"

Damn he knew how to play it good.

Judy stared at him for what seemed like over an hour and I swear she looked like a cherry bomb about to explode. I could tell that were all holding our breaths in the gym until she turned around.

"4 times up and down the bleachers - move people, shake those little tootsies!"

I wish she had blown up.

As I was going up and down the bleacher seats, on my fourth time down, Oscar Bdight grabbed me and began to whisper harshly in my ear:

"You wanna know what you are little nerd girl? You're roadkill." He shook me a little as he spoke.

"If you're not going to join my PE class I suggest you at least leave my students who want to in peace Mr. Bdight." Judy barked.

He let go of me and then smiled : "Just a little harmless conversation. See you around nerd."

I ran the rest of the bleacher seats, terrified as hell and I was panting uncontrollably when I got back to Judy.

"Okay gather up. It's time for dodgeball." Judy clapped her hands.

Flaca and her group grabbed most of the dodgeballs and then walked to Oscar's group who whispered with them then they came back downstairs and formed a formation in front of me.

And then I knew the absolute truth.

I was roadkill.