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Chapter 6

EDITED

I lied earlier. There is no bright side to today. Today has been terrible.. no not terrible. Today has been shit. To say it has been one of the worst days of my life would be a definite over exaggeration but it is in the top 50 shittiest days I have ever had.

After the whole leg incident with Eric I had kept running until I reached the girls bathroom. He had chased after me when I ran and I knew that was one place he wouldn't enter. Well, he tried to but got kicked out rather quickly by a horde of pissed of women. The memory makes me laugh.

It wasn't a win for me though as I ended up being stuck in the bathroom for the remainder of lunch. Every time I went to leave I noticed Eric was still waiting outside. To be honest, I've never known someone so determined to take the piss out of the one legged girl but I guess there is always that one person out there.

I think I'm going to be ill tomorrow though. I've already decided. All I have to do now is get through gym class but that shouldn't be too difficult. All I need to do is turn up and then just sit somewhere doing whatever I want.

I walk into the changing room to prove that I am here to coach but as I turn to leave I get called into coaches office.

"Can I have a word Tavi?" That is not a proper question. I don't think I did anything?

"Err sure thing coach"

I follow her into her office and she closes the door behind me.

"Look Tavi I know about your leg and everything but first thing this morning your mother stopped of at school just after I got here myself"

"She handed me your old sports portfolio and your blade. She seemed adamant that you are more than capable of doing sports"

"Granted at first I was taken a back that you would lie to me about not being able to take part, you didn't strike me as that type of person, but, I must say what shocked me the most was your file"

"State level swimming, European titles in martial arts, state level field events and more sport teams than I can count. Your more than capable so why just stop"

I feel ridiculously overcome with emotion right now. I don't know if it's the betrayal from that bitch I call a mother or the fact I'm now thinking about the old me. I'm just speechless.

"Well I think you can take part in gym today"

That snapped me out of the trance.

"What coach, please, I'll do anything. Just... just please don't make me do it in front of the class"

A look of pity crosses over her face. I hate the pity but I guess it's better than anger.

"What ever happened took more from you that just you leg didn't it?"

I snap my head back to coach. No one has ever said that to me before. Most people just think about physical scares, but why has she thought about my emotional ones as well?

"Well I know your grades are high so I guess you could do me a favour in exchange for no gym class"

"What is it coach?" I'm worried now

"You can tutor Eric in English"

"Coach I know I said I would do anything but seriously that boy is an idiot. He obnoxious self centred and I don't think even a genius could teach him"

"Well you said you would do anything so you can either spend these lessons in the small dance studio tutoring him or you can join in with the classes"

"Fine I'll do it"

"Excellent" coach says slapping her hands together smiling.

~

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!

The world hates me. There is no other answer. I must have pissed of some creepy voodoo lady recently. Or walked under a ladder. Smashed a mirror. Something. There is no way I deserve all this bad luck.

After I left coaches office I made my way to the dance studio she told me about. She gave me back my blade but for some reason kept my portfolio. I can't believe my mother has done this to me. She handed over pictures, score sheets, record certificates everything. Everything I want to forget.

I feel totally betrayed and now I have to face the only person in the whole school I want to avoid.

Just then the door swings open to reveal a pissed off Eric.

"Why did you run from me muppet?"

"Why does it matter?" I snap

"Why didn't you tell me?" he says looking down to my leg with hurt in his eyes.

Why does he look hurt? It's not like we mean anything to each other. He's just the guy that annoys me all the time. The schools bad boy that's meant to have been in prison.

"It's none of your business" I don't have time for this.

"Well we can't hide from the elephant in the room. What happened?"

"That's none of your business so can we just drop it!" I can feel the anger building.

"Would you just tell me!" Eric shouts raising his voice.

Oh no he just fucking didn't. How fucking dare he.

"You want to know what happened really?" I shout.

He just nods.

"WELL LAST YEAR I HAD A LEFT LEG AND NOW I DON'T!" I'm screaming now, like a loon.

"Come on muppet just tell me" he says it in a way that makes me feel like a child.

"Why don't you tell me why you went to prison?" I fire back

"I don't want to talk about it" is his reply

"Exactly my point" I say more calmly now "let's just get this over with"

We spend the remainder of the day in relative silence apart from when I'm helping Eric to understand something he has come across.  I never though I would see the day that I became a dyslexic English tutor I laugh to myself causing Eric to turn towards me.

I still don't know how I feel about Eric knowing about my leg. He seemed way too interested in it and the story behind it all. I just hope he isn't one of these weird fetish guys.

Just as the bell goes I grab him.

"You won't tell anyone about this will you" I mumble motioning to my leg.

"I would never dream of doing that muppet. You can trust me you know" he smiles. God. His smile is amazing. What am I doing? Snap out of it Tavi.

As I walk into the parking lot towards my bike realisation dawns on me. If Eric knows I'm going to have to tell April. She is my best friend after all and even though I've only know her for a month I feel like I've know her for years. I guess my day just keeps getting better.