Online Dating

Chapter 1: Dance Class ; Papers

"Hey, Fatty!"

"Just ignore him, Marie."

"Hey, Fatty! Aren't you going to offer to do my homework?"

"Marie, don't turn around, just ignore him, please."

"I CAN'T ignore him, Meg, he'll only beat me up worse!" I said under my breath, turning around to see Hayden standing only a few feet away in the middle of the hallway. The people who had been walking now stood against the edges of the hall, pinned against the lockers, giving Hayden as much room as he could possibly need.

"W-would you l-like me to do your homework?" I asked feebly.

"Well, since you offered. I've got a history paper due tomorrow. Its on King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. It needs to be 5,000 words single spaced."

I nodded, making a note of it on my hand, trying not to notice that he was getting closer.

"And if you don't do it, or if I get a grade lower than a B, you know where to meet me for your punishment, got it, squirt?"

I nodded, not making eye contact. He pushed past me, purposely knocking the pile of books out of my hand. I sighed and knelt down to pick them up, people now moving all around me again. Meg signalled to me that she was going to go tell a teacher and I nodded, wishing she wouldn't but also wanting the bullying to stop.

"Are you alright?" Seth asked, coming to help me pick up my books.

I blew my bangs out of my face and nodded slowly, "I'm fine, but it looks like I've got a 5,000 word paper to write tonight..."

"Why don't you just TELL somebody?"

"Like they'd believe me...Hayden is captain of the soccer team, in for like ten scholarships, and loved by every teacher..."

Seth now sighed, "You're probably right. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, well, not everyone can be the richest kid in town with servants and indoor hot tubs," I joked, standing up, trying to balance my books again.

"Hey, now," Seth joked, poking the dimple in my cheek.

"Hey now nothin'! You're the richest kid at school and everyone knows it."

"Is that why you're my friend?"

I shook my head as we began walking to class, "No. Its because you're the only one who's nice to me besides Meg. Plus, you have a huge indoor hot tub, which is nice when I need to relax."

"Ahh, the truth comes out! You're mooching off of me."

"Am not!" I defended, nudging him.

He nudged me back, then smacked my butt, "Hey, I've gotta get to Algebra or Mrs. Williams will have a cow. I'll see you after school. We can work on that report together."

"Seth, I--"

"No buts! I'll pick you up after dance!" he shouted behind him as he ran off to his class. I sighed and walked into the girls locker room to dress for dance.

"There you are, Ree. I thought you were getting beat up or something," Meg said, helping me with my books.

"No, I was talking to Seth. Can I borrow your gym bag for my books?"

"Why don't you buy a new backpack?"

"Because Hayden will just rip it up again. They're too expensive to waste money on like that."

"Why don't you get your boyfriend to buy you one, then? He's rich..."

"He's NOT my boyfriend, Meg, you KNOW that."