"hey drew, what ya reading?" a boy from gym class asks as he sits beside drew on the raised planter near the front of the school quad. drew closes his book and searches his brain for the boy's name, "a book called virtual war. it's about kids in space that have the brainpower to simulate war. i'm sorry but i forgot your name."
the boy smiles, "it's henry. that book sounds really cool - can i borrow it when you're done?" drew nods shoves it into his backpack as the two boys continue to talk.
"i don't understand popularity. what did any of them do to get popular?" henry asks. drew shakes his head but stops when he catches sight of abby. he feels his stomach knot as it does each time he sees her. he watches as abby jogs to her big group of friends. a few girls hug her and she pulls her big curls away from her face to show her ears.
abby got earrings? she said she hated them. that she'd never get earrings. that its horrible to punch holes in your skin!
abby's friends all love her earrings. alex finally finds abby and hugs her. drew watches as abby pulls back and kisses alex - sending her girl friends into giggles and sighs. drews stomach knots tighter and feels his throat close "i'm gonna go to the bathroom. see you later henry," drew manages to say without letting out a sob and runs to the gym.
he collapses in the corner and wipes his tears from his cheeks, "stupid abby. stupid clayton - why'd he have to leave me? why did everyone leave me?" drew collects himself and pulls himself onto his feet. he makes his way into the back room to find a basket of soccer balls.
drew picks them up one by one to drop kick them across the gym, each hitting the walls and doors. he hears the bell ring but doesn't stop. i'm gonna keep kicking these stupid soccer balls until someone drags me out of this gym.
YOU ARE READING
blurry nights
General Fiction"my skin is dark as night, but you're the one with constellations across yours"
