“What is this?” Jake stammered, indicating the scene around him and directing his attention to Cindy.
“It’s nothing, hun.” Cindy put on her favourite smile, but Abigail could see doubt flickering in her eyes.
Jake glanced over at Abigail, taking in her tear-stained face. “Doesn’t seem like nothing to me.” He replied evenly.
“Forget about it, let’s just say it was mere payback for what she did to me on Tuesday, you remember that, don’t you?” She put on a look of innocence, that would’ve swayed the best of people at times, but under the circumstances, Jake could see right through it.
“Just don’t talk to me right now, Cindy. I never would've believed you would do something like this.” He turned and walked back to his desk.
Cindy watched him go, then she turned, eyes blazing, to stare at Abigail, a look so full of hatred that it made Abigail flinch. And she too walked back to her desk, next to Jake, who didn’t say a word as she sat down.
Abigail got up from her place on the floor as the crowd dispersed, wiping tears from her eyes. Once back in her seat, she tried to catch Jake’s eye from across the room, but either he didn’t see her, or if he did, he didn’t acknowledge her. At that, Ms. Lawrence returned, just in time to send them off to their next class. Jake was the first one out the door.
~§~
Abigail’s second class of the day was PE. Much to her dismay, Cindy was among the girls in her class. Was she in every class that Abigail had? Seemed like it. After changing into her new gym uniform (royal blue and white), she began to run laps around the gym with the other girls. She couldn’t help but notice that Cindy, who had entered the change room before her, was one of the last people to come out. What had she been doing? Was it just her imagination running wild, sparked by her rivalry with Cindy? Must be. What more could she really do inside a stuffy, high school change room?
There was a supply teacher today, or at least that’s what everybody was saying. This being Abigail’s first gym class at this school, she wouldn’t know any better.
“Ha! Ms. Lei, big softie.” She heard one girl say to her running partner as they continued to circle around the gym.
“That means dodge ball, for sure.” The other answered.
Abigail never really liked PE, but she seemed to have a knack for it. And now, in her depressed state, it helped clear her mind and raise her spirits. The girl turned out to be right, and before long, they had been separated into two teams, one at each end of the gym with a line of doge balls separating them. Abigail glanced around at the team members as Ms. Lei went on to explain the rules. Of course, it seemed as if all of Cindy’s girlfriends were on her team. How did she do that? Glancing up and down the ranks of her own team, Abigail was a little comforted by the fact that they all seemed indifferent to having her on their team; maybe she could actually have some fun.
But it didn’t turn out to be as much fun as Abigail had hoped. The students in this high school, unlike the one she had left behind, seemed to take dodge ball rather seriously- or maybe, that was just Cindy. Balls would whip past her head, barely missing her, and one girl from her team was even sent off, pinching her nose, trying to stop the flow of blood. But to everyone other than Abigail, this seemed to be the norm and so she fought back with the same ferocity. Her mind was in the game and she didn’t stop dodging and throwing and devising strategies until there was only her and Cindy left.
YOU ARE READING
(You are Never) ALONE
Teen Fiction"Sometimes, when you're trying to find yourself, it takes more than just yourself to do it." It's a story about love, about hardships, about hope, but most of all about finding yourself especially when you never thought it was possible. Because ever...
