Different Is Good

Chapter five

Stevie stood in the hallway talking to her friends, she hadn't seen Lindsey and worried that something had happened to him...
Three girls were chatting eagerly, all standing in a circle by the lockers as Stevie looked past them to the sea of people putting their books away, grabbing others, along with notebooks and folders.

"Stevie...are you there?" One of the girls asked, noticing she was spaced out.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she smiled half heartedly

Stevie heard a commotion down the hallway, turning to see her boyfriend shove Lindsey into a locker. Everyone began to cackle and laugh instead of helping him
"Ugh, men can be such apes!" another girl said, watching as another letterman jacket wearing guy repeated the action. "Who is that kid anyway?"

Stevie moved from her group of friends and pulled on her boyfriend's arm. "What are you doing?" she asked angrily, hoping Lindsey would take the opportunity to leave but he didn't.
"He said he knew you." Laughing as another friend mushed Lindsey's head against the locker.

"I'm sorry," Lindsey kept repeating, looking around at the football players

"Leave him alone!" Stevie stood in front of Lindsey

"Babe, get away from Norman Bates! He's just a retard!" Spitting on Lindsey and trying to pull Stevie away, the whole hallway still laughing
"You don't know anything about him! Just leave him alone, please!"

"You got the hots for him or something? Or maybe he's trying to make a move on my girl." Her boyfriend turned from her and back to Lindsey, raising his fist.

"Wail on the loser!" One of his friends yelled.

"Let him go!" Stevie protested.

A crowd was gathering, all wanting to see a fight.
"If you touch him I will break up with you!" Stevie warned her boyfriend. Kneeling down beside Lindsey
"You'd break up with me for some..." Stevie gave the brute a look and he backed down.

"Fine." he said, backing off. "Let's go guys."
Stevie helped Lindsey up where he was still apologizing profusely, "I'm sorry," his eyes were wide with fright

"Honey, don't worry! It's not your fault!"
"I'm...I'm sorry" he repeated.

"Let's just get you to the nurse's office."

"I'm fine...go, just go."
"Lindsey, no." She said sternly, "Now let me help you."

He reluctantly stood, his head aching from being shoved against the locker, wiping the spit from himself
"Thanks" he said finally as they walked down the hallway together. People were whispering, overtly so and it disgusted Stevie.

"Don't these jerks have anything better to do?"

"I'm sorry" he said again.

"Don't be. Let them talk."
"Thank you," he said quietly, Stevie squeezed his hand in return and walked out of the building, "Let's go home."
He nodded, and Stevie pressed herself into his side. His arm found its place around her shoulders and she smiled. "Can I give you a ride?" He nodded again and walked with him to her car.
"Where to?" Stevie smiled over at him once they were situated

"Anywhere," Lindsey rung his hands nervously

"I have the perfect spot then!" She grinned, pulling out of the school parking lot
Stevie drove for a few minutes, turning the radio up as she heard one of her favorite songs coming on. "You like this one?"

"Y-yeah, it's good" he said, still visibly nervous.

"Relax, just let the music take you."
"I'm sorry..."