What's eating you?

Chapter 7

*Tate's POV* 

Lee had cornered me in the hallway on my way to gym. I could tell what Jacky had said in homeroom and had struck a cord deep inside her. Her eyes where wide with sadness and her purple hair was hanging in awkward strands around her face.

"You need to tell you skeleton of a girlfriend, to watch what she says. Or-" I had to cut her off. Jacky was my girlfriend, and I loved her with everything in my soul, and I wasn't going to let anyone threaten her, especially someone who had it coming.

"Lee, you need to check yourself. You are the one who started in. You had to bring up what happen with Darren, and the shit that with down with Jaz last year.. You had what was coming to you.So don't bring your shit up with me, if you got a problem you need to handle it yourself, I'm not going to be your go-to-boy." I was shocked at the cruelness in my voice. I had never been so nasty to someone in my life. 

I parted my lips to apologize but it was too late. Tear glisten in the back of Lee's eyes.

"Ya whatever." She mumbled as she quickly turned on her heels and ran down the empty hallway. I watched as she disappeared around a corner. I was left standing in the hallway alone. I couldn't help but feel bad for the thing I had said.

Lee was bullied relentless because she was raised by a abuse father and step-father, and on top of it all she was lesbian. People used to throw rocks at her, shove her into lockers. I even watched as a group of jocks dump all of her stuff in the toilet.

Plus I knew Lee's home life wasn't the best. She had been kicked out of her mother's home when she was ten, and was stuck living with a alcoholic father who never seemed to be home.

I couldn't stress over it. Lee had it coming and that was it. I had to look at for Jacky, that who needs me the most. I need to focus on Jacky and no one else.

*Jacky's Pov*

"God." Jaz hissed as she pulled on her shorts.

"How dare she brings that up! That's not even what happen! Ugh, remind me tomorrow if she has anything to say, to knock her out." I sensed that what had happen in homeroom, really through Jaz off.

I tried to ask her what Lee meant, but every time I did Jaz would just wave me off. I didn't understand why Jaz didn't want to talk about it, we talked about everything together. Even when my brother died, I was sobbing to Jaz. 

Me and Jaz have been best friends since third grade. I have always been the quite one. One day in class and we had to pick partner. No one wanted to be with me. Until a girl with golden brunette hair and a neon pink dress walked up to me and gave me the goofy grin ever. "Jasmine O'Hara, but just call me Jaz." She used to have a strong country accent.

Jaz was the only stable part of my life. She was the only person I could always count on when I needed someone. She even joined track freshmen year with me, even though I knew she didn't enjoy it as much as I did. But now it seems Jaz has changed. The last week of school, she had met a college freshmen, and that was the last I heard from her, until this morning.

"Come on ladies! Pick up the pace!" Coach yelled at us from the door of the locker room. Girls slipped into Tempo shorts and t-shirts and jogged out of the locker room.

"Come on Jacky, before Coach Seabrings makes us run more laps than we have to!" Jaz stripped away her white  jean shorts and replaced them with bright neon green Niki Tempo shorts. All too soon I was left standing in the locker room alone.

"Ya, I'll be out in a second, go on with out me." I pushed the hood back from my face. A slight chill made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. All day I've been feeling cold, I couldn't understand how these girls could run in this type of weather in shorts. I was freezing in a sweat pants and sweat shirt.

I ran my thumb over the fabric of my brother's old basketball. I drew in a deep breath and slowly removed my sweat pants. Panic flooded through out my veins. I couldn't go out in the gym wearing shorts. Everyone would stare at the fat girl. I didn't want everyone to see my jiggle as we ran laps around the gym floor.

Ewww. Don't you dare put on those shorts! Fat girls like you shouldn't wear shorts at all!

"Get a move on it Jacky!" Coach yelled. I sighed and pulled my sweat pants back on. I quickly turned on my heels and briskly walked out of the locker room. I could feel my stomach jiggle as I walked. I could only image what it would be like when I started running.

The gym smelled of socks and old jock straps, I guess that what happens when your school is too cheap to build a wrestling room or even a proper work out room.

My eyes darted around the crowd gym for Jaz. I spotted her on the opposite side talking to a girl I had never seen before. I took in a deep breath and jogged toward her. I could feel every one's eyes on me.

"Hey." I coughed as I made my way to Jaz.  She glanced at me and gave me a half hearted smile.

"Hey Jacky." She ran her hand through her hair. The girl standing next to her narrowed her eyes at me and made her lips into a thin cunning line. 

Jaz is ashamed to be around you! No one wants to say they know the fat girl! Stop bringing people down!

"Jacky this is Alyssa. She just moved her from Orange County California! Isn't that so cool?" I glanced over at Alyssa. She had beach blond hair that fell in hairspray curls around her shoulders. Alyssa was semi tall and had a body to kill for. She was lean with beautiful curves. Something I was striving to be, but it always seemed to slip through my fat fingers.

"Hi. I"m Jacky." I smiled.

"Hey." She curled her upper lips at me. She stared at me like something was wrong with me, like I had a hump on my back.

Dummy, she looking at you like you're a freak because you're fat! Beautiful girls like her, don't talk to ugly girls like you!

"Uhh, Jacky?" I glanced over at Jaz. Her cheeks had a rosy pink hue to them.

"Ya?" I smiled.

"I'll catch up with you later, I'm going to hang out with Alyssa. I'll probably see you at lunch."

See? No one wants to be seen with someone so nasty as you.

It felt as if someone had suckered punched me right in the stomach. My best friend since third grade, third grade! Has blown me off for some bobble headed blond, she just met not even twenty minutes ago.

Anger boiled in side my chest. I wanted to screamed. Scream at Jaz, scream at who ever changed my best friend, I just wanted to scream. 

"Oh, alright. See you at lunch." But no, I could never muster up enough guts to speak whats really on my mind. Because I'm Jacky, the quite girl who can't speak up for herself.

Are you really surprised?

"Shut up!" I snapped. A group of passing boys looked at me and laughed.

"The heat getting to you Jacky?"I recognized the voice almost instantly. It was Matty. He used to run track, back in sophomore year, but blew out his knee. We had become friends through Tate, and Matty always seemed to have a soft spot for me.

"Ha, ya." I laughed. A intense heat had crept into my cheeks.

The sudden piercing sound of the whistle singled for everyone in the gym to start running. I jogged forward a little bit, my feet seemed heavy. I could feel my thighs and stomach jiggling as I ran.

Today was going to be a ruff first day. I could feel it in my bones.