Just Different

Chapter 9

Brad cursed under his breath as he jogged to the front doors of the school. He had overslept, Mike and Joe not waking him up before they left. Not only that, but the pouring rain had slowed him down. The first class was 20 minutes from being over, he wasn't going to make it.

Brad threw the doors open and began to walk briskly towards the hall his class was in. He took out his phone to check the time. In doing so, he collided with someone.

"Oh!"

It was Elisa. She stumbled, almost tripping and dropping the folders she carried. "Woah, sorry!" Brad caught her in time, steading her to her feet. "I am so sorry, I didn't see you," Brad apologized again, his face heating up. Elisa chuckled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. 

"It's okay. I wasn't looking either." Brad laughed awkwardly and tugged at his beanie. Eliza tilted her head to the side, "Are you late for class?"

Brad nodded, "Yeah."

"I can get you a pass. Just come help me with some stuff in the gym." Elisa smiled, pointing at her folders. Must've been some papers regarding the volleyball team. 

"I, uh, sure," Brad sputtered, the red in his face not dissipating. Elisa motioned for Brad to follow her. The pair walked down the hall, turning towards the gym. Brad was screaming internally, trembling with excitement.

They entered the gym, other students were already in there, pushing and putting up equipment. "We just need help setting up some nets and mats for a game today. And then I can sign a pass saying that you were helping out here. Shouldn't take long." Brad nodded and set his backpack down next to Elisa's on the open bleachers, joining the other girls from the team. 

The girls were rolling out a large, dark grey mat. Brad ran up to help them push it towards the end of the gym. Stopping, the group turned it so the outer end of the mat was level with the court. Elisa was next to Brad as the rolled the mat out flat. He couldn't help but give a silly grin, he just felt so giddy spending some time with Elisa. The group went back around to the other side of the gym to get the other mat. They didn't have to push it too far, it just needed to be level with the court. They flattened the mat, the end meeting with the other map.

"Here's the hard part. Good thing we have you to help us with it," Elisa began as the group walked to the large storage closet. "We have to reassemble the net and the poles, and they're quite heavy."

Elisa took out a key to unlock the double doors. Once they were unlocked, she pushed them open to reveal a room full of gym equipment. The girls walked into the room, grabbing the huge metal bars leaning against one of the walls. It took two girl to pick up a pole each. Brad went up to grab one of them. Elisa was right, they were pretty heavy. But Brad was able to lift it with little difficulty. 

"Linsey, can you come help me hold this up?" Elisa asked one of the girls behind her. Linsey walked up to Elisa and helped her lift the pole and set it into a stand. "Now stack that one on this one," Elisa pointed at the pole Brad held. He held the pole up and slid it into place on top of the other. 

"You made that look so easy!" Elisa laughed as Brad blushed. 

"It's no big deal," Brad chuckled nervously. Elisa shook her head as they grabbed the pole for the opposite end of the court. 

"It is! We always take forever trying to lift these guys up. I'm always so scared they'll fall!" She laughed. Brad laughed too, almost goofily. He couldn't stop looking her her. She seemed so pretty, even when she seemed flustered from the work they did. 

"Here, let me get this," Brad urged as he took the metal bar from Elisa, putting it in place. Elisa smiled as he took the other pole from Linsey and another girl.