Here Comes the Sun

Chapter 4: Gym Class

Oakley's POV

I'm very glad to say that Violet Parks is currently fine and everything that happened in gym class no longer traumatizes her. I walked into the gym and the boys had to be in one line and the girls had to be in the other. I got into the boy line and waited for the teacher to come in. Out of nowhere, a man did 5 cartwheels to the middle of the gym, in front of us. I was very confused. "Hello, maggots!" The man yelled, of course, he was keeping a smile. "My names Mr. Owen and my name seems like a cute adorable fun name, but I'm not a cute adorable fun person! I'm a man! Men don't need to be soft, men need to be the tough ones! Now, boys, you'll have your turn, but ladies first! Girls, whoever climbs to the top of that rope and rings the bell, doesn't have to run laps for a week! Whoever doesn't gets extra laps! Now, go on maggots!"

I watched as the girl who was first in line, who happened to be June, climbed up the rope and ringed the bell. "No laps for June Maggot. Next!" I was confused why the teacher called everyone maggots but that didn't really matter. The next girl went, then the next and finally someone familiar went. It was Violet. She looked very nervous as she put her long black hair into a ponytail. She gripped onto the rope and attempted to climb it. She was so close to the bell, when one of the girls swung the rope back and forth. The teacher just laughed. Sicko. Violet lost her grip and was falling. I had to act fast. I ran towards her and caught her before she hit the ground. She looked up at me and I put her down. "Extra laps for Violet Maggot!"

Kids laughed. "Hey! That isn't fair. Someone swung the rope back and forth which made her fall! Give her one more chance." I protested. Mr. Owen sighed. "Fine. Go on then, maggot. Try again." Violet attempted to climb it again. "Go on, Violet! You can do it!" She kept climbing and I began chanting her name over and over again. A few boys joined in. Violet got to the top and rang the bell. The boys who were chanting and I started to 'woo!'. Mr. Owen rolled his eyes. "Shut up, maggots!" We all quickly stopped. "Fine. No laps for Violet Maggot. Next!"

It was now the boys turn to climb. I was third and once it was my turn, I gripped onto the rope and climbed to the top of the rope. I rang the bell then slid down. The rope hurt my hand, so I regret sliding down the rope, but what's done is done.

It was the end of the school day. I got in the bus and Violet was already there. I sat down next to her and looked away. It seemed like she didn't want to talk, as she had her headphones on and was probably listening to music. But I felt a small hand, tapping on my shoulder. I turned to Violet. "I— I wanted to say thanks.." she said, quietly. "For what?" I asked. "In gym class.. I wish you didn't catch me though.. maybe I could've broken my neck, maybe I could've been free from this awful world." She said that so quietly, I thought I misheard her. "What? Violet, don't say those things. I don't really know you, but you seem amazing. Even though, we don't really know each other, I'd be sad if you were gone. You- you're different. Than all these blank happy people. You're special. And you're very interesting. I can tell that already. So don't think those kind of things, because if you were gone, I could tell I'd be very bored with this world." Then, for the first time, she looked into my eyes and smiled softly.