About a Loser

Chapter 8

Gemma's POV

"You know what" I blurt out upon seeing his car, "I really, really have to leave. I'm sorry. Lot's of stuff to do. Very busy. Homework"

Shit. Shouldn't have said that last one. It's not like school has even started yet, we're still on break.

"Sure, whatever" Blisters rolls her eyes and takes my hand, pulling me along as if I was a little child.

"I really don't ..." I try to protest. I know I'm ridiculous, I know I'm making a fool out of myself and she probably thinks I'm insane, but I can't help it. No way in hell am I going to risk running across that guy again. Like, ever. I could very easily just leave now, tell mom that I'm being bullied here and she'd be so happy to hear me finally admitting it that she'd immediately let us move somewhere else again. That's why we came here in the first place after all, isn't it? To "make me feel better"?

She just doesn't understand that the problem is not with them, it's with me. I'd feel like shit no matter where she takes me.

"Two extra extra extra large cheeseburgers with everything please, and twenty chicken nuggets." I hear Blisters say to the cashier before she turns around and looks at me expectantly.

I didn't even want a burger, but I can't tell her now, can I?

She raises an eyebrow and keeps staring at me. I just stare back at her in confusion.

"So? What are you gonna get?" she asks eventually.

I hear a soft chuckle behind me and don't even have to turn around to know who it is. Or to feel the heat rising in my cheekbones and flooding my entire face with a bright firefighter-colour.

"Uhm ... Nothing. I'm not hungry" I finally manage to cough out.

Blisters just keeps staring with that one eyebrow raised, apparently waiting for me to change my opinion.

When I don't say anything, she turns back to the cashier: "And the same for her"

Before I can react – cry or run away or something ridiculous like that – I hear a deep voice behind me: "She'll have French Fries instead, please. Medium. And same for me, please."

"Why would she want medium fries?" Blisters protests, "Why would anyone want medium fries? Medium is not even a size, it's so small it's basically an imaginary unit."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night" he grins at her, handing money to the cashier – wait, did I just let him pay for my fries? No! I couldn't have! I need to give him money. Like, right now.

He's already turning around though, heading over to the soda fountain.

I should run after him and hand him a fiver or something. I really should.

But we all know that's not going to happen, don't we? I mean, after all, I'm still me.

"Wow. I wish someone would pay for my food" Blisters sighs, loud enough for him to hear.

Good opportunity, Gemma. Now's the time to say that he doesn't have to pay for you. That you don't want anyone's money. Open your goddamn mouth and say something smart.

"Good luck with that if you keep those portion sizes" he throws over his shoulder.

"Did you just call me fat?" she huffs in mock anger.

"Just an expensive potential date. You know it's true"

"Did you hear that?" she elbows me, trying to suppress a giggle, "The jerk still hasn't complimented me on my bodyweight yet. He still has so much to learn before we can let him enter the real world – by the way, did anyone else notice how obsessed coach was with the real world today?"

Loser has filled his cup with water – just plain water, nothing else – and is coming back to collect his fries. Blisters is still busy rambling on about coach and why she doesn't like him and I desperately try getting my brain to form a coherent sentence that will allow me to pay for the goddamn fries I didn't even want to buy.

His hands are nervously fiddling with the hem of his sweater and after a second, he lifts the corners of his lips to smile at me.

Focus, Gemma. Money. Paying for Fries. He doesn't have to pay for your fries. Tell him that. Be polite.

God, that smile. It's probably a fake though. I wouldn't blame him, mine definitely is when I try to imitate the expression. After all, we're supposed to feel awkward after what happened earlier this morning.

Fries. Tell him you don't need him to pay for your fries.

"Hey, how was the workout?" he asks casually.

"You don't need to pay for my fries." I blurt out, waving a fiver in front of his face.

"Uhm, okaaaay" He stretches the a in okay and now he's definitely feeling the awkwardness too. Great, Gemma, just great. Just as always, you did what you do best – you fucked up.

"I'm sorry, that was totally not an answer to your question, though you really don't, of course, so you can just take that fiver. But yeah, anyways, how was the workout? It was great, really great, I really enjoyed it, it was really nice. Everything was nice..." I trail off. I'm impressed with my brain for producing several sentences in a row, but then again the content was everything but impressive, I'm afraid.

I'm just such an embarrassment.

"Alright then, Crazy. Whatever you say."

He flashes me another smile and starts walking backwards towards a table at the other end of the room where some of his friends have already gathered. It's unfair how some people are capable of walking backwards and not knocking over fifteen chairs, twenty meals and an entire set of expensive porcelain plates in the process. Not that there would be any porcelain whatsoever anywhere near, but still.

"Trust me, the fries you're about to get aren't worth that much" he adds, flashing me one last grin before he sits down with his friends.

"Well, well" Blisters giggles as she starts dragging me towards the table where the other girls have already gathered, "I see you've already met him after all, then. I expect you to tell us everything"

Author's Note:

How did you like this chapter? Wasn't it kind of funny how Blisters ordered enough food to feed an army? That's totally me, btw!!!

Hope you're enjoying the story so far and if you do, please vote and comment :-)

Have a lovely day, everyone!