Number 12

Chapter 2

Sam’s POV

I hate my life. I hate my Father. I hate Jake. I hate Summer. I hate this. I hate the stares I get for being a girl football player and being new. The cheerleaders immediately hate me but I don’t care. I pulled on torn shorts and another football shirt before heading to the kitchen. I grabbed a bagel and sat down at the table.

‘Do you want a lift to school?’ Jake asked me when he walked in.

‘No’ I said.

‘It’s a mile to school’ he said.

‘So’ I snapped and he shut up after that. I have a fear of cars but I won’t tell that to anyone. I left moments later not wanting to have another stupid conversation with Summer. I hate her so I give her short answers all the time. The first person I saw was Cody.

‘Anderson, where is your brother’ he asked.

‘He’s not my brother and does it look like I care where he is’ I snapped.

‘That’s the attitude I like, come and join the rest of the team’ he gestured to the team.  I immediately hit off with Cody and Luke who are both wide receivers. They have a similar sense of humour to me.  I watched Jake and his girlfriend, Jamie the cheerleader. Jake isn’t a player like most footballers as he really likes Jamei. She is the typical cheerleader, fan tan and long hair. I would fit right in but I chose not to.

I slide into my seat in Health and instantly regretted it. Jake sat next to me. He really is Mr Perfect. Everything is organised, he is running for class president which he probably will get as everyone seems to like him. He starts to say something but I glare at him and he shuts up.

‘James would you please be the first to present your research?’ Ms Wilson called and a sandy haired boy stepped forward and pulled up a PowerPoint labelled Domestic violence which I guessed was the topic of the project.

‘I did the Jameson family. There were twin daughters who were eight at the time and a four year old son in the car along with the Father and Mother. Their car was found wrecked on the side of the street. The Father abused the Mother when she was driving and it is assumed the fight got out of hand. The car crashed, he shot her and them him in the head as well as the two children. The third was missing. She is assumed dead as she would have been shot too’ James summarized.

I hate stories like this. I wish that there were no relationships like this but it happens. I control my breathing so that I didn’t storm out of the class again. I didn’t listen to the rest of the presentations. All I can remember is that Jake did one on a family called the Johnsons. Ms Wilson gestured for me to stay after class.

‘I’m sorry for your loss’ she said.

‘It was eight years ago, I don’t want your sympathy’ I snapped walking out towards P.E.

Coach had told me that I had to change in the girls changing room for training so I might as well get used to it as I had to use it now. Most of the girls were already there and gossiping in the corner.

‘She spends all her time with guys, she must be lesbian or something as I heard she has never had a boyfriend’ one said.

‘Why is she so famous? My dog can throw a ball and tackling isn’t that hard’ another said.

‘She is so up herself’ another said.

‘She so up herself. She is such a bitch’ I said imitating one of them. They all turned around at the sound of my voice.

‘But at least I don’t stand on the side shaking my ass and waving pom-poms and then hook up for one night with boys’ I smirk at them and turn was to let them have a meltdown among themselves.