It's Just That Crazy

Chapter 4- Lights Out

Chapter 4- Lights Out

Gym is the most stress relieving class I have this Semester. On a normal day that statement is true. However, today, it couldn’t be further from the truth. After kissing a guy I barely knew on the check right before first period and having to face him again last period, I just wanted to die. He probably thinks I’m some kind of weirdo now and will never speak to me again. And that sucks, because he’s my only friend in P.E and I kind of like him.

Coach Kane has already taken down the Volleyball net and is letting the class enjoy a little free time before the end of the day. However, these last few minutes have been agonizing. Brent and I have not had much time to acknowledge each other in the past hour and now that we have the chance I’m worried he won’t look at me.

As soon as he comes out of the locker room I’m gonna go straight up to him and apologize for my earlier behavior. I’m such an idiot.

I’m sitting in my normal clothes with my stuff next to me on the bleachers watching the locker room door open and close with people exiting. Brent has yet to make his appearance and just sitting here waiting  is driving me insane.

I dig through my bag and pull out a book I got at the library earlier today and flip through the first pages: Love in the Time of Cholera. Maybe this book can take my mind off of things.

I start reading and I get halfway through the acknowledgements when I hear footsteps thundering up the bleachers. I look up immediately and am greeted by the smiling face of Kade Reyes, one of Brent’s best friends. I blink back in confusion for a minute trying to remember when I have ever seen him in my gym class and am still trying to figure it out when he sits down next to me.

“Hey, Summer.”

“U-uh, hey?”

“What’s the matter? You look confused,” he chuckles.

I nod my head. “Yeah. I um- have you always been in this class?”

“Oh. No. I just skipped out of math and came here to get with Brent. First day of soccer practice is after school today. We’re meeting in the gym and then going to the field.”

“Ah.” I nod my head. Makes since why he’s here then.

“So where’s he at?” Kade asks.

I look toward the door across them gym again and nod toward them. “Locker room.”

Almost as soon as I say it, he’s walking out the door with a wet head and a clean change of clothes. He looks really good. No wonder it took him so long. He showered today.

When Brent spots Kade and I sitting together he waves at us and grins. We wave back.

“Hey, what are you doing here?” he asks Kade when he reaches us and sits down on the bleachers. Kade is between us and I don’t even have the chance to talk to Brent about this morning. It is the only thing I’ve wanted to do since the beginning of gym, but no big deal. We can talk later, I guess.

“Bailed on last period,” Kade explains. “The teacher fell asleep.”

“Lucky you,” Brent says. “You ready for practice today?”

As they begin to talk about sports and whatever else that doesn’t interest me, I text Krista and make sure she’s still staying with me after school today to run. She sends back a smiley with a wink and I have my answer. She gets to look at the football team again, of course she’s staying.

I occasionally listen in on Brent’s and Kade’s conversation, but it’s all Soccer, soccer, soccer and I focus on the first page of my book again. Okay, acknowledgements. No one ever reads them but I do, just for that reason, no one else does. They are there for a reason.