Different

19

I had survived the weekend and Monday with James and without Billy. I saw him around school and at practice but I didn't have any interest in talking to him. It was now Tuesday. I had Jonathan drive me to school with Nancy. I sat in the back as they argued about the color theme for the "Holiday Hop". I laughed as Nancy tried to explain colors to Jonathan.
"No we should have periwinkle not baby blue." Nancy said.
"What's that look like?" Jonathan asked.
"It's like a light blue it's really pretty." Nancy said.
"So... it's baby blue?" Jonathan said.
"No!" Nancy said. I giggled.
We pulled into the crowded school parking lot. Jonathan and Nancy got out and opened the door insisting on helping me get out. I let them open the door but I refused to let them do anything else because I was not broken. I put my crutches down and got myself out. I went to move my left crutch and it slipped under the gravel but before I could fall to the ground I was caught by James's chest. He grabbed my elbow to balance me. I pushed myself off of him and smiled at him letting my hand rest on his chest. Nancy sighed.
"So fucking stubborn." Nancy huffed. I rolled my eyes and stuck my tongue out at her. Her and Jonathan walked off leaving me and James alone. He smiled down at me.
"So are you excited for my game?" He asked.
"Of course it'll be great." I said smiling he gave me a cheeky grin back.
We walked next to each other towards the school building.As I laughed at James's jokes, I dropped my binder. James bent down to get it and when he was back to being face to face with me, we starred into each others eyes for a second. My gaze quickly shifting from his eyes to his lips back to his eyes. He slowly crept his face closer to mine. I bit my lip as he got closer and closer. Then our lips touched gently. He pulled away and looked into my eyes. I blushed and smiled and he smiled back kissing me slowly again. He pulled away a second time this time standing up straight. He rubbed his neck and chuckled I giggled back.
"Wow. You don't know how long I wanted to do that." He chuckled. I smiled back.
"Yeah me too." I said.
He kept his wide grin as we continued to walk through the parking lot. We had to walk slowly because of my crutches. Billy and his friends were gathered around his car as usual. I didn't pay any mind to them, I was too happy.
-
I hopped my way down the hall during 3rd period. I had left the class to go to the bathroom. As I made my way down the hall I heard a familiar voice.
"Dani!" The voice called. I turned my head to look behind me and see who it was. Hargrove. I rolled my eyes and continued to move.
"Daniella!" Billy called jogging to catch me.
He was fast because he was on the basketball team so I couldn't escape, especially not with crutches. Billy caught me and grabbed my shoulder lightly. I shrugged him off. He grabbed both my shoulders and pulled me into a closet next to us. He stood in front of the door and locked the handle. He pulled the chain to the light so we could look at each other.
"God I don't want to fucking talk to you Billy!" I said angrily.
"What's going on with that James kid and you?" He asked sternly.
"What? Why the hell do you care?! I was just another screw remember!" I said.
"I saw you two kiss today." Billy said.
"Oh big fucking deal! I saw you kissing girls all week!" I said.
"You think I don't know your dad broke your leg?" He asked making me freeze.
"You don't know anything about me." I said coldly.
"You think we're different?!? We're not! We're both just two scared fucking kids. You don't deserve this Dani. That asshole should be in jail!" Billy said clenching his jaw. I was angry. I was not a scared kid.
    "Fuck you Billy. You don't know anything about my life! You just wanted to get in my pants! You don't know what it's like to be me." I yelled.
   "You know what, your right.Maybe I did just want to get in your pants. Maybe I wanted to be able to say I had fucked every girl in Hawkins. You were just another whore on the check list." Billy through grit teeth. I could see he was very angry
    "Go straight to fucking hell." I said pushing past him with tears in my eyes leaving the closet.
-
It was the end of the school day. James and I walked to his car to go to his baseball game. I was happy with him. As we walked past the gaggle of dickheads Matt said something about me under his breath. I didn't acknowledge it but as I looked over I saw Billy look at me then say something along the lines of she's his whore this week. James was too busy telling me about his game to notice this.I ignore it and got into James's car to go to his game.