Forever Bound

Chapter 7

        No matter what sport we played in gym, I ended up at the nurse, if we ran it was from exhaustion, if we played basketball or football it was from a possibly broken bone, and if we played volleyball it was a broken nose. Dodge ball was no exception to the rule.

         It starts with the picking of teams, coach elects two captains and the rest of the class is lined up shoulder to shoulder nervously awaiting their fate. If you get unlucky enough to be opposite of Greg and Sully or any of the jocks you are dead. Then it's the shield, finding someone on your team that is big enough to cover you. Then it's hoping your team would win before you were hit or that when you were hit it would be on your arm. I looked at my teammates a few sizable people to use as protection but today I felt as if I did not need protection.

        Coach blew his whistle and everybody began to run. Red balls were flying everywhere, the screams of students soaring with them. A ball whizzed past my head barely skimming me; I turned around to grab it off the floor but something instinctively told me to hold out my hand instead.

        All movement in the gym came to a halt, mouths hung open, balls seized to bounce and all eyes were on the red sphere in my hand. Everyone was undoubtedly asking the same question, as I was how had I caught that? I was an uncoordinated person who could barely wall straight, how had I stopped a ball moving at top speed headed for my head. Coach blew his whistle "come on guys keep the game moving." I managed to dodge all the balls thrown my ways and even get one person out. This game was getting weirder. Nearing the end of the game my team had only two people left and the other had five. All the balls were on my side, idly lying there; neither my partner nor I was making advancement toward them. "You babies scared to touch the balls?" Greg taunted. I chewed my bottom lip the sound of his voice stirred something inside me, I bent at the knees to pick up the ball nearest to me, "oh Ms. Riley is going to give it a shot, I always knew she was fan of balls." Looking up at Greg's laughing face I lifted up my hand threw the ball. It sailed graciously through the air and made contact with the side of his head. Coach blew the whistle as Greg's ginourmous body fell to the floor.

"I CANT SEE" he screamed I stood in disbelief as everyone else rushed to his aide, how did that just happen?

        Greg was taken away by the paramedics in a gurney with supports around his neck and head, apparently the impact from my throw had given him whiplash. I spent the rest of the day hiding in crooks and corners avoiding his friends for fear of they might do to me. I succeed in the hiding until the break before fourth period when I foolishly decided to go to the bathroom. I pushed open the door with my elbow and was met by the smell of cigarettes; this was not unusual in the least bit.  

        "Well look who dared to show his face" Sully said approaching me, I swallowed hard and turned to exit but one of his friends was blocking the door. Another grabbed my bag off my shoulders and passed it around while I jumped in attempts to catch it. "Can you stop?" I pleaded panting. I was shoved into the wall and my knees gave out from under me allowing me to slide down to the floor. 

         "When Greg comes back you're going to be begging for your mommy" Tobi the hockey goalie said he made a motion to kick me but was stopped by the warning bell "come on guys I can't be late for fourth again".  My bag was thrown forcefully to me and they retreated from the bathroom.

Sully lagged behind and crouched down "You think you were so tough this morning with that witty remark huh? If it were not for Caitlin, I would beat your face to the point of unrecognizable right here right now. Greg doesn't care though; just wait until he comes back. Better start saying your prayers because not even Caitlin can save you" he blew a cloud of smoke into my face and tossed the half-smoked cigarette on me.