Phoenix (boyxboy)

Chapter 7

A/N: Oops, I almost forgot to post this chapter 😅. Sorry, here's chapter seven for you guys, thank you all for reading and taking the time to read my book 💕

“It’s nice to see you this morning,” He said in a not-so-friendly tone that made my whole body shudder, but not in a good way. Maybe I should have skipped out on school today.

“I’m surprised you didn’t run away, guess he learned his lesson,” Nick said with a chuckle and Blythe smirked and took a few steps closer to me. My feet started to back away out of instinct and stopped whenever my back bumped into the wall behind me.

“You know I really hate cowards like you. Why don’t you fight back?” Blythe growled and his eyes glared daggers straight though me, sending several terrifying shivers down my spine. “Fight me!” He yelled at me and I flinched as he raised his fist, embracing for impact.

“Captain, the coach is looking for you, he says it’s important,” Someone said as they came around the corner and I thought for a moment that Blythe would pull away. To my relief, he did.

I let out a small sigh on accident and I immediately regretted it whenever his foot came flying into my stomach. I gasped and clutched it tightly, squeezing my eyes shut. That was my fault.

“You got lucky today, but you won’t be next time,” He growled and left with the rest of his gang.

Luckily his kick didn’t hurt as bad as I originally thought, but it still hurt. I shouldn’t have let my guard down so easily. I stood up straight and this time I was able to bear with the pain without having to do anything. I guess my pain tolerance is starting to build itself up. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.

I stayed there for a moment, calming down my nerves. It took several moments, but once I was ready, I made my way into the school and went to my last class, looking for my bag.

Only a few people roamed the halls since most of them were still in the cafeteria and the landing, hanging out until it was time for everyone to head to class. I never hung out in those places though, it’s always too crowded and I always have to go to the back of the school in the morning anyway.

The classroom door was wide open whenever I reached it, so I took this opportunity to slip inside while I had the chance and without anyone noticing.

First, I checked to see if it was in my seat, but of course, it wasn’t there. I continued to scan the room, hoping to catch a glimpse of the black bag with red trim all around it.

“Yes!” I whispered and jogged over to the counter where it sat on top in the corner. I grabbed the bag and hurried back out of the room before the teacher came back and saw me. For some reason teachers have this weird rule of being in the classroom whenever they aren’t there.

Especially before we were even allowed to enter the classrooms.
I started walking towards my first class at the opposite end of the school, grateful that I still had plenty of time to make it to class without worrying. The halls started filling up almost immediately whenever the bell rang and everyone swarmed their way out of the landing.

I passed the familiar looking lockers and kept my eyes down on the ending tiles on the floor, not daring to look up and accidentally look the wrong person in the eye.

I continued to wander down the halls lined with red lockers that I absolutely loved. Even though I love the color red because it reminds me of fire, a comforting thing for me, sometimes it can be scary. Like blood. I don’t like blood.

As I made my way to the classroom, I stopped, remembering that I told Jackson I would meet up with him later. I forgot he still doesn’t know his way around. Who would after one day?

I continued to walk whenever some people started yelling at me to keep moving because I was in the way. I apologized and moved out of their way, thinking about where Jackson may be. Surely he still wouldn’t be outside.

Maybe I should go to class first, someone probably helped him get there. I mean, people were all over him yesterday, I’m sure anyone would gladly help.

Well, anyone other than Blythe and them, but all the girls seem to love him. And some of the guys.
I walked down the now crowded hall, weaving in and out of the larger groups of people. I turned down a few familiar corners and saw the classroom door I was searching for. I squeezed my way in through a few other students and made my way to my seat in the back corner of the room.

Sitting in the seat beside my usual seat, was Jackson, messing with his laptop that the school provided for him yesterday in the second to last class.

Phew, I’m glad he made it here on time today. Though, I’m sure he wouldn’t have been in trouble if he was, Mr. Heart is a pretty lax teacher for the most part.

I set my stuff down on the back of the chair and sat down. Jackson’s head turned at the sudden movement, I could now see his blue eyes as clear as day.

“Did you remember where to go this time?” I ask and he shook his head in response.

“No, but someone saw that I looked lost and helped me out. Will you be my guide again today? It’s going to take some time to memorize this place.” Jackson said with the cutest smile, I couldn’t help but return it.

“Yeah, of course,” I replied and he thanked me just as the bell rang and Mr. Heart started class, silencing all the conversations throughout the room.

~~

I sat in the bathroom stall in the boy’s locker room, waiting for everyone to leave and head out to the gym. It’s now third period, physical ed. I don’t like PE, not only do I dislike exercising, but everyone is required to change.
I never change with everyone else, though, I always change in stall by myself. I’m not comfortable changing in front of people, and I don’t want anyone to see my bruises either, people would question them.

Also, I don’t think my mind would be able to handle a bunch of half-naked boys.

All I could hear were the loud noises of people play-fighting and teasing each other about their girlfriends and what they did last weekend or what they planned on doing next weekend. Most of them talk about some very vulgar things that I would rather not ever repeat. Some of it I don’t even understand, and I don’t want to either.

A few minutes passed by and the voices died down as everyone slowly left the locker room once they were done changing. I then started changing myself, trying to hurry so I wasn’t the very last person, usually the girls took longer than the boys. So I had some extra time to get dressed.

I slipped off my jeans and replaced them with silky sweatpants, then slipped off my sweater and put on a matching jacket over my under shirt, making sure my skin and wrist was still completely covered.

Once I finished I headed out of the stall and made my way to my locker to put my regular clothes inside.

Just as I was about to close my locker, I heard another locker shut from the other end of the locker room.

I guess it wasn’t empty after all.
Slowly, I peered my head around the corner to see someone one wearing a pair of black basketball shorts and no top.

I blushed at the sight of their bare, toned back. He had to be a jock, no doubt about that. He looked like he hit the gym every day. Usually all the jocks leave together, why is he still here?
The guy then put on his shirt, pulling me out of my thoughts and I quickly turned my attention elsewhere and closed my locker, ready to leave now.

“Are you finally going to join the rest of the class?” A familiar voice teased as the figure leaned against the lockers, looking at me with a blank face, but his eyes looked amused.

“Y-yeah,” I replied to Jackson and quickly looked away from him, even though he now had a shirt on.

So, it was Jackson. I saw Jackson… Shirtless.

His body is even better looking than I thought, although, I only saw his back. I wonder what his-

“We should go before people start getting weird ideas about what we’re doing in here, alone,” He said before walking out of the locker room, me following close behind.

What does he mean by that?
I wondered what he could have possibly meant as I followed him into the gym and sat with the rest of the students sitting in the middle of the room, waiting for the coach to tell us what exercises we’re supposed to be doing today. Although, I definitely won’t be joining. It’s not like the coach pays much attention anyway.

I glanced around for Jackson, but it didn’t take long to spot him since he was surrounded by a group of students. Mainly girls. Most of the guys wanted him on their team and a lot of the girls just wanted to flirt. Even Jewl.

I’ve never really talked to Jewl personally, but I’ve heard a lot of rumors about her in my classes. Everyone says she’s the nicest person in school and one of the most beautiful. I agree, she is beautiful, but I’m not attracted to females, so I’ve never really thought much of it.

“Alright weaklings, team up and start your stretches before you take your twelve laps! I don’t want anyone getting any cramps on me, I ain’t going to baby you and take you to the nurse’s office if you do. Go,” Coach Reed yelled out to everyone before blowing his whistle. Immediately, everyone started teaming up. I got to my feet and discreetly made my way from the group of students while the coach started playing whatever game he usually plays on his phone.

I slid into my usual spot behind the bleachers and sighed in content, happy to be in my little safe spot away from everyone else. I don’t even know why I change if I just hide the whole time. I guess it’s so the coach sees me in the group, but I don’t think he’s really paying attention of who’s really there and who’s not.

I sat down on the wooden gym floor and leaned my head up against the brick wall, covered in a heavy coat of grey paint. Except for the spot that had the school’s mascot painted on it.

Closing my eyes, an image of my red-orange fire flashed through my mind, calming me down further. Even though I couldn’t use my abilities at school, or at home really, sometimes just thinking about it makes me feel better. I don’t know why, it just does.

It makes me feel safe and comfortable, so I continued to think about as I started drifting off into a light sleep.

That is, until the memory of Jackson in the locker room flooded into my thoughts instead.

I blushed at the thought and tried to erase the image from my mind, but it didn’t work. It just kept coming back and I kept thinking about it in more detail. Every defined muscle, every movement he made that flexed his back and arms muscles, making them look far more attractive than what should be legal.

I shook my head and slapped my face with my hands, trying to erase any bad thoughts from my mind. Not that I had many… I don’t exactly know much about.. Relationships except for what we were taught in middle school and what I over hear people saying about their love lives.

Although, it doesn’t sound much like love, it sounds more like heart break and people bragging about how far they’ve gotten.

I leaned forward and peaked through the small crack between the seats of the bleachers. Everyone seemed to be resting after such a long run, though, some of them seemed unfazed. I’m sure some of them just walked, though.

My eyes almost immediately landed on Jackson. He was surrounded by the same group of people from earlier, but he wasn’t looking at them. His eyes were towards me.

Did he know I was here? I wouldn’t be surprised if he watched me hide over here. I noticed he’s been watching me a lot lately.

A smile appeared on his face the longer I stared, I quickly looked away, thinking he caught me staring at him.

There’s no way he could see me through the bleachers though, right?

I leaned back against the wall, biting my inner lip subconsciously while in thought.

“Mind if I join you?” A voice asked, making me jump out of my skin. I guess he did catch me. But… It wasn’t his voice.

I looked up and met a pair of dark brown orbs, staring right at my own. I was now even more surprised now then I was whenever I thought that Jackson had caught me. The person standing in front of me, was one of the last people I would have expected to ever talk to me.

I was so surprised, I couldn’t speak, I just sat there, staring at her.

Jewl took my silence as a yes and slipped in small space between the wall and the bleachers.
“It’s kind tight in here. You must not be claustrophobic,” She said with a small laugh and sat down beside me. But again, I said nothing.

What was I supposed to say? One of the people that usually hangs around Blythe is now talking to me.

This is too weird, I know people say she’s nice, but she still follows everyone else by ignoring me. Why is she talking to me now?

“You really don’t talk much. Guess the rumors are true,” Jewl said, eyeing from head to toe. I felt smaller under her gaze, even though she had done nothing to give me a bad vibe, I feel like she’s judging my every move. “Listen, I’m not here to call you out for your weird eyes or to bully you like B and Nicky do, but I am here to warn you.”

Ah, so she is here for a reason other than trying to be friendly.

“You should stay away from Jackson. I know, he’s a nice guy and all, but I’m just telling you before you get hurt. Blythe is already accepting him onto the volleyball team, and soon, he’ll be doing everything the others do. So, just prepare yourself,” She said, but her smile never dropped, in fact it grew as she stood up and brushed the dust off of her wat too short shorts. “Nice talk.”

And with that, Jewl slipped out from the bleachers and walked away as if nothing happened.

So, Jackson is joining the jocks… I should have known this was going to happen.

It’s not like I’m attached to him anyway it hasn’t even been two full days since I’ve met him.
Jewl is right, I should stay away from Jackson now before I do get attached… I knew from the beginning that someone like Jackson could never be my friend, I should let the idea go early.

Not that it was ever really an idea in the first place, now I know that it never will be.