The New Kid

Chapter 16

I was working on a sketch of Christian. Sorry, not sorry. He had a handsome face and all-around features. He was the perfect subject. I was trying to sketch him from memory, which I didn't do too poorly at. I decided to text him and ask why he seemed so moody today because he wasn't anywhere to be found the rest of the day after lunch. He was usually so chipper. In fact, lately, when I was in a seemingly bad mood, he helped me get out of those moods with the simple fact that he was an upbeat person. But I wanted to be that for him too. That's what friends were supposed to do, right?

Me: Hey, you doing alright? You didn't seem like yourself at lunch today.

*minutes later*

Christian: I'm doing fine, thanks for asking.

Me: That's what girls tend to say when they are NOT fine.

Christian: Ha, okay, so I'm NOT fine.

Me: Do you want to talk about it?

Christian: Run-in with a football teammate at the lockers this morning, then at practice.

Me: What happened??

Christian: Basically he hates my guts. 

Me: Why?? You seem to be Mr. Likable.

Christian: Thanks. But he and I have a bad history. Believe it or not, he actually likes Clara. One of her exes. Bad blood for the team. 

I'm tempted to ask more, but I don't want to make his mood worse. Maybe he'll tell me more later.

Me: Oooof. Okay. Good luck sorting that all out. Call me if you wanna talk.

Christian: I am starting to sense you don't mind being in the middle of drama. :P

Me: Whaaat? Psshhhh, nah of course not. ; )

Christian: TTYL :P

..............................

Dad had the day off, so the next morning he's joined Reagan and I at the breakfast table, which was nice for a change. "Dad, how's the job going," I pipe up over oatmeal and blueberries. Mom's pouring herself a cup of coffee, but listening in. "It's good Avalon, I upgraded to my own office. Seems to be a pretty organized company." I like when my dad is more himself, more relaxed. That makes me happy. I down my last gulp of orange juice, and hug dad, Reagan, and my mom good-bye. "Love you guys! I wanna be a little early for school!" With that, I'm out the door. 

"Robin, how's it going this fine day?" I ask all enthusiastically, patting the dashboard. Yes, I sometimes talk to my car. I can't believe I'm such a morning person today. I hop in and start my commute to school. I wonder if Christian's day will be any better - I miss his cheery self. I'm walking down the hall to my locker when I see Ty and Drew and to my amusement they're chatting with Sylvia. I'm such a matchmaker, I think to myself. I lean against Sylvia playfully and go, "Hey fraaands!" Everybody smiles at my antics and we talk about whatever.

"You're in a good mood today," Sylvia notices. I shrug, and give a half-smile, "I'm happy, I guess." 

The bell rings and I hurry to English. There, Christian is tapping his pencil on his desk. I can't tell what kind of mood he's in yet. Clara is busy talking to her friends, thankfully she doesn't seem to notice me. "Hey Christian, doing okay today?" I ask sincerely. He looks up at me for the first time, and he's got a black eye. "Oh shoot!" I say,  covering my mouth. "Christian, what happened?" I whisper intensely. 

He reaches up to touch his puffy eye, gently. "I chose not to get into a fight, but that didn't stop Brock, my teammate, from punching me." I turned around in my seat before I got both of us into trouble. I think other students around us started to notice Christian's black eye - there were hushed words and whispers. Who knows what rumors were starting to spread. 

I just didn't get why Christian, being as big and strong-looking as he did, chose not to do anything. Surely he didn't ask for it.

Tuckett walked into the classroom and immediately noticed Christian's fresh black eye. She came over and knelt down by his desk. "Christian, what happened? You need to go to the nurse's office." I interrupted their conversation, "I'll volunteer to make sure he gets there okay." Tuckett gives me a nod and goes back to the front to start the lesson. Christian shoots me a look but I don't care.  He grudgingly grabs his stuff and gets up to go and I follow after, gaining Clara's evil stare as we cross the room. A few of the kids go, Ooooh. I practically have to drag Christian to the nurse's office to get him looked at and make sure he gets an ice pack. The nurse dismisses me to talk to Christian alone in her office. I look back at him before I go back to class.

"Wish me luck this week," he said. "Everyone is going to make up their own stories about why I have a black eye. You know how rumors go." 

I nod and get back to English.