Unprecedented Attraction

The Past

Friday, August 29th 2014.

Ezra Kye Bardot. The boy who I had a huge hatred for since the age of eight. Ezra had pulled my hair, called me names, and insulted everything I had done since then. He was my childhood tormentor. I was made miserable by his constant sneers and jabs up until I was eighteen. My friends always thought his blonde hair and baby blue eyes that were sprinkled with green were the pinnacle of attraction. I, was just a victim by them. This day would be cemented into my brain as this was the day that he would preform his ultimate prank on me.

"I don't even think that an 86 is a fair score on my science project. I stayed up all night making sure my data was accurate and that it was displayed in a way as though it was clear and precise. My GPA is gonna be trashed and I'm not gonna get into Clemson." I said to Jess, my best friend.

"Oh my god. Ev-- CALM DOWN. BREATHE," Jess yelled.

"I don't know if I can. I feel like this pencil skirt is making me stress and I feel like my thighs are making a fire. I just want to go home and its only third period."

"Evelyn Parker, GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF. Unless it is shark week I don't want to hear another peep. You're going to enjoy today whether you like it or not!"

Jess was always the person that grounded me. However I was going home early that day. I had already prepared to do so because everyone was going to be preoccupied with the pep rally and I had no plans on going and showing even a sliver of support for him. Ezra was on the baseball team and the pep rally was basically introducing all of the athletes on the main teams that guys were on.. wrestling, basketball, baseball, football...you get the point. I was on the softball team waiting for Clemson to hopefully create a team, but I knew it was a long shot. Any scholarship I could possibly have a shot at getting I wanted to at least try. At our school, softball wasn't even that celebrated even if we won most of our games, we never won state. At least not since 1995. So we weren't that important. Then I would hear the message I never wanted to hear over the PA. 

"Attention all students, we have recognized that the female athletes have been feeling neglected over these past few years, thanks to the senior class bringing this to our attention. This year, ALL sports teams will be announced and introduced! See you in the gymnasium! You are dismissed to the assembly!"

I looked down at the floor. I was almost home free. I was almost able to leave. When I looked up Jess was laughing.

"Come on. I'll even cheer when they say your name!" She cackled

"I like blending in Jess. That's what I do. I'm always good but not perfect at things. That's MY THING. I HATE BEING POINTED OUT WHAT AM I GONNA DO ITS BASICALLY ATTENDANCE AND I WANNA BE ABSENT BUT I NEED THE-... what?"

Jess was blankly staring at me, "You're doing it again. We aren't spiraling again. Not after the eighth grade lunch fiasco, no way. You're going to the assembly. You'll take one step forward. Wave. Then be done and can go right back in line. 3 seconds couldn't possibly change your life forever. Not even a week. Not in this school." 

"Thanks, Jess. This is why you've been my best friend since eighth grade... See you soon." I walked off to my destiny. My fate that had already been planned for me. The incident that first made my anger bloom into hatred.

I stood in the large, loud, filled to capacity gym that was two levels. The upper deck was FILLED. I told one of my teammates I was going to be sick but she tried to tell me that was just my excitement. I thought to myself,

 "I hate being in the spotlight. Even when I am at bat there is so much pressure on me. They're expecting ME to make the game continue. As the pitcher, yes I am the most accurate and consistent pitcher we have, BUT THATS WHO I AM. I'm so consistent and steady. PREDICTABLE. I LIKE THAT ABOUT ME. I am not an extroverted star like my teammates are. They are the real stars I just get the game going. They're the real heart. They're also kinda why I love playing, they have my back. They are funny and serious all at once. We are sisters and competition rolled in one. It's kinda like--" my thoughts are interrupted by the microphone of the overly-excited student council members. 

"GOOD AFTERNOOOOOON PASTMETTO HIGHHHHHHH! WHO IS EXCITED TO SHOW SOME TIGER PRIDE TODAYYYYYYY?!?!?!?!?!??!?! I KNOW WE ARE! ALRIGHT NOW LET'S GET STARTED!!!!!!!!!!!"

The next 2 and a half hours leading up to us being introduced as literally the last team made me sweat, but I had no idea what was coming. As the MC headed my way I was calm and anxious all in one and when he finally got to me and said my name, stepped forward, and heard the words I would hate hearing for the next four years of my life. 

"EVELYN?? MORE LIKE EGG-ELYN!" 

Eggs.

My eyes widened as I saw what could only be described as the most horrific scene a high school could see, not quite a Carrie level but it was quite close. Dozens of eggs were flying towards me, raw and obviously thrown with precision considering this was the baseball team. All lead by...

"EZRA, NO!" I screamed along with some of my friends as all of the eggs made contact with me and the rest of my team grew in anger, but also trying not to encourage a further catastrophe, get expelled or put on probation for starting to swing. I stood in disbelief as the yolks and whites mixed all over my body. I ran off and the principal ended the rally early and then announced an anti-bullying seminar would be held in the PAC the following Monday. I wouldn't be attending that either. I let him win that one because I would never stoop that low. NEVER. 

The next year was spent calling each other out in class. The glares in the hallway. The rumors with seemingly no source. The praise reports from teachers. The achievements in our sports. Friends joining in. Friends crossing the line and dating the others friends. Telling each others crushes. Ruining what the other loved for them. (Ranch.... I can never look at it the same again.) and worst of all.... He was friends with my neighbor down the street. I saw him EVERYWHERE. Everything was a competition. I had to win. Better school, better future. I thought he was like a gnat that just wouldn't leave me be. I even tried several times in high school to let the feud die. Then, he would just provoke me. The way he did anything was annoying and made me jump. It was like I couldn't control myself.

At the time, I had no idea why I could never bring myself to equate to some of the things he did to me. I would come to find out later that it was because the line between hate... and love... was so so thin. A mirage of hate covered by attraction, a mirage we kept up until college.

 (Author here, that is actually true. My high school I went to hasn't won state since 1995, we have gotten pretty dang close, but not ever making it past regionals round 2... also Clemson does now have a team as of 2020.)