Running Into You

Chapter 5

Henry

I must have lost my ever loving mind. Instead of going over the football plays like I am supposed to, I spend most of my time talking to the football players and watching her bite her nails with a glazed look staring off in the distance. I'd give anything to know what she's thinking about. Why is she not talking with the other girls? Does she not have friends? Why do I care? I notice Caleb watches her a lot too. I wonder if they are a couple. It would make since that she would have a boyfriend. I know she is a senior and they sometimes have steady relationships. I wouldn't know I was too busy with getting a football scholarship to worry about having a girlfriend. I didn't have a real relationship until my sophomore year in college with a cheerleader named Amy, but when I didn't want to play football anymore she didn't want to date me anymore.

Once third period is over my nervous energy is spent. I put my watch back on. With fourth period being my free period I usually take this time to go somewhere to eat, but today I'm not hungry. I'll just pick something up on my way home. A few of the kids that can get out of class will workout in the weight room. It is strictly for students who play sports for the school. I think I will head over there now. I walk in and see Caleb bench pressing. I start picking up dumbbells off the floor and putting them back on the rack. I hear the bar leave the rack unsteadily and I look up to make sure he is going to be okay. His face has turned red and the right side is higher than the left as he struggles to lift the bar back onto the rack. I hurry over to grab the bar.

"I GOT THIS!" he yells and I pull my hands back, but stay close. He struggles, but gets it up and I help him rack it and step back to give him room. I can tell he is pissed about something.

"Hey man, you want to talk about it?" I ask.

I see red in his eyes as he glares at me. He sits up and swings his legs over the side of the bench. "Yeah man, when did you start talking to Emma and all? I know you are new here and all, but let me tell you something, teachers don't talk to students here. You got that?"

"Talk to students? Emma? Caleb if I have to talk to the students I talk to the students just as I talk to you and the other players." I have no idea where this is going.

"No, I don't mean talk," he explains shaking his finger in the air trying to think of the right word, "I mean flirt or what not. It's not cool."

I put my hands up and step back, "Hey man, I have NOT been flirting with any of the students. Who have you been talking to?"

"I haven't been talking to anyone. I've seen you laughing and caring on with her."

"Is Emma the girl in the last class? Is that your girlfriend? I have not been flirting with her. She has a problem and I have to address it."

"Yeah, I know. She doesn't want to shower during gym. I've talked to her about it and no she is not my girlfriend, but she is my friend and I will not let you or anyone else hurt her," he says glaring at me.

"I am not going to hurt her or anything like that. I am a teacher and all I do is teach and that is it. I am sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. The situation is handled and I would appreciate it if you did not go around telling people I flirt with the students."

"I won't say anything. Sorry. I saw you guys laughing and I don't know, there is something about her. I can't stand it when guys talk to her, even teachers." He says staring at a forty pound dumbbell he is rolling back and forth with his foot.

"Dude, you have a major crush and you cannot get jealous especially if you are not talking to her, as you put it."

"I know, but she just doesn't see me that way. I want her to look at me like she looks at you."

"So she has you in the friend zone, huh?" I ask as I pick up another dumbbell avoiding his eyes.

"Yeah, badly," he picks up the dumbbell at his feet and starts doing bicep curls with it.

"Have you asked her out? You know football players are considered a real catch in this town."

"It wouldn't matter to Emma. She doesn't care about football." He moves the dumbbell to his other hand and starts curling again.

"How did you fall for the only person in this entire town who doesn't like football?"

"Tell me about it. It's just something from her past that turned her from it. By the way, are you going to make her take showers?" He asks putting the dumbbell back on the floor.

I roll my eyes and pick it up to put it on the rack where it belongs. "Yes, she will have to take showers like the rest of the students. She doesn't get special treatment."

"That's good." He smiles as he lays back down on the bench and grabs the bar.

"Why's that?"

"Because now she will hate you," he answers with a smile and lifts the bar up again.