Shattered

Chapter 5

Tuesday comes faster than I would have liked, but time stops for no man. It seems to be mocking me, at the pace it comes; as if it wants me to suffer. The sun shines through my window and I'm tempted to sneer at it. What will it take for one cloudy day?

I don't even try to look nice; I expect to cry in the bathroom again. I'm sure the signs are still up and by now everyone has seen it. I am trying to prepare for the snide remarks from my fellow classmates, but it seems that I can't grow thick skin. I show up in sweats, my white hair pulled back into a really bad version of a "lazy" bun. I walk through the halls, and I notice that no one really seems to watch me today; maybe things are back to normal again. I try to find the posters with my name on it, but they are nowhere to be found. All the walls are clear. As I walk to my math class, three soccer players run through the halls and end up slamming into me. I end up on the floor, my backpack rolling across the hallway and my schoolwork spills all over the place. I realize that I forgot to close my backpack yet again. I just sit there, staring at it all.

"Hey, it's the reject!" One of them says. He is even taller from my view on the ground. He has red hair and piercing green eyes. His face is slightly chubby, but he is big and burly- a stereotypical jock.

His friends laugh along with him. One of the boys kicks by binder halfway across the hall. He has curly brown hair and dark blue eyes. His smile comes off almost like a sneer and he crosses his arms. They smirk as I stare at them, kneeling at their feet like a loser.

I take a deep breath, careful not to blink so that I don't cry. I need to get out of here. I look around for my things and find one kid kicking my blue binder across the hallway as if he doesn't notice it. Everyone ignores me as they head to class. The three boys leave me there, laughing and patting each other on the back as if they have accomplished something great. The bell rings and soon it's just me in the hallway.

I sigh and hold my breath, hoping that will keep the tears in. I finish gathering my things now that the halls are empty and then suddenly a hand sticks my blue binder in front of my face. I'm startled, and I jump back a little. The person chuckles and I look up. There are a pair of kind green eyes that stare at me and a dimple smile to match.

"I thought you might need this." Fletch says.

I snatch it out of his hand, embarrassed that he saw all that. I don't even try to thank him. I get up and try to maneuver around him, but he blocks my way.

"No thank you?" He asks, his eyebrows rise. I clear my throat and mutter a thank you. He blocks my way again and now his eyes are worried; his lips are pulled down into a frown. "I didn't see what happened. Is everything okay?"

"I'm fine." I mumble and he finally lets me pass.

I walk into my class, exceptionally late, and everyone turns to look at me. My face turns red and I hurry to my usual spot in the back.

"Nice of you to join us Miss. Thomas." My math teacher says. Her hair is pulled back so tightly that I wonder how she doesn't hurt from it. She is old in the face, but her eyes have a kind of vexed power that could make any teenager fear her. I sink into my chair without a word and class continues as if nothing happened.

~

Lunch comes around and I sit at a new table. I'm hoping to avoid the four boys, but they seem bent on befriending me. Tom sits next to me but doesn't say anything. He just digs into his sandwich. Fletch and Jack come later, Fletch pats me on the back, as he passes by. I jump slightly in my seat and Tom laughs a little, looking at me out of the corner of his eye.

"Find all your books?" Fletch asks lightly, but his eyes have that same sympathetic look that they did this morning.

"There weren't that many to find." I mumble and stare at my food while I say it.

"Yes, but without your knight in shining armor, all hope would be lost right?" He says with a grin.

I roll my eyes and he laughs. I like his laugh; it had a nice ring to it. I shake my head free of the thought. Rob comes last and sits across from Jack. I look at him, trying to be sneaky when I get a glance. He is so pretty. I look at Jack next to see he is already looking at me. He seems to be thinking about something serious, his eyebrows furrowed and eyes focused, but then he drops his gaze.

"I watched the football game last night, what a mess." Tom starts shaking his head. "I can't believe I lost 50 bucks! They haven't lost a game all season and the one time I bet money-"

"I'm glad you did, now I can buy that new vinyl I've been drooling over." Rob says.

"You watch football, Hayley?" Fletch asks.

I just shake my head. My blood is beginning to boil. How hard is it to be left alone?

"We are going to have to remedy that." Jack says.

"No." I mutter.

There is an awkward pause and then they continue on their way.

"My dad is playing a club this weekend, are you guys still coming?" Fletch asks.

"Yeah, did we get the set time?" Rob asks.

"Yeah, he said we could play two songs after he finished with his band." Fletch responds.

"We're gonna kill it. Rehearsal this afternoon right?" Tom asks.

"Yeah. Hayley you should come listen to us, maybe we can get some insight. We all think we're pretty great." Jack grins.

The guys laugh. "We are great, that's a fact." Tom says, stuffing a piece of his sandwich in his mouth.

"Could you leave me alone? I don't want to be your friend!" The kids sitting next to us stop their conversation and turn to look at me. My face turns red and I say quietly, "I don't want to talk to you! Just...pretend I don't exist!"

I get up, my chair thumps loudly behind me and I briskly walk away. I throw my lunch away, losing my appetite, and walk out of the school just like yesterday. I know Sandy will have my head for this, but I couldn't care less.