The Outsider

1

   I watched the boys played football. I didn't uderstand what was so great about football, it was just kicking a ball. In fact, I didnt undertand sports at all. I don't see what's so fun about hitting a ball with a stick or seeing if you can get a ball in a hoop. It seems pointless.

   I watched Mia, Julie, Megan, Rachel, Sarah and Caitlin gossip in the corner of the field. I didn't understand why gossiping was so fun to do. You're talking about someone or something behind their back. And what are you going to do when they find out? You'll probably feel guilty but you'll try and hide it because there might be people around and you want to act cool to impress them.

   I watched Hannah, Emily, Zoey, Lia and Bethany take a selfie together, pulling duck faces. I didn't understand why most girls liked doing that thing. Do they think boys find that attractive? I don't. It just looks silly.

   I watched Paul, Sid and Kyle fight with a crowd forming to watch it. I didn't understand why people liked watching fights. If they're not careful then someone could get hurt and there were people cheering and encouraging them to fight more.

   Then I watched Ryan, Isabel, Seth and Tori laugh at something on Katie's phone. No one ever shows me funny stuff on their phones. Sometimes I wished that people would do that. It would be nice. I would like it. But no one does it to me. No one.

   I watched Tyler and Jill walk around the field, holding hands, chatting, giggling and stopping to have a quick kiss. No one had ever asked me out on a date. No one would even ask me to go and hang out with them.

   I watched as Willow ran to Luna, Morgan and Sandra. No one ever comes up to me, well some people do. Jack, Elijah, Dylan, Ben and Stanley come up to me. But they just bully me. They pull my hair, call me names, punch me, kick me, push me down the hill. I want someone to talk to me, be nice to me, be my friend. I try to talk to people but they just ignore me and walk away, leaving me alone. The boys don't think I'm cool, the girls think I'm weird. I don't think anyone likes me.

   I layed down on the grass then turned onto my stomach. I fiddled with the grass and imagined what it would be like to be popular. To actually have people who would like me. To actually have friends, real friends that won't betray me.

   People would say my name when I come into the room. Girls would have crushes on me. I would have some people to talk to. Actually, I have a lot of people talking to me. People would want to be my partner in activitie and I'll have to choose someone because there'll be a lot of people asking. I'll be able to know what is happening around the school and on social media. It would be great.

   I sighed, turned on to my back and sat up, knowing that this will never happen. I'll never be popular.

   "Hey Zach." It was Jack. I turned my head towards the sound and I saw Jack leading Elijah, Dylan, Ben and Stanley up the hill. I knew what was going to happen. It happened every day.

   I just stared at them coming towards me, I didn't know what to say.

   "What did I say about sitting on this hill." Jack pushed me. I stumbled down the hill, hearing laughter in back round . Thump.  I've stopped rolling. I sat up. I've got grass stains on my white shirt, again. Everyone was staring at me. The boys have stopped playing football. Mia, Julie, Magan, Rachel, Sarah and Caitlin stopped their gossiping. Hannah, Emily, Zoey, Lia and Bethany were filming me on Hannah's phone. Even Paul, Sid and Kyle had paused their fight just to watch me.

   Everyone was laughing, the sound of laughter echoed through my ears. It's okay, I was used to it; but everyone acted like this was all new. It wasn't. It was old.

   The bell went and everyone started flooding back into the school. The laughter calmed down and everyone was just talking to each other while I was on the floor, waiting for the bullies to go.

  I heard them running down the hill, the footsteps getting louder and louder. I knew what was coming next.

   "Nerd!" Jack shouted at me as he kicked me in the back and walked off laughing. I sighed, climbed up the hill, got my bag, ran down the hill and walked to my next lesson.