Insecure

Anxiety

Seth Pov:

The sun is setting as the boys file in from basketball practice. All of them are exhausted and dragging their feet across the floor.

" Coach was doing the most today. He was yelling for no reason." Daniel whines.

" Give him a break. I think he's still upset from the divorce he got over the summer." I explain, giving him my signature smile.

Daniel sighs, " That doesn't mean he should take it out on the team."

" I guess." I grab my clothes and walk towards the shower. " If I just got a divorce I would be worse than coach."

The door to the locker room cracks open. Everyone freezes in place as their eyes fix on the door. The assistant coach pops his head in. All the guys take a sigh of relief and relax against the lockers. " Coach wants to see Seth." I mentally roll my eyes but on the outside I just nod my head. " Sure thing." Daniel is snickering in the background as I make my way back to the gym. He's lucky I'm leaving.

I enter the gym and I see Coach yelling at his phone. Oh God, why me? He hangs up on the person he was talking to and taps his foot impatiently, as he waits for me to get to him. " Seth, I want you to clean up this gym before cheer gets here."

My eyes turn into giant saucers. " By myself?" I ask. He looks at me like I'm crazy. " No with the ghost that roam the halls... Yes by yourself!" He barks.

I regret asking because it looks like he's about to rip me open . " Just making sure." He shakes his head and massages the creases in between his eyes. He walks away without saying another word. I look around to see the empty bottles of water on the floor and the equipment scattered everywhere. I have good people on my team but they are some real slobs. I mean drink the water and throw it away. Is it that hard? They are always leaving me behind to clean up. One day, I'm just gonna leave and see how they like it. I begin gathering the equipment as the cheerleaders enter the gym. They are all laughing about something.

" Ewww, do you actually dress like this." One of the girls, wearing too much make up says. The other girls join in.

" I bet she gets her clothes from the salvation army."

" Look at her hair it smells like old sewage." The girl they're talking about is standing in the center of their circle with a clipboard in her hand, gradually shrinking back into the corner. She can't be more than 5' 2. She's a midget compared to my 6'2 stature. I can see her shaking from all the way back here. I don't know why but I'm suddenly angered by this. I put the equipment down and make my way over there. From up close, I can see what the other girls were talking about, but you don't have to make her feel bad about it. I enter their circle.

"Ladies, don't you think it's too late in the day to be bullying someone?" I point out.

" We weren't bullying her." One of them says.

" Really? Cause last time I checked telling someone they smell bad wasn't a compliment." I smirk.

One of the girls who was leaning up against the wall rolls her eyes and calls the girls over. She must be the leader.

I turn to check on the girl but she drops the clipboard and takes off running out the door. I turn back deciding whether I should go after her or continue cleaning up. I decide to finish what I started, but I don't have to chase her far because she falls flat on her face in the middle of the hallway. She folds herself into a ball, holding her nose. " Are you okay?" I try to help her up but she shrugs me off. She sits up on her own.

" You can leave." She mumbles.

"No, why were those girls messing with you?" I ask ignoring her previous statement.

" You don't have to pretend to care." She says while turning her head away from me. I let out a frustrated sigh. I turn her head back to face me. A deep shade of blush rises to her cheeks when she focuses on me. I notice for the first time that she doesn't look too bad. She has more of a cute factor, with her large brown eyes and hair and petit frame and chubby cheeks.

" I'm their manager." She whispers. I wouldn't have caught it if I wasn't paying attention. I scrunch my nose up. " and they treat you like that?" She nods her head.

" It's normal. I don't want to drag someone else into it." She states, while removing my hand from her face. " I can take care of myself." She stands up and starts to head back to the gym. I catch up with her.

" what's your name?" I don't know why I'm so interested in her but I don't feel comfortable leaving her alone.

" Isabelle."

"That's a nice name." She smiles a little, but quickly hides it. I frown. " You should smile more often. It suits you." She looks up at me surprised I noticed. I smile down at her and pat her head. " So what are you, a freshmen?" I ask.

"No, I'm a junior." My mouth almost hits the floor. " you're a junior. You're in my grade? I've never seen you around before."

She shrugs. " I get that a lot." We enter the gym and I'm reminded that I have to clean up. I run my hand through my hair, suddenly feeling tired. " I have to finish cleaning up but feel better. Okay?" She nods her head. I begin to walk away but remember something. " oh and my names seth." I give her a genuine smile. She mouths the word thank you before the cheer coach calls her over. I really want to see her smile more.