I'm Sorry (Not Really)

Chapter Six

   

Rumor, rumor

In the halls,

Who will favor,

Who will fall?

~A. F.

       It only took me a few weeks to gain power in the school. All the students here are so mindless that they'll listen to anyone the moment they produce some cash or gossip. Now, I'm on top, everyone listens to me. Chad and his friends avoid me at all costs, I even caught them jumping into a trash can in the hall because they didn't want to see me. I mean, it's not like I did anything other than getting ahold of all their numbers and sending them their own address warning them not to get in my way. Not that I'm complaining about their behavior, it's just so pitiful.

          When I first became popular Samuel tried to tell me that I didn't want to be seen with him, and insisted that I don't hang out with him, too bad for him, I don't listen. As far as everyone else is concerned Samuel is just using me for popularity even though it's me who's using him (not for his popularity though) but acting innocent and like I don't hear the rumors gains me attention and sympathy. Annoyingly enough Samuel reassures me every day that he's not using me, honestly, he's such a big baby. Why do I keep him around? Oh yeah, because he's cute and safe.

          I huffed slightly, staring at the words on my worksheet. It's not that it's hard, it is just so easy. Busy, mindless work for me. I glanced over at Samuel and saw his brow furrowed in concentration, lips parted ever so slightly as he mouths the words he's reading. His eyes were shining with frustration, not understanding I assume. After a quick moment of deliberation, I scoot my desk closer to his, causing him to look up at me with surprise.

          "Samuel, let me help." I took his pencil from him without waiting for a response and changed the wording on the paper, writing notes that I knew would help his line of thinking. Samuel isn't dumb, he's actually quite smart, he just thinks much differently from the rest of the world and no one cares enough to stop and explain things to him in a way he'll understand. I felt his eyes following my hand as I wrote and marked out certain things.

          He waited a few minutes then sheepishly murmured, "Thank you." I stopped writing and looked up at him, his pale skin was slightly reddened and he wasn't looking at me. I set his pencil down with a clatter and pushed his paper closer to him.

          "No need to thank me," I said slowly leaning away from him, "Tell me if that makes more sense to you."

          His eyes scanned the paper and a slight smile graced his face the more he read, "Mo Dhia!" Some sort of Irish exclamation, "It makes much more sense now!" I couldn't help but smile when he looked at me, his eyes no longer shining with tears but with joy and understanding, "Thank you so much, Thomas!" Before I had time to reply or react he hugged me. Hugged me!

          I stiffened with shock as he hastily let go and pushed me back slightly as if I was the one doing the hugging. He looked down bright red now and mumbled a 'sorry'.

          It took me a few moments to shake off the shock, but once I did I smiled brightly, one of my most artificial smiles, "It's okay Sam, you were just excited! I'm glad I was able to help." I scooted my desk back to where it was, trying to ignore the way Samual cringed from the scrape of metal on metal. I avoided looking at or talking to him for the rest of the period. Class couldn't've have ended soon enough, though as soon as it did I was surrounded by the overly perfumed and perky cheerleaders. While some of them are pretty hot, I'd probably end up killing one because they're all so annoying.

          Another thing that annoys me is that Samuel is always trying to sneak off, I have to practically drag him along so I can make sure he's still with me. Though just this once I am glad he's not following me because I'm still recovering from that hug. My heart dropped again just thinking about it made goosebumps cover my arms.

          "Oh no!" One of the cheerleaders whined I think her name is Windy, "Tommy, are you cold?" I felt her poke my arm where the goosebumps had arisen. I shivered involuntarily, but not from the cold, from the feel of her nasty fingers on my skin. Who knows where those have been. Sadly, she took it as confirmation that I was cold and decided to loop herself around my arm, thus inspiring her 'friends' to do the same to my other arm. I now had Windy hanging off of my right arm and three other girls handing off my left, not to mention the hoard of girls that still stood in a semicircle facing me.

          I faked a smile and thanked them, looking at them with a movie star-worthy smile. They all fawned and leaned further on me, I swear I'm going to fall at this point. I glanced at each one of them as they talked, causing them to flush red when I did. I internally rolled my eyes, still keeping up the preppy front.

          Feeling someone watching me from afar I looked up from the cheerleaders and for once, I felt my smile slip. Samuel was watching me, his eyes glinting with an emotion I couldn't place, he was definitely upset though. And then it hit me, he sees us as close friends and I just freaked out when he hugged me, completely ignored him. Yet, when almost complete strangers come up to me and hang all over me, I let them, I even smile and laugh with them. That's what he sees and for some reason the thought of Samuel being upset made my chest ache and my heart pound. I rubbed my fingers against my palm and realized my hands are sweaty but they feel so cold.

          Pounding heart, aching chest, sweaty hands, and cold sweat... am I having a heart attack? Oddly enough, this thought wasn't as worrying as I thought it'd be, all I could think of was how upset Samuel looked, which didn't make any sense.

          One of the girls on my left noticed I was staring off and followed my line of vision, "Oh... you're looking at him. The weird Irish kid, I bet you only hang with him to get in good with the teachers or is it some elaborate joke to make him go back to where he's from?" For some reason, I became increasingly angry with every word she said against him. There really isn't a logical reason why, everything she said was true. I am just using him for my own gain.

          I shook her off angrily, which made her yelp in surprise, I then did the same to the others and didn't even bother saying goodbye before pushing through the crowd of girls and running off.