Something Different

Football

**Taylors Point of View**

"Did you ever find Noah?" Charlie asks me, I look up from writing down the work on the board

"Yeah, he didn't say anything about it though" I say

"Doubt he would to you" Charlie says

"What's that supposed to mean?" I shout

"Is there a problem Taylor?" Mr. Coben asks

"It's nothing" I say with an attitude

"Charlie do you have a problem?" Mr. Coben asks

"No, nothing" Charlie says

"Have you both finished writing down these key features?" Mr. Coben asks

"Yeah" We both say quietly

He continues the lesson and I continue writing the notes into my book. Charlie has stopped doing work and is just staring blankly out the window.

"Charlie?" I say cautiously

"He really likes you. Like loves, he wouldn't tell you what was wrong this morning because he wouldn't want to drive you away." She explains.

"Are you kidding?" I say to Charlie

"I don't kid!" Charlie exclaims

We continue the dull lesson learning about language features and their uses in everyday life or something, I don't know, I zoned out. I was going to give Noah a bit of space for lunch. I knew where he'd be if I wanted to talk to him, I might bother making friends this lunch. I'm not sure yet.

**RING RING RING**

"Sorry the lesson ran over, pack up your stuff and get going" Mr. Coben apologises.

"Tay, you busy this lunch?" Charlie asks

"No why?" I ask curiously

"Well, the girls have a football tournament against the other secondary schools next month and we are all looking for top players, you don't have to join if you want but we would like you to join us for Thursday football. Mr. Taylor runs it." Charlie explains

"I don't have my kit." I say

"You have shorts under your skirt right?" Charlie asks

"How do you know?" I reply

"Just wear them and Mr. Taylor will give you a spare top." Charlie explains again

"Why didn't he just do that for p.e?" I wonder

"He doesn't force kids to do p.e" Charlie says

"Is that why you like him so much?" I joke

We leave the class and go to the gym, I didn't see Noah when I left English and I didn't want to go looking for him. There were a few year 8 girls in the changing rooms so we just went to the store cupboard instead. Charlie picked me out a t-shirt that was surprisingly clean and we made our way to the changing rooms again.

These girls were surprisingly open about the whole getting changed thing. Some were just walking around in their bras and shorts. Some of the girls had nice bodies, I'm not that confident so I wonder around to the showers and get changed in there.

I walk out into the sports hall and see Charlie; she and a few other girls were stood around chatting about the latest home game which I had no idea about...

"Girls, this is Taylor, she's joining the football team." Charlie explains

"Hi..." I say nervously

"No need to be nervous Taylor. I'm Danielle but call me Dan." Dan explains

"Dan's a very open transgender." Charlie explains

"It needs to be out in the open" Dan says

"I'm Kenzie." Another girl says to me. "It's nice to meet you"

"You too" I reply

"Kirsten" Another girl says

"And I'm Haylee" The tallest girl says

"Girls" Mr. Taylor shouts "Any new faces amongst the crowd?"

I shift awkwardly which only creates more attention to me

"Do my eyes deceive me or is that Taylor Maddens?" Mr. Taylor says "Well, glad to see you're joining us, did Charlie bring you along?"

"Yeah, she also gave me this p.e top from the store. Hope you don't mind?" I say

"Not a problem. The more here the merrier" He says

Once Mr. Taylor had laid down the rules and set the game up, we got started. I was on a team with Charlie and Kenzie, I didn't know the names of the other girls but they looked like they didn't want to break a nail. Mr. Taylor blows the whistle and we get going, Kenzie, Charlie, Dan and Haylee played rough, all the other girls weren't so rough and some just stood in the same position for a whole ten minutes and ran out the way of the ball when it came to them, these types of people sucked.

**Noah's Point Of View**

I left the library a few minutes before the bell rang. This gave me an advantage of seeing Mr. Chase before anyone else. Mr. Chase taught everything, he mainly taught history but that was along with Media Studies and occasionally P.E. He was my idol, I looked up to him and he knew it, he was the coolest teacher at this school (and the only one who actually likes me)

His class exit as the bell rings and I walk in, he starts to rub off his board and I sit on one of his tables.

"You didn't go to English." He says

"How'd you know?" I ask curiously

"I got an email, plus your names highlighted on the register. Every time something happens I get an alert on Sims." He explains "What was your reasoning"

"I couldn't face it" I say "The sitting in a hot class with a bunch of dickheads laughing and joking around. The trying to focus whilst some kid is gobbing off to the teacher just because they don't want to do work. Nope, sod that"

"What're your last two lessons?" He asks

"I don't know. I've got you last." I say

"D'you wants me to look?" He asks

"Would You?" I say

"Finish cleaning the board then" He says whilst throwing the cloth at me

"Yes Sir!" I exclaim

He types a few things and clicks another then looks at me

"I.C.T. with Mr. Banks then History with me" He says

"I'll probably end up being kicked from ict because banksy hates me" I say "But I'll quite happily come to history"

"If you go and get kicked out I won't be mad. But if you don't turn up at all I will be, and this time I will phone Adam and I know how much you will hate me after that." He threatens

"Stop threatening me!" I say "You know how it makes me feel for fuck sakes." I say clenching my fists

"Noah... I'm sorry. I forgot." Mr. Chase says as he pulls me in for a hug

"It's okay." I sob

"Are you going to hide this lunch?" He asks

"I need to" I say

"I'll let you get there before the bell rings." Mr. Chase says "I'll come find you during I.C.T. okay?"

"Okay..." I say whilst walking to the door.

I walk out his room and make my way to the stairs that lead up to the hidden alcove. The bell starts to ring and I hide away in my jacket, I didn't care what happened for the rest of the day now. I wanted a Taylor hug. I needed reassurance that everything was going to be okay.