I open the doors to the gym and thankful everybody is going about their day.
I'm making my way to Claudia and so far so good. Ms. Reed hasn't called out my name again...yet.
My mind is thinking about a million different things right now. I can still feel the tension because I can still feel Ms. Reed's eyes looking at me. Another thing is that I really don't want to talk to Maisie right now but if I survived that conversation with Ms. Reed then I can survive anything.
"Jules Oliver late for her favorite subject. Where did you go?"
I flip Claudia off as she pulls me into a hug.
"Yea, where did you go?"
After pulling away from the hug with Claudia, I turn to the persons voice who made my chest become tight. Maisie.
"Oh so now you care."
Maisie's jaw drops as I walk away from her, Claudia and Max still clueless about everything that went down in Dallas.
As I walk to an empty spot near the area where the seniors sit, I immediately get PTSD when I feel someone touch my shoulder.
"Now that we're away from them, can I ask, what happened back there?"
I meet Claudia's gaze and I can feel myself suffocating. I know exactly what she's talking about but I'm still going to act oblivious.
"What do you mean?"
Claudia rolls her eyes. She knows I'm trying to ignore the conversation but she likes to push buttons. "With you and 'Ms. Bodacious.' I saw her drag you away and when you got in here you looked like someone just ripped your heart out."
My clenched fists begin to grow white. Even just hearing her nickname pisses me off. "She just wanted to talk...about how good I did in the volleyball game."
Claudia twitches her head and I swear this girl can see right through me.
"Yes because everyone who carries their team to a National Championship feels like they're about to die from a broken heart when their coach tells them how great they did."
"Please Claudia just drop it." For what felt like the 10th time today, I'm still trying to hold these tears back.
It's going to feel so good to cry when I get home. That's for sure.
"What happened? Did she say or do something to you?"
I glare at her and I can see her face change from concern to a face of disappointment. The face Ms. Reed gives me.
And I despise that face.
"Look Jules, I don't know what it is with you two, but all I know is that it's not normal. And frankly, I don't want any part of this anymore." She begins to walk away from me and towards the locker room but turns around for a moment. "Oh yea, and she's the teacher for volleyball again if you want. I'm doing it but I don't want you eye fucking her the whole time."
I take what Claudia says into consideration. Claudia's right though. It isn't normal. And it isn't right for me to be dragging whatever it is with me and Ms. Reed into Claudia's life.
We're now in the lower gym for volleyball. I'm still standing with my 3 close friends and right now they're catching up on gossip which I would've loved to hear about but I'm honestly to lost in my own thoughts to pay attention.
Ms. Reed is setting her stuff down and is getting up the attendance screen on her laptop as she forced four of the 'popular' people to set the volleyball nets up.
More of the popular people who talk shit about each other chose Volleyball this time. Unfortunately.
But we all know I'm going to kick everybody's asses no matter how deep in a thought I am.
Especially the boys who need their high ass ego's lowered.
As I'm thinking of whatever, I feel a tap on my shoulder.
"Hey Jules."
I turn to my right and see Payton looking up at me. Why is she talking to me?
Payton is one of the most 'popular' girls in school. If you're a cheerleader you're automatically popular. I try to not hangout with people who classify themselves as popular, even though I am the most known person at this school. All they do is talk shit about each other. It's toxic.
Still though, why is she talking to me?
"Hey Payton?"
Payton tilts her head like a dog. I can't even lie, she looks mesmerizing right now. With her dark blue eyes and blonde hair.
"Are you okay? You seem like, lost. Not in a mean way or anything, I've just never seen you like this."
"Well that's probably because we don't really talk."
"Yeah well, you're always with those other girls." Payton clicks her tongue to the roof of her mouth and then looks me up and down. "I guess we should start talking more then." She shrugs and smirks at me.
I can't tell if she's being serious or if she's bullying me.
"So I assume you're going to be on a volleyball team with them, yeah?" I nod. Why would I not?
"Even though those two girls suck, I've seen you play. I've seen you carry the whole volleyball team on your back. It's...seducing."
Does someone have water for me to borrow?
I feel myself beginning to sweat. This girl is definitely teasing me right now and in the wrong way. I'm aware extremely feminine girls can be gay but I would never believe she would be gay.
I still don't.
"It's not my favorite sport but I try at it a little." I feel myself becoming nervous. I never in my life had looked at this girl besides the times I would see her grab the football players by the waistband area of their football armor pants and drag them into a porta potty to do God knows what after they won a football game.
"Well since you're really good at it, maybe you should show me some of your moves. I'm really good with my coordination." Payton gives me a playful wink and I can feel myself about to choke on air.
At this point I don't even care if she's bullying me or not. It's honestly distracting me and making me feel a little bit better. Maybe because for the first time in what felt like eternity, someone isn't looking at me with disappointment or expectations.
Just then, I feel someone's eyes on me.
I turn and I catch Ms. Reed's eyes looking at me. But then they turn to Payton who is now walking away from me and Ms. Reed looks like she wants to kill her.
"Alright kids shut up. If I see a phone I'm taking it away. No second warning."
Ms. Reed starts doing attendance and I begin to not pay attention to her anymore.
After a moment, Payton comes back to me.
"You never answered me."
I'm extremely confused right now. "Answered what?
"If you missed me." Payton has this smirk that makes me want to learn so much more about her but I know if I go down that road then I will never get out of the hole.
"Jules. Blonde girl."
I look to the center of the lower gym and see Ms. Reed with her eyes locked on me and her jaw tight. "If you two talk one more time during attendance, I will give you both zeros for the day."
I press my lips together as I feel the blood rush to my cheeks.
I hate her so much right now so why does my body still react like this?
I'm honestly scared but Payton doesn't seem unfazed at all. "Woof. She's your volleyball coach? I'm sorry for you."
When Payton says that, I don't even get a chance to react until I hear her voice.
"Okay that's it." Ms. Reed slams her laptop shut and I'm scared it's about to break because of how hard she slammed it. "Jules, a word with me after this?"
Everyone in the lower gym looks at me. I turn to Claudia who just looks disappointed.
Why does it always have to be me? I didn't even say anything. Ms. Reed knows what she's doing.
"Good luck with that."
Now I'm more focused on Ms. Reed to even process what Payton just said. I feel like at any moment Ms. Reed is going to start running at me with a sharp knife pointed directly at my heart.
I have a feeling this "word" isn't going to be anything good.
She finishes attendance and I am now following her outside the lower gym, making sure she shut the doors. But before she gets the chance to have the first word, I decide it's my turn.
"What now? Haven't you tortured me enough? Especially today?"
I can tell Ms. Reed is taken aback at what I just said. Her expression is something more than colder. Sharper.
"Excuse me?!"
A new fuel of confidence comes up in my system. I'm not going to let Ms. Reed walk all over me again. "What the hell do you want from me Ms. Reed? Just say it! You're pulling me aside, always looking at me like I've done something wrong and now pulled me aside because I talked to someone else when everyone else got to talk with whoever they wanted."
Ms. Reed gets just as snappy as I do. "I don't know what is up with you lately Jules. But it needs to stop. You're leaving places unannounced, you don't know what you want and now you're with some girl and disrespecting me? Do better. I expected more out of you."
"Yeah, that's been quite obvious lately." I say that under my breath but I still make sure Ms. Reed is able to hear what I said. "And what do you mean by disrespecting you? You're acting like I'm some fucking burden, and you're mad at me because I'm talking to someone who isn't you."
Ms. Reed is speechless. She opens her mouth but nothing comes out.
"Now get out of my way. You've already wasted enough of my gym class time today."
I'm the one with more power as now it was my turn to leave Ms. Reed standing their alone with her thoughts.
Authors Words:
Tysm for 1k reads luvs!
Ik it doesnt seem like a lot and maybe it isnt to a lot of people but it means something to me.
Cant keep writing more for u guys!