After School Hours

This is going to be a very interesting year.

Just minutes ago, I had tripped over my desk while rushing to leave class. A boy had been at my side to catch my fall, his teasing smirk never fading as he playfully twirled me until I couldn't help but laugh. All of a sudden, he left the classroom, pressing a piece of paper in my pocket. He kissed my hand and left, telling me that I should text the number when I get home.

Why would someone like him give someone like me his number anyways?

As I walk out of Mr. Sutton’s room, I am confronted with Khloe’s slacked jaw and bulging eyes staring at me, as if searching for an explanation on why I was the last one to exit the classroom.

“What happened?” She asks, eyes filled with confusion, as well as something else I can’t describe. I am shocked by the words that fly into my head.

Khloe is hurt.

But why?

I sigh, groaning as I cradle my head in my head. “Nothing happened. I don’t think so. I’m not sure.” I huff, dropping my hands to the side of my waist. “Why is he even talking to me? It doesn’t seem hard for him to talk to people.”

Khloe sighs. “I don’t know, but I would be careful, when he has someone close to him, they don’t stay for long. Let's just go to P.E”

We walk in silence, with only the faint squeak of Khloe’s tennis shoes to accompany us. I hang my head, letting the words Khloe just said hang in the air. I chide myself into thinking that I was special. That he was someone who cared. But he doesn’t. He’s probably already forgotten about me. I’m just another player in another twisted game.

Like always.

“I didn’t mean that,” Khloe blurts out, pausing in the middle of the hall. “I’m sorry, it’s just that-I don’t want you to get hurt. Asher is like a fire, and every girl near him is likely to get burned.”

I pause. Turning to finally look up at Khloe. “You don’t need to apologize. Really, I should have known better. Why would someone like him ever like someone like me?”

“Don’t say that,” she urged. “You are an amazing person. You deserve so much better than him. You’re just like Penny-” She freezes, clasping a hand over her mouth.

“Penny? Who’s Penny?” I ask, confused.

“The last girl Asher messed with. No one talks about her anymore and doesn’t touch on the subject. The gym is on your left.” She turns abruptly, leading me to follow.

When Khloe opens the two steel doors, I am greeted with a swarm of Sophomores rushing into the locker room. Immediately, a group of girls sprint towards the locker room, bringing me with them, pulling me and Khloe farther away from each other.

I clutch my backpack tightly and proceed to walk towards the rusty locker room doors. As I enter the girl’s locker room, I grab my schedule out of my bag to see what locker number I am. Locker 23, Locker 23, I skim through the lockers until I see my locker at the end of the middle row, near a small corner cut off from all of the room. I exhale, glad that I won’t have to change in front of the girls in the locker room. I peel off the hastily made outfit from this morning away from my skin and put the clothes in my locker. I grab my uniform-a white tank top with green shorts that were a little too small for comfort- and hurriedly put on the clothes before anyone could see the bruises grazing my stomach.

I wouldn’t want anyone asking about that, because that would cause too many questions. Which would lead to conclusions about me.

Conclusions that shouldn’t be made.

I shuffle towards the locker room doors, feeling the sudden crunch under my shoes. I look down, just to see a pink hairbrush and to be alerted with a shrill screech.

“That was brand new! How dare you. Who do you think you are?”

“I-I’m so sorry,” my cheeks flush, and I bend over to pick up the broken pieces of the brush.

“Well, sorry won’t get me a new hairbrush. So, you can either buy me a new one, or I can file a report to the principal-who I am on very good terms with- on the damage of personal property.” I look up to a girl with blond, practically platinum, bone-straight hair, her arms crossed over her chest. Her face says she’s angry, but her demeanor shows that she just wanted to ruin someone’s day. And that someone was me.

“I’ll get you your dumb hairbrush. But you must have a really sorry excuse of a life if you spend your time breaking people down, over a cheap brush which you can at a convenience store straight after school.” I straighten my back, matching her crossed-arms position. All the girls in the locker room are watching us now. Some looking at me in admiration, others in fear. Khloe looks down, showing a blind eye. “Watch your tone, new girl,” the blonde girl scowled. She’s probably not used to people fighting back against her. “You’ll find out sooner what happens to people who get on my bad side.”

“Who knew you could get any more charming?” I flash a smile, tilting my head towards her

She stares at me for a long time, looking as if she’s contemplating whether to rip my head off now or later.

I turn around, walking towards the P.E door, only exiting after hearing the hushed whispers from her friends.

As I return to the painstakingly bright lights in the gym, I feel a slight whack on my shoulder.

“Why would you do that? Do you have any sense of self-preservation?” Khloe’s gawking now, gazing down at the still crippled hairbrush balled in my fists. “Cecilia will probably run you out of the school by the end of the week if you keep acting like that!”

Cecilia. So that’s her name.

“Why does she act like that? It’s not like she’s the most important person in this school.”

“Her father’s the president of the school board,” Khloe’s voice lowers, barely audible. “He could have you expelled if word gets to him.”

I freeze, a chill running down my spine. My sudden rush of confidence has now subsided, leaving a hollow carcass, one that may be on the brink of expulsion at the moment.

Suddenly, I focus my eyes on a loud booming voice from across the gym.

“Welcome to Cambridge Bay! Although most of you already know me, my name is coach Jay. Today we will be playing dodgeball! I will pick two team captains, who will decide how they distribute their teammates. If you don’t like the team that you’re on, that’s too damn bad.”

“Coach Jay? I was wondering if I could have a special assignment for my group” I whip my head around to see Cecilia’s hand shot up in the air, and the horrendous sight of her shaking her silver hair as she winks at our 40-year-old gym teacher. I restrain myself from retching on the spot at the sight.

“I’ll see what I can do.” Coach Jay looks at Cecilia up and down, and bile begins to rise in my throat. Disgusting. I know the teacher I'll be avoiding for the rest of the year. “Well,” he clears his throat, obviously flustered. “Cecilia will be the first team captain, and Asher will be the second.”

Cecilia’s in shock. I look horrified. I turn around, scanning the entire gym, before locking eyes with him.

Asher flashes a crooked grin at me, winking before he fixes his eyes on Cecilia.

My stomach drops. Of course he’s with a girl like Cecilia. I look down in shame. Shame for thinking that I was being noticed by him. Shame for thinking he wasn’t dating anyone.

Shame.

Shame.

Shame.

I’m so busy looking at the waxed wooden planks of the gym floor that I almost don’t realize my name is being called. I shoot my head up, turning to face Coach Jay, unsure of what I did.

“You’re on Asher’s team. Pay attention girl.”

I’m now painfully aware that everyone around me is designated into the two teams. I’m the only person who doesn’t have a team. I was picked last.

Last.

Last.

Last.

I quickly rush to the group of people on Asher’s side, preparing to hide in the back, when I feel someone grab my arm.

“Where do you think you’re going, Stubborn Girl?” I slowly rotate to the voice, knowing goddamn well who I’m going to see. Asher wears a wicked grin on his face as he drags me toward the front with him. He lands his arm on my shoulder, but I yank it away like it’s radioactive.

“So, we’re on nickname terms now?” I turn to face him, hoping that I have a convincing glare on my face. But to my despair, his grin only widens.

“We could be,” he grabs a piece of my hair, twirling it around his fingers. I quickly yank my hair back, snapping. “Careful, you wouldn’t want your girlfriend thinking you liked someone else.”

Asher’s brow furrows, and he opens his mouth to say something, but is abruptly interrupted by Coach Jay’s voice.

“Cecilia, your team will be on the right. Asher, your team will be on the left. I will blow my whistle when the game starts. A headshot will get you two laps around the field. Failure to participate will lead to four laps. Understood?”

“Yes, Coach Jay.” The entire class speaks in unison, as if not wanting to aggravate our gym teacher in fear of running laps.

“Good. Now go to your side of the gym.”

***

The sound of shuffling feet is all I can hear as I walk to the wall on the left side of the gym, as far as possible from Asher. I don’t remember when the whistle is blown, but suddenly, everyone is rushing toward the line, grabbing dodgeballs and aiming them everywhere until nowhere is safe.

Multiple balls are thrown at me, but I narrowly dodge them, grabbing one as it strikes me clear in the chest. I throw a ball at someone’s back, taking them out of this round

“You’re really good at this,” Asher is suddenly beside me, speaking casually as he hits someone on the other side in the leg, eliminating them.

“I’ve had a lot of practice,” I answer curtly, not wanting to have a conversation with him.

“Some one’s feisty today,” he barks out a laugh, feigning hurt.

I roll my eyes, watching as a girl fumbles with the ball I threw at her, before dropping it. I grin, enjoying my short-lived victory. Suddenly, I realize that Asher and I are the only ones left on our team. Cecilia and another boy are left on the other side, and I have a gnawing feeling that I’ve seen him before. My mind flashes back to after lunch, when someone ran into me. His hair was brown and messy, and his eyes were sharp green, just like the boy in front of me.

I look at him, catching the Boy staring at me. He quickly turns away, and I focus on dodging the ball that was inches away from my face. I lock eyes with Cecilia, a smirk placed perfectly on her face, winking at me.

“You’ll have to have better aim if you want to get me out of the game that easily.” I mirror her expression, winking at her as I tilt my head back.

Boys on the wall hoot, chuckling at my remark. Cecilia looks enraged. She lets out a guttural cry before hauling all the balls around her at me. I’m too busy laughing at Cecilia’s failed attempts to eliminate me that I don’t pay attention to the ball hurling toward my face. I turn, trying to dodge it, but I was too slow.

Too late.

The ball hits me in the middle of my eyes, and I go tumbling backward, colliding with the ground with a loud thwack.

I hear someone yell, and the sound of fists echo in my ears. Or is it the pounding in my head from the fall? No matter what It was, I don’t have time to observe before my eyes shut, the pain washing away for just a moment.

A moment too long.

***

I wake up to a circle of people around me, whispering amongst their friends.

“Is she okay?”

“She looks fine to me.”

“Is that the new girl?”

“Yeah, the one who called out Cecilia in the locker room and the gym.”

“Riiight. She’s the one who’s trying to bag Asher, right?”

“I think so. And by the looks of it, he’s letting her.”

My cheeks flush beet red, and I interrupt their conversations before I can embarrass myself anymore. “New girl right here- hey, if you haven’t noticed I’ve been knocked out on this gym floor, for?”

“Five minutes,” Khloe chirped. I turn around to see Khloe wearing a sympathetic smile, mouthing you okay?

Fine, I mouth back, struggling to restrain the smile spreading on my face.

“You should have been there to see it happen!” I look at Khloe, puzzled as she helps me up.

“What happened?” I question.

“Asher went to check if you were okay, but then Cecilia dragged him away from you and slapped him!” Khloe’s grinning from ear to ear now, apparently proud that Asher was injured.

My face falls, and I look at Khloe, mortified. “Why are you happy that he’s hurt? And why did she slap him?”

Khloe smacks her palm on her forehead. “Damn it! I forgot to tell you that Asher and Cecilia were ‘dating’-” Khloe emphasized the quotations out loud. “They’re on and off most of the time. Sometimes he hooks up with other girls, sometimes he sticks with that bitch. No one knows if she actually likes him, or if she’s in it for the popularity.”

My insides curl and loosen as I remind myself that I mean nothing to Asher, and he means nothing to me.

“But the reason why she slapped him was because he beat the shit out of Nathan for throwing the ball at your head.”

My stomach tightens again. Nathan. So that’s his name. But why would Asher do anything about him hitting me? I’m not sure, but I’m going to find out. Maybe he does care about me, my chest warms but immediately freezes when I see Little Miss Whore on Heels strutting towards me, her face turning purple.

“YOU BITCH!” she screeched, as she tries to claw my eyes out with her eagle talons of nails.

“Be careful, Cecilia,” I mock, smirking. “I almost thought that you were talking to me.”

“I’M GOING TO KILL YOU! THE NEXT TIME YOU GET NEAR MY ASHER-”

“Your Asher? I’m sorry, I didn’t know we were allowed to own people.” I’m snickering now, failing to feign seriousness.

Cecilia let out the most impressive battle cry before throwing herself onto me, shoving me to the ground.

“Sorry sweetie, but I’m not interested. You’re not really my type.” I wink at her, getting me a hard slap across the face.

And another.

And another.

Now I’m starting to see stars.

Suddenly the slaps stop, and someone pulls her off of me. Finally.

“What did I tell you about not going near her?” I hear a deep growl and turn to see Asher grabbing Cecelia by the collar. She opens her mouth, but Asher doesn’t let her speak “Don’t. I gave you one job, one. Is it that hard for you to not be a bitch?”

Cecilia’s lip quivers. “You love her, don’t you? You’ve been sneaking behind my back and hooking up with her, just to take a dig at me. Because you hate me.”

Asher scowled. “I never did any of that, and you know it. Stop twisting my words. If I was hooking up with her, I would have told you and left without a second thought.”

“You don’t mean that,” she whispers. I restrain from rolling my eyes. Damn this girl is desperate. He must be a very good kisser.

I start to wonder, what it would be like to kiss Asher. His soft pink lips on mine, my legs tangled around his. I’m sure his lips taste like cherry. I’m sure he’s very good at other things…

I stop myself, repulsed by the way I’m thinking about someone that I met today.

Suddenly, I see Cecilia jump-yes i said jump- on Asher and starts kissing him ferociously. In the middle of the gym floor. She kisses his mouth, his nose, his forehead, his neck.

I’m feeling sick.

Asher tightens his grip on her hips and plops her on the floor with her legs crossed, leaving her with her lips puckered and her eyes open. The entire gym snickers. Little CeCe looks on the verge of tears.

Suddenly, the gym doors open, and Coach Jay walks out with Nathan’s arm slung on his shoulder.

“Asher,” he gritted. “Principal’s office. Now.”

The bell rings. “Well, that’s unfortunate for me, but I assure you I will go after school. Suddenly, everyone’s rushing toward the locker room, in hopes of getting to their next class as quickly as possible. I rush to my locker, strip off my gym clothes, and put on my oversize t-shirt and baggy jeans as quickly as possible. I needed to get to my class early, and make a good impression,

Definitely not because I want to avoid Cecilia in all of her bitchiness.

I sigh. This is going to be a very interesting year.