Authors note: I'm going to be using ~ to represent internal dialogue. Happy Reading.
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A spit ball soared through the air, joining two others on my blond hair. I didn't need to turn around to know who the duffer was. It was probably Big J. He was like, the class bully and man, I hated bullies. They're always big, stupid, smelly, stupid, ugly and stupid. I looked round and fixed my gaze on John Spencer (Big J's real name) and his goon-like followers who were giggling away---probably at the size of Big J's brains.
I considered reporting the spit ball situation to Mr. Gill, my history teacher, but quickly dismissed the idea as he was capable of giving me detention for speaking to him directly.
The bell rang loudly.
"Alright dimwits," Mr. Gill chortled. "You're all expected to submit your assignments on the French Revolution first thing Monday morning."
Everyone murmured insults at Mr. Gill but typically, I said a little bit too loudly—"Get under water gill."
"And that earns you a detention Mr. Danvers. You were only in class one day this week and you still managed to get yourself detention."
~What is wrong with me?~
"And as for the rest of you brats," Mr. Gill continued. "Better shut your trap holes if you still want to be at prom next month."
Personally, I didn't care about proms. There were usually too many people there, and people weren't actually my safe zone. I had a horrible past with them so I preferred being alone. Anyway, a couple of girls including Big J's Crush had asked me to prom, but I turned them down.
Now you may be thinking: "Whoa dude, a bunch of girls asked you out? Who do you think you are?"
Well my hater number 1205, I'm Dylan. And yes they asked me out although I didn't know why. I mean I always tried to be alone most of the time but that is obviously not the reason.
You may also be thinking: "Why will a couple of girls ask you out and you turn them all down?"
Well, the thing is, I was never really into proms. Call me weird all you want.
Anyway, rumors had it the only person who had turned more dates than me was Mckayla Munroe. I didn't know her (I didn't know half my class) but rumor had it she was the hottest girl in 10th grade.
I picked up my school bag to my least favorite class after history—gym. I walked really fast since I was already a bit late.
"Dylan." A feminine voice called from behind.
~Oh no, not again.~
I looked round but didn't stop walking. There was no girl behind me.
~Great, now I'm hearing things.~
I faced the direction I was headed and before I could do anything about it, I bumped into a girl a little bit taller than I was.
"I'm so sorry." I said as I helped her pick her books. "I wasn't looking where I was going."
Now you may be expecting some cliché romantic moment where we look into each others eyes at the same moment and suddenly nothing else matters except the both of us. But that wasn't the case. Gladly I wasn't into useless romance.
"Thanks." She said as she took the books from me. Was it just me or was her voice a bit familiar. I looked into her eyes for about two seconds before saying...
"Oh yeah, umm...you're welcome. I better get going..."
I know I said I'm not into useless romances and I'm not taking that back, but it was weird. Usually I didn't care how girls looked, but I had to say this girl was fine. I silently wondered how I hadn't noticed her before. I quickly dismissed the thought and walked even faster.
Thank the heavens; I made it to class before Coach Hughes. I headed straight to the locker room to change into my gym clothes, a grey T-shirt and black shorts. I had just finished tying my shoelaces—which for some reason I always got right on my third attempt—when Big J and two followers walked in.
Usually, I didn't know how bullies chose their targets. But I knew I was now a target for the dumbest bully alive because of a girl.
I didn't even try explaining that I had said no to her because he probably wouldn't have understood a word I said.
"Hey doofus!" Big J yelled. "Ready to play?"
(Follower is a term used to refer to any idiot who follows Big J around and might or might not have sworn loyalty to him.)
Big J cracking his fingers while asking that could have made even his followers wet their pants. But altogether, it just sort of annoyed me. I stood up and moved closer to Big J although I had to tilt up my head a little to meet his eyes. I still don't know why I did what happened next.
"Yeah I'd like to play." I said. "Or, now that I think of it, I'll pass. I mean who would want to play dodge ball, with a guy who can't spot the difference between the size of his brain and a ping pong ball." I paused for effect but I couldn't help but notice the anxious looks in the followers eyes. Big J probably terrified them more than the victims of their bullying.
I probably should have stopped but I was on a row.
"Oh and next time…" the look on Big J's face made the words crawl back down my throat. He must have figured out at most 10% of what I said and now he was angry; at least angrier than usual.
I gulped.
~Where was that anger I felt a minute ago? What's this feeling replacing it? Fear?~
"See you on the court." Big J said as he stormed out the room
~What have I done?~
See you on the court. The words kept playing in my mind and I could think of about fifty ways the next gym class could go wrong. The worst part—they came with mind pictures. Best case scenario; I was taken to the morgue. Worst case; I didn't have a body to be taken to the morgue.
A whistle sounded outside the locker room, and the silence that followed was unnerving. Which could only mean one thing, Coach Hughes had arrived. Coach Hughes was a rather beefy man who seemed to have no neck. His moustache and hairstyle, made him look twice his age and really scary.
I walked out of the locker room to meet team selection already in progress. Big J had asked coach if he could be captain and as soon as he saw me, he made me join his team.
~ What's his plan?~
The two teams faced each other like they were about to fight a war and given the circumstances, well, it was a war to me. Coach Hughes brought a trolley of red balls and poured them down the middle.
"Alright ladies and girls, play nice-ish." Coach Hughes yelled and then the whistle sounded.
There was a frenzy of balls soaring through the air. Personally, I was glad we had dodgeball today because over the past two years I'd become really good at it—dodging.
I suddenly remembered all the times I had avoided attention from bullies, girls and even people who tried to be my friends. It definitely gave me fast reflexes because I couldn't believe how easily I side stepped, dodging the sixth ball, well aimed at my chest.
I dodged the seventh, eighth and ninth almost as easily, all the while looking for the perfect opportunity to knock someone off their team. I believed every strike must count. I just dodged the tenth ball when I saw it.
A squeamish looking guy from the opposite team (I believe his name was Lester) was barely standing on one foot and trying to regain balance. The Perfect Opportunity.
Everything seemed slow. Blood coursed through my veins, filling me with so much adrenaline. I just couldn't miss. I threw the ball so hard that Lester fell into a girl standing by his left. I could tell only one of them was happy about the fall.
~Three to go.~
I paused to count my remaining team mates. (Yes, I was also watching for incoming balls). One, two, three,... eight, including Big J. My eyes darted in every direction as my instincts told me to expect a compromise attack sooner or later.
I was right; Big J just couldn't resist. I caught the glimpse of a ball just inside my field of vision. On instincts, I crouched. If I had ducked a split second later... I didn't want to think about it.
I stood up and turned right
"Hey!"
My voice was followed by giggles from Big J and his followers who flanked him all round. This didn't even get me angry. I expected Big J to try something like this and I wasn't disappointed. I picked up a ball while my eyes frantically swerved in search of any attacks, but none came. As far as I was concerned, I had just become one team—everyone's target.