Totally Not Average

Nothing could stop me from doing what I did. Honestly, I don’t think I regret it. I think about it every day, all of the events and occurrences but never had it crossed my mind if I had regretted it. So, it was natural to say that I didn’t.

All those little incidents in my life, led me to being happy. Even if I was happy only for a short period of time, it’s better than nothing, right? You can’t be happy forever, because eventually, reality catches up with you and knocks you off your high horse. Nobody ever told me how much it would hurt though.

It all started with High School. But isn’t that where everything starts? High school? Isn’t that where the totally not popular girl meets the jock and they fall in love? Or vice versa? I didn’t really believe in those stupid cliché stories, but I had to admit: Mine was technically cliché, too.

What were the odds that the guy I fell for, turned out to be this huge rock star? Zero, at least that’s what I’ve always thought; now I’m not so sure, he always had all that talent, all those looks, but I never thought much of it. I loved him for what was inside. (And yes, I know that sounded cheesy) Every single one of my emotions was raw and painful, at first. Falling in love was scary, no beyond scary.

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High school was boring. Any teenager could tell you that, any person could tell you that. I sighed as I propped my chin on my hand and tuned out what Kay was saying. Being student body president had its downsides, one of which you got a lot of people complaining to you about things that were wrong about the school. I could honestly care less.

I didn’t even want to be the student body president. I didn’t like socializing myself with the school’s problems and/or teachers. I just wanted to make these next year memorable. Was that so hard? According to Kay, it really was.

The lunch bell rang and I smiled at Kay, murmured a goodbye and walked out of the council room. My third period was a “Student Council” thing, and then I had lunch. I stalked down the halls, my heels slapping on the floor loudly. People looked by me as I passed and I sighed, not even trying to smile. All this attention really got me bored.

I opened the doors to the school lunch room and scanned it for my group of friends. I saw my best friends Tricia and Sage, sitting at our regular table. Funny, the table was at the middle of the room, and you could see everyone laughing at the table. Me and my group of friends weren’t ‘popular,’ I guess you could say a lot of people liked us.

At my school, there was no ‘popular’ group. There was the group of cheerleaders and people who were well liked. Only some jocks actually hung out with us, and it was the type of Jock that wasn’t that self-centered. The real jocks hung out outside, usually laughing at something or drooling at a girl. There were the geeks (Computer nerds, school-loving freaks, and band geeks), there were the average people, and then there were the outcasts.

It was as simple as that, but somehow, he changed it all.

I was sitting at the table, laughing at something Zach, a soccer player with cute, light, brown hair said. Sage laughed along, her eyes full of light. It was painstakingly obvious how much she liked him; the way her gaze always lingered on him, the way she smiled automatically when she saw him, and a lot of other things. It was obvious to everyone, but Zach.

“Amanda Collins.” a voice said.

I turned around, flipping my copper blonde hair and settling my icy blue eyes on the principal.

“Yes?” I replied nicely.

That was something my parents always taught; to be nice. I couldn’t help it, though. It’s like it is programmed in my mind to always be nice. Sure, I could be mean sometimes, but it was mostly sarcasm or just being plain bitchy because I felt like it. But when it counted, I was exceptionally nice.

“Since you’re the Student Body President, I would appreciate it if you could tour somebody who is new to our school.” The principal Dr. Matters, told me.

I nodded and got up from my seat, mouthing a ‘sorry’ to my friends. I shouldn’t really; they were the ones who got me in this damned spot in the first place. I didn’t sign up for the vote to be the President, it was Tricia. She thought I would make a good president and signed me up. Next thing I knew, a bunch of posters in my favor were hanged on the wall and I was the Student Body President.

I followed Dr. Matters through the empty halls, wishing I could be at my lunch table, having fun. Soon, we reached the office and sitting in one of the chairs was a guy who seemed pretty tall, with skinny jeans, a t-shirt and shaggy brown hair.

“Mr. Gaskarth, meet Ms. Amanda Collins.” Matters pointed a hand towards me, looking bored, and “She’ll show you around school, answer any questions. Have a nice day.” He didn’t even bother smiling before leaving him and me alone.

“I’m Amanda,” I said stupidly.

He looked up at me for the first time, his eyes obscured by his shaggy hair. His body language was practically screaming “I’m bored,” with the way he was slumped in the chair, the way he ducked his head and the way he hid under his hair. But something, just something, flickered a light of curiosity in me.

“Alex.” He replied.

I stood there awkwardly, not really knowing what to do next. This was why I hated tours. You always didn’t know what to do, or what to say. Alex got up from the chair and I fought the urge to stare. He was tall, I could tell you that, much taller than I thought.

I cleared my throat, “Well, this is the office, no shit.” I added sarcastically.

A deep chuckle rumbled in his throat and I felt smug, I had some of his attention, at least. I started walking, and when I realized he stayed there, I waved a hand; signaling for him to come. With a hesitation that was clear in his posture, Alex followed me.

We were at the school gym, which was empty, and I was telling him what it was used for, besides the obvious reasons.

“How does a girl like you end up being the Student Body President?” Alex asked bluntly.

I blinked, “Um, I don’t know?” I answered with a question.

He smiled a tiny smile, “How don’t you know? I mean, you have to sign up and stuff.” He stuffed his hands into his pockets.

“My friend, Tricia, signed me up.” I said bitterly, remembering the shock I had felt when I was suddenly the President.

“That sucks, I guess.” He sympathized.

I couldn’t help but note how awkward this was, but Alex seemed unaffected by it. We started walking back to the office in a dreary silence.

I sighed, “Look, hope you have a great year and stuff, you’ll probably find some friends, so bye.” I said quickly, and started to leave, but his voice interrupted me.

“You’re the popular girl, aren’t you? The girl every girl loves, but is jealous of and all the guys want. Perfect grades, perfect social circle, oh, and let’s add in the perfect manners.”

I spun on my heel, furrowing my eyebrows. Nobody had ever told me that before. Sure, I had known it, but I wasn’t one to go rubbing it in everyone’s face. That was just plain rude.

“You’re beautiful, but you don’t look like you know it yourself, or you just don’t want to make others feel bad.” He observed.

I froze, not knowing what exactly I was supposed to say. How could he get all this in a couple of minutes?

“You’re so full of shit.”

That surprised me, more than any other of his words. I looked into his livid brown eyes, glaring, “What the hell?”

He chuckled grimly, “I said: You’re so full of shit.”

“I know what you said,” I stepped closer to him, wondering what would happen if I slapped him, “You have no right.” I said slowly.

Alex opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off, “You don’t know me, you’ve barely even hanged out with me, and you want to judge me?” My voice rose a bit.

“I know your type.” He said simply.

“You disgust me.” I spat, and turned around, leaving him there.

I couldn’t believe anyone would say that to me, especially since he didn’t even know me. It was completely judgmental, criticizing, and irritating. But why couldn’t I get his words out of my head? I remembered his face when I left him, and I almost smiled; he looked…

Shocked.