Totally Not Average

So what’s the deal with you and Alex?” Asked Tricia as she sat down at the lunch table.

Figures, she would only come and sit with me like a real friend when she wanted some juicy gossip. Apparently, Alex and I were hot news because I had been seen ‘flirting’ with him. Utter bullshit, I didn’t even like Alex.

I shrugged, “I don’t even know what you’re talking about.” I denied; I knew that whatever I said about me and Alex she would spread all around school.

Tricia rolled her eyes and opened her bottled water, “Come on, you were so flirting with him.” She coaxed.

I raised an eyebrow, “Were you there?” She opened her mouth to speak, but I interrupted her, “Exactly. You’re just going on what everyone else is saying, which can be wrong.”

She shot me a glare, “For your information, Sage was there, and she didn’t like what she saw.” Tricia sniffed.

“There is nothing going on between Alex and me!” I exclaimed.

“Mhmm,” She looked at something behind my shoulder, “That’s why he’s not coming over here this second, huh?”

I turned around and then wished I hadn’t. Alex was, in fact, walking over here, smirking at me. I blushed furiously; what was wrong with me? I shook my head to clear it and I turned back to Trish, “This means absolutely nothing.”

She raised both of her eyebrows, “Uh-huh.” She said, clearly not believing me.

“Stop looking at me like that.” I snapped, going back to picking at my lunch.

Lately, the school lunch has been less and less appealing, which causes me to be hungry all day long. All the while, I just wish I could take my car and leave this hell hole to go and get something good to eat. But I knew I couldn’t risk getting in trouble again; Dad would be furious.

The chair next to me scraped across the floor and Alex sat down in it. Trish gave him a look; one that said she clearly didn’t approve of him or his attitude/clothes/style. Alex didn’t even react though, he just acted as if nothing was happening.

On my other side, Zach immediately appeared with a frown on his face. Tricia frowned, clearly not approving of all these people. With a huff, she got up, grabbed her food, and went to somewhere else, probably to Sage.

“You are ruining this ‘relationship.’” Zach actually put the quotation marks. “Everyone thinks you're cheating on me with him.”

“Not my fault,” I held up my hands and then took a drink of my water, “This one is all yours Alex.”

“My fault?” He looked aghast, “I’m the one who saved you from hunger.”

“You’re also the one who got me grounded.” I pointed out, shooting him a dry look.

He waved a hand to dismiss my worries, “Details, details.”

I rolled my eyes and started to eat again, while Zach took out his phone and started texting. He looked at me then and I pretended not to notice.

“Well, Sage is starting to doubt the fact that our relationship is real.” Zach stated.

“It isn’t.” I told him.

“That’s not for everyone else to know!” He exclaimed.

Alex next to me chuckled, “You guys are hilarious.”

“Yeah, you’re really helping this situation.” I drawled sarcastically.

“Hey,” He held up his hands in surrender, “I take no part of this.”

I narrowed my eyes, “You are part of this, whether you like it or not.”

“Stop fighting, both of you!” Zach complained, shaking his head, “You guys fight more than cats and dogs, has someone ever told you that?”

We both just stared at him.

“Zach!” Someone called.

He turned around and started talking to someone, and eventually he got up and left the table.

“Finally,” Alex sighed, “I thought he would never leave.”

I raised an eyebrow, “And why is that?”

“Because now,” He looked up at me and grinned, “We can ditch this place.”

I smiled, “You are a bad influence.”

He shrugged, “So sue me.”

I laughed, “Maybe I will.”

He chuckled, “Yeah, that’ll build up a case; girl sues guy for being a bad boy.”

“You consider yourself a bad boy?” I asked, teasing.

“I think highly of myself.” He stated proudly.

“Sometimes too highly.” I muttered under my breath.

Alex shook his head, “Immature.”

I scoffed, “Me? Immature? Nooo.”

He grabbed my hand, causing a flash of heat to pass through me, “Come on, let’s go.”

I got up with him but stopped him before we left, “I can’t, really.” I said seriously.

“And why not?” Alex asked, clearly starting to get impatient.

“My dad will freak, I’m serious.”

He looked thoughtful for a moment, “Hmm,” He smirked at me, “I think I have an idea.”

---

His idea included a trip to the nurse’s office and faking a stomach ache. But one thing I failed to mention was: I suck at acting.

“It’ll be easy.” Alex persuaded me.

I shook my head furiously, “I can’t act!” I exclaimed.

“This isn’t acting…” He paused, “It’s just…pretending.”

I gave him a look, “I can’t ‘pretend.’” I shot back.

“Fine, be that way.” He turned his back on me and crossed his arms over his chest.

We stood like that for a while; two minutes, really, until I finally sighed. “Fine, I’ll do it.”

He turned around and smiled at me, but before he could say anything, “But this is for me, not for you.” I clarified.

Alex shrugged, “Whatever, just pretend to pass out.”

“And into your arms?” I joked, pretending to swoon by putting my hand to my forehead like I was passing out.

“Ha-ha, very funny.” He muttered dryly.

“I agree,” I said with a smirk.

Alex rolled his eyes, “Come on, we don’t have all day.”

I gave him a look and walked forward, stumbling. I really had to sell this, especially in front of all these people. I stumbled to my right, one of my hands gripping the lockers while I was trying to find balance. I closed my eyes for a second a tripped over my own two feet, falling to the floor with my hand breaking the fall.

I swear something cracked but there wasn’t any pain, just numbness. I concentrated on keeping my eyes closed normally and my breathing even so no one would notice I was faking.

I heard several people gasp and felt strong arms around me, picking me up. For a slight second, I wondered if it was Alex because by the way my skin was blazing up at the touch, I was pretty sure. My head lolled to the back and I opened my eyes a fraction to see Alex’s eyes looking down into mine.

He moved my position and suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my wrist, like someone was jamming a sharp object in it. I tried not to cry out, but the moan came in between my lips.

“What happened?” Alex’s voice carried throughout the numbness.

“I-I…” My voice was weak, way weaker than I expected, “My…my wrist.”

“Dammit, Mandy, I told you to pretend, not to go and hurt yourself!” He growled, sounding almost worried.

I laughed a bit, “What’s it to you?”

I know that if I was looking at him, he would’ve shot me a ‘look,’ one that I would’ve laughed at. He didn’t answer me; instead he kept walking, carrying me.

“What happened to her?” I heard a concerned voice ask.

“She fainted and fell on her wrist; she keeps complaining about the pain.” Alex’s smooth voice echoed throughout my head.

“Oh my.” Said the voice, and I assumed it was the nurse. “I’ll need to call her parents.”

Alex sighed, “Her parents are at work, so they can’t take her home…” There was a pause, “I could be willing to take her home, if you want.” He offered.

“Oh, what a darling!” I could’ve sworn that the nurse swooned; I could just hear it in her voice. “Let me just have a look at her wrist.”

The nurse must’ve come over, because I felt cold fingers wrap around my wrist and move it gently.

“Ow!” I shouted, opening my eyes, and looking at the nurse.

She gave me a pitying look and continued moving my wrist, causing me to want to attack her. I clenched my hand into a fist so tight, my finger nails dug into the palm of my hand, drawing blood. I bit my lip hard, trying not to cry out.

The nurse put my wrist down gently and sighed. “Good news, it’s not broken, as far as I can tell.” She turned around and started rummaging in her cabinets then came back with a beige gauze, “But it’s sprained, so I’m going to put this around it to help it heal.”

I nodded and watched as the nurse wrapped the gauze around my wrist tightly and pinned it. “When you take a shower, take the gauze off and make sure it doesn’t get wet. Try not to move your wrist that much, or else it’ll just take longer to heal, okay?”

“Okay.” I gulped.

The nurse turned to Alex, smiling, “You can take her home now.”

Alex smiled at the nurse and nodded, “Come on, Mandy.” He came over to me and snaked an arm around my waist, pulling me up off the bed. “Lean into me,” He whispered.

I didn’t want to, but I did, knowing it was part of the show. Alex’s arms were strong around me, keeping me upright. I wanted to stay in them forever, but eventually, we got to the car.

I got in Alex’s sleek black camaro and put on my seatbelt with my right hand, since it was my left that was ‘sprained.’

Alex got in as well and turned on the car, “Never again are you faking an illness,” He smirked and put the car in reverse, “Not if you get hurt while faking.”

I rolled my eyes, “I can’t help it if I have no coordination.” I joked.

“Everyone knows how to faint, Mandy, everyone.” He shot me an aggravated look, “Everyone knows not to fall on their wrist and to make sure they don’t get hurt.”

“Maybe I’m special.” I muttered like a child.

He laughed his rare laugh, the one that sent butterflies stirring in my stomach, “Special, uh-huh. That’s what they call ‘mentally retarded’ nowadays.”

I glared at him playfully, “Leave me and my imaginary friends alone.” I teased, smiling at his ‘Oh, God’ look.

Alex got out of the school parking lot and sped down the streets, leaving everything else behind us.