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The smell of chlorine was practically nauseating. The swim unit in P.E, My favorite! Heavy on the sarcasm. Being as I wasn’t about to be stared at as a piece of meat by the majority of the pathetic juvenile boys of my class for the next month and a half, I opted out of swimming.
Since I wasn’t participating I was stuck on the side, sitting cross legged about seven feet away from the pool, my back against the cool, moist, brick wall. I figured that was the furthest out of splashing distance I was able seeing as the room the pool was in didn’t consist of much space; beside the slabs of pavement surrounding the too highly chlorinated water.
After about five unfortunate minutes of watching girls discriminating and judging each other’s bodies and watching one more idiot guy push another into the pool, I decided I needed to leave. I got up and asked the coach if I could go up to the balcony. Looking at me, she hesitantly said, “I guess…” I could tell by the way she judged me, my heavy eyeliner and dark clothes, that she was questioning my intentions. Before she could take back her answer I swiftly walked toward the door.
Pushing it open, I got an overwhelming gush of fresh air from the hallway. Looking down each path, I almost felt as if the blank white carved squares of cement were mocking me. The empty and aloneness of it all. Shoving away the thought, I climbed the stairs to my left, heaving each leg overly dramatic on each step. “I hate Mondays…” I muttered.
I reached the top and opened the door into the dark room. I flipped on the light and realized I wasn’t alone. There sat a boy, iPod gripped in one hand, the harsh rhythm and screaming lyrics blaring from the ear buds. I’d never seen him before, I’d have remembered how stunning he was, I knew that for sure.
I was positive he didn’t hear my entry, but was probably notified by the light. When he didn’t acknowledge me, I rethought if he really did know I came in until I had sat down and without even looking at me, he said “You’re the new girl then, huh?”
I could barley find my mouth, I managed a “yeah.” He was extraordinarily handsome.
His jet-black hair was slightly tousled, medium length, partially covering his eyes. Those eyes, an indescribable hazel. Pale skin and dark circles under them, along with a little black eyeliner smudged on. He wore black skinny jeans, a Misfits tee shirt, and pinstriped converse.
Attempting to resist staring at him, I rolled my seat over to the window, and looked through it, down at the pool. My class seemed to be learning front stroke-completely boring. So I set down my bag beside me, and turned on my iPod, never unaware of his presence. In the midst of an UnderOath song, he appeared next to me, I took one bud out of my ear and he said, “I love that song! You’re into UnderOath?” His face was glorious.
“Yeah.” Again I wanted to smack myself in the face for the idiotic answer I spit out.
“That’s awesome, me too.” Was it just me or was he trying to make conversation? “So how do you like it here? Pretty lame huh?” –By golly I believe he was.
“Uhm, its alright I suppose, if you enjoy living everyday of your life the same as the last. That’s how it feels here. I’d much rather be in a big city.”
“Oh, so you’re a city girl then. Where did you live before you ended up here?” I felt like a drooling dog as he spoke. I was practically gawking at him.
“Just a small town up in Michigan. N-Nothing special. I wish I lived in a city though. I’m going to the second I graduate.” I was surprised at how intrigued he seemed at my pathetic rambling.
“We have a lot in common then, I’m getting the fuck out of here the minute I can as well.”
I hung on to his every word, well, almost. I was thinking, ‘stop being so pathetic, he’s just a boy. You probably look like an idiot staring at him this way. Shit, stop thinking, continue the conversation before he thinks you have a disability or something.’
“Where do you plan to go?” I finally spit out.
“Jersey, New Jersey. I’ve spent a few summers down there, it’s amazing. So rough and grungy. I love it.” Wow, we did have a lot in common. I’d always wanted to go to Jersey.
“That’s wicked.” I commented. I was enjoying the easy conversation – even though it was hard to catch a breath between the way his eyes met mine. Right as he began to say something more, the bell rang.
“.. I’ll see you around. It was nice meeting you.” He gently slung his bag over his shoulder and walked out before I even got a chance to reply.
I shook it off and picked up my million pound bag, containing my biology, Spanish, and calculus books. I walked out of the room and my head was cloudy. It was only second hour, so I tried to snap out of it. I couldn’t help but look for the boy between classes the rest of the day. I almost hit myself for actually feeling the need to pout when he never appeared. For Chrissake, I didn’t even know him.
I drove home blaring Story of the Year attempting to take my mind off of my dropping grades, failing classes, and the trouble ill be in when my parents finally see my new piercing. Then he popped into my thoughts again and it dawned on me. I didn’t even know his name! I imagined it had to be something creative, beautiful… like he was.
I made it my job that tomorrow, I would find out.