Only Time Can Tell
Chapter Two
I stood in the middle of the mob of students with my schedule in my hands, completely confused. Students of all ages surrounded me, talking loudly and walking to their next class. This is so strange! I thought, trying to find building numbers. After coming from middle school where everyone's near the same age and to enter where there are people varying from 14 years old to 18. I can't even forget to mention the size of the campus. The campus, just like most Florida high schools, was outdoor, mostly. There were about sixteen small buildings with a maximum of six classrooms in each scattered around the campus. The portables were in the back. My schedule said that my next class was in building 9-18. I whined quietly to myself, walking around trying to find a building 18. It's not even second period yet and I'm already lost! I must look like a loser niner, I thought to myself.
"Need help?" I heard someone ask, putting their hand on my shoulder.
I turned and saw Zach grinning. I smiled in relief. It was great to see a familiar face.
"Help would be lovely right now," I said, handing him my schedule with an embarrassed smile.
He looked at me for a second with his green eyes before looking down at my schedule.
"We should hurry," I said, not knowing how long I've been looking for my next class. "If you help me find my class you might not even get to your class on time."
"Don't worry," he said with a laugh, that immediately eased my nerves. "We have enough time. Besides," he said, handing me my schedule. "We have history together. We can go together."
"Thank God!" I said, linking my arm with his. I immediately let go. "Sorry. It's kind of a habit of mine. I usually do it with friends."
"I"m not your friend?" he asked, feigning a look of hurt.
"We just talked Friday," I said, slowly linking my arm with his again. "But I think I can make an exception for you."
"That's because you like me," he said, winking.
"What?" I asked, feeling my heart race a bit.
"I'm joking," he laughed, leading me towards the portables in the back. "It's not like we know anything about each other anyway."
"Yeah," I said, following him, inconspicuously unlinking my arm from his. "So...how are you and Jodi doing?"
He shrugged. "We didn't talk this weekend so there's not much that I can tell you."
I nodded, pressing my lips together, something I usually did when I didn't really know what else to say. We both pushed our way through the crowds and finally walked to a portable with 18 on the side window. As we walked up the ramp, a woman with frizzy, light brown hair pulled back into a bun stood at the door, checking students schedules as they walked in. Zach and I handed her our schedules and she told us to sit at our assigned seats, which was put on a clipboard at the front of the room. As I scanned my name among the list of about twenty other kids, I quickly noticed that Zach was on the complete opposite side of the classroom. We parted ways and I sat on my side, saying quick hellos to any friends I knew in middle school. Ms. Ponicsan, our world history teacher, handed out the class syllabus and gave the classroom rules. I looked down at the paper and immediately started doodling on my paper, a habit that I learned years earlier. Sighing, I leaned back in my seat and stretched, glancing quickly around the class at my new peers faces when I noticed someone looking back at me. My eyes quickly went back and I saw that it was Zach. He smiled and I gave a shy smile back. I didn't realize it at the football game, but he was kind of cute. Embarrassed by the thought I quickly turned my gaze to the front of the room where Ms. Ponicsan continued rambling about the rules of the class.
Fifty-five minutes later the bell rang and I got up from my seat. I looked around, slinging my messenger back over my shoulder. Zach was gone. He must've left with the rest of the class. I sighed and walked out of the classroom, looking at my schedule. Great, I thought. I've got geometry next. I walked down the ramp again, alone like before when, to my surprise, saw Zach waiting for me at the end.
"Took you long enough," he said with a smile. I liked his smile, I thought to myself. I could really get used to this.
"What class do you have next?" he asked, taking me away from my thoughts.
"Uh...geometry," I answered, holding my schedule up.
"Hmm," he said, taking it from me as we started walking. "Ah, that sucks. This is the only class we have together."
"Oh..." I said a little glumly.
"Lighten up," he replied with a wide smile. "We've always got football games. That's a good two hours together."
"We do?" I asked, kind of surprised. Is that his way of saying he wanted to be with me more?
"We don't have to go to football games if you don't want..." he said slowly, obviously mistaking my reaction.
"It's not that," I answered. "It's just that-"
I felt a tug at my arm and someone pulled me into a huge hug. A friend of mine from middle school. Akilah.
"Did I hear that you have geometry next?" She asked, linking my arm with hers.
"Yeah," I said with a smile, glancing at Zach.
"We should walk together so we're not alone," she said smiling. "I haven't seen you since last year! How've you been?"
She began chatting quickly and I nodded, ignoring my urge to call Zach back when he walked away, giving me a glance over his shoulder as he entered another building. At least I've got his attention, I thought, trying to look at the bright side as I was being dragged to my next class. What am I thinking?! I thought, shaking my head. He's interested in Jodi. Not me. I've got to understand that. After all, it's not like I'm interested in him...I don't really know what I learned in geometry class. I spent the entire period convincing myself that I didn't like him. It actually worked too. At least it felt like it...when i wasn't thinking about him. I figured it'd be best to just keep him close...as a friend, of course. It's the next best thing. I didn't mind so much since he's such a cool guy. Who knows? Things could change for me.
"Need help?" I heard someone ask, putting their hand on my shoulder.
I turned and saw Zach grinning. I smiled in relief. It was great to see a familiar face.
"Help would be lovely right now," I said, handing him my schedule with an embarrassed smile.
He looked at me for a second with his green eyes before looking down at my schedule.
"We should hurry," I said, not knowing how long I've been looking for my next class. "If you help me find my class you might not even get to your class on time."
"Don't worry," he said with a laugh, that immediately eased my nerves. "We have enough time. Besides," he said, handing me my schedule. "We have history together. We can go together."
"Thank God!" I said, linking my arm with his. I immediately let go. "Sorry. It's kind of a habit of mine. I usually do it with friends."
"I"m not your friend?" he asked, feigning a look of hurt.
"We just talked Friday," I said, slowly linking my arm with his again. "But I think I can make an exception for you."
"That's because you like me," he said, winking.
"What?" I asked, feeling my heart race a bit.
"I'm joking," he laughed, leading me towards the portables in the back. "It's not like we know anything about each other anyway."
"Yeah," I said, following him, inconspicuously unlinking my arm from his. "So...how are you and Jodi doing?"
He shrugged. "We didn't talk this weekend so there's not much that I can tell you."
I nodded, pressing my lips together, something I usually did when I didn't really know what else to say. We both pushed our way through the crowds and finally walked to a portable with 18 on the side window. As we walked up the ramp, a woman with frizzy, light brown hair pulled back into a bun stood at the door, checking students schedules as they walked in. Zach and I handed her our schedules and she told us to sit at our assigned seats, which was put on a clipboard at the front of the room. As I scanned my name among the list of about twenty other kids, I quickly noticed that Zach was on the complete opposite side of the classroom. We parted ways and I sat on my side, saying quick hellos to any friends I knew in middle school. Ms. Ponicsan, our world history teacher, handed out the class syllabus and gave the classroom rules. I looked down at the paper and immediately started doodling on my paper, a habit that I learned years earlier. Sighing, I leaned back in my seat and stretched, glancing quickly around the class at my new peers faces when I noticed someone looking back at me. My eyes quickly went back and I saw that it was Zach. He smiled and I gave a shy smile back. I didn't realize it at the football game, but he was kind of cute. Embarrassed by the thought I quickly turned my gaze to the front of the room where Ms. Ponicsan continued rambling about the rules of the class.
Fifty-five minutes later the bell rang and I got up from my seat. I looked around, slinging my messenger back over my shoulder. Zach was gone. He must've left with the rest of the class. I sighed and walked out of the classroom, looking at my schedule. Great, I thought. I've got geometry next. I walked down the ramp again, alone like before when, to my surprise, saw Zach waiting for me at the end.
"Took you long enough," he said with a smile. I liked his smile, I thought to myself. I could really get used to this.
"What class do you have next?" he asked, taking me away from my thoughts.
"Uh...geometry," I answered, holding my schedule up.
"Hmm," he said, taking it from me as we started walking. "Ah, that sucks. This is the only class we have together."
"Oh..." I said a little glumly.
"Lighten up," he replied with a wide smile. "We've always got football games. That's a good two hours together."
"We do?" I asked, kind of surprised. Is that his way of saying he wanted to be with me more?
"We don't have to go to football games if you don't want..." he said slowly, obviously mistaking my reaction.
"It's not that," I answered. "It's just that-"
I felt a tug at my arm and someone pulled me into a huge hug. A friend of mine from middle school. Akilah.
"Did I hear that you have geometry next?" She asked, linking my arm with hers.
"Yeah," I said with a smile, glancing at Zach.
"We should walk together so we're not alone," she said smiling. "I haven't seen you since last year! How've you been?"
She began chatting quickly and I nodded, ignoring my urge to call Zach back when he walked away, giving me a glance over his shoulder as he entered another building. At least I've got his attention, I thought, trying to look at the bright side as I was being dragged to my next class. What am I thinking?! I thought, shaking my head. He's interested in Jodi. Not me. I've got to understand that. After all, it's not like I'm interested in him...I don't really know what I learned in geometry class. I spent the entire period convincing myself that I didn't like him. It actually worked too. At least it felt like it...when i wasn't thinking about him. I figured it'd be best to just keep him close...as a friend, of course. It's the next best thing. I didn't mind so much since he's such a cool guy. Who knows? Things could change for me.