If I Could Gather Up the Nerve
Chapter Two
I glanced over the pages in my The Catcher In the Rye, ignoring the teacher as he carried on about chemical reactions. I furrowed my brow, as my book got ripped from my hands and glanced up at a boy with pale complexion.
“Do you mind?” I whispered, becoming a child instantly.
“Nope,” he grinned, before shoving my book to the floor and kicking it behind him so it hit the back cupboard.
I sucked down a breath, looking at my hands.
“Aw, what’s the matter?” he continued teasing, “Nerd wants her book back?”
“John, just leave her alone,” the boy next to me spat, rolling his eyes.
The one named John rolled his eyes upward, still not leaning back to grab my book. I could feel the tears sting the bottom corners of my eyes, as I turned my attention to my notebook. I picked my pencil up, drawing tiny circles in the margin, until a little white book landed on top of my hand.
I glanced up to meet a pair of stunning eyes. I gulped slightly, biting my lower lip, “Thanks.”
He smiled, nodding and took the seat next to me again. I opened my book back up, getting lost in it until the bell rang.
When the day finally came to and end, I found myself sitting on the curb outside, next to the student parking lot. I curled my fingers, skimming over a few pages in my book as my iPod pushed soft melodies into my ears.
I usually waited for my brother to pick me up, and then we’d head back to the house. We’d lock ourselves in my room, turning my stereo up as he worked on his college projects, and I worked on my books.
A pair of shadows darkened my vision, as I glanced up to see John. His lab partner stood next to him, as he leaned down to level his face with mine.
“Same book?” he mused, lips curling into a smile.
I didn’t respond, only kept my eyes locked with his.
He rolled his orbs, standing straight back up, “Why don’t you just talk, chick?”
“Riley,” he cooed, coming around the corner of my opened door, “look what I have,” he held up a tiny, brown bear.
I squealed, getting to my stubby feet and ran towards him. I threw my arms around his legs, hugging his thigh tightly, “Thank you, thank you, thank you, Aiden!”
He laughed loudly, bending down and picked my six-year-old structure up. He walked into my room, shutting the door with his foot as I held onto the bear for dear life.
I squeaked, once I noticed John’s face was inches from my own. I scrambled to get to my feet, my messenger bag tipping slightly until all of my books, pencils and erasers fell out. I got onto my knees, picking up the material as my eyes watered slightly.
“What’d you do to her?” the other boy grimaced, hearing a sob rip from my throat.
“Hey,” my brother’s voice screeched, as a car door slammed shut, and he made his way around the front of it, “What the hell?”
“Dude, we didn’t do anything,” the other boy broke, shaking his head and raised his hands up.
“Shut up, Kennedy,” John hissed.
I stood straight up, slinging my bag over my shoulder just in time to see Ethan’s fist connect roughly with John’s right eye, followed closely by another punch to the nose.
“Do you mind?” I whispered, becoming a child instantly.
“Nope,” he grinned, before shoving my book to the floor and kicking it behind him so it hit the back cupboard.
I sucked down a breath, looking at my hands.
“Aw, what’s the matter?” he continued teasing, “Nerd wants her book back?”
“John, just leave her alone,” the boy next to me spat, rolling his eyes.
The one named John rolled his eyes upward, still not leaning back to grab my book. I could feel the tears sting the bottom corners of my eyes, as I turned my attention to my notebook. I picked my pencil up, drawing tiny circles in the margin, until a little white book landed on top of my hand.
I glanced up to meet a pair of stunning eyes. I gulped slightly, biting my lower lip, “Thanks.”
He smiled, nodding and took the seat next to me again. I opened my book back up, getting lost in it until the bell rang.
When the day finally came to and end, I found myself sitting on the curb outside, next to the student parking lot. I curled my fingers, skimming over a few pages in my book as my iPod pushed soft melodies into my ears.
I usually waited for my brother to pick me up, and then we’d head back to the house. We’d lock ourselves in my room, turning my stereo up as he worked on his college projects, and I worked on my books.
A pair of shadows darkened my vision, as I glanced up to see John. His lab partner stood next to him, as he leaned down to level his face with mine.
“Same book?” he mused, lips curling into a smile.
I didn’t respond, only kept my eyes locked with his.
He rolled his orbs, standing straight back up, “Why don’t you just talk, chick?”
“Riley,” he cooed, coming around the corner of my opened door, “look what I have,” he held up a tiny, brown bear.
I squealed, getting to my stubby feet and ran towards him. I threw my arms around his legs, hugging his thigh tightly, “Thank you, thank you, thank you, Aiden!”
He laughed loudly, bending down and picked my six-year-old structure up. He walked into my room, shutting the door with his foot as I held onto the bear for dear life.
I squeaked, once I noticed John’s face was inches from my own. I scrambled to get to my feet, my messenger bag tipping slightly until all of my books, pencils and erasers fell out. I got onto my knees, picking up the material as my eyes watered slightly.
“What’d you do to her?” the other boy grimaced, hearing a sob rip from my throat.
“Hey,” my brother’s voice screeched, as a car door slammed shut, and he made his way around the front of it, “What the hell?”
“Dude, we didn’t do anything,” the other boy broke, shaking his head and raised his hands up.
“Shut up, Kennedy,” John hissed.
I stood straight up, slinging my bag over my shoulder just in time to see Ethan’s fist connect roughly with John’s right eye, followed closely by another punch to the nose.
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Thoughts? <3