Let's See What You're Not

Mark

After first lesson I went to meet Emma by our lockers. We were lucky enough to get ones right next to each other. Emma and I have been friends for as long as I can remember, but that’s all we are and all we want us to be. Quite a lot of people here just assume that we’re going out, but we’re not. We’re just really really close friends. In fact, she’s like a sister to me.

Emma’s great.

When she got to her locker she quickly pulled it open, got her stuff out and then slammed it shut again. She didn't look happy.

“Wow, what’s up?” I asked her carefully as she lent back against the lockers.

“Nothing,” she sighed before forcing a smile onto a face. “Trust me, everything’s fine.”

“Okay...” I said unsurely. “I take it you don’t want to talk about it then.”

She rolled her eyes at me and looked down at the floor. I know she’s hiding something, but I also know that I’ll eventually get it out of her so there’s no need for me to rush into any of this.

My attention was taken away from Emma when I saw Shim walking towards his locker. I actually had to bite down on my lip to hide the smile that desperately wanted to break out. I shouldn’t like him. I should hate him. He’s an absolute ass to me, but I sort of like it. Other than Emma he’s the only person who really notices me here, even if he’s a lot less friendly then Em about it, meaning he’s a lot more likely to beat me up than she is. I still like him though...Whatever that means.

When he walked passed us I had to stop looking. He’d kill me if he caught me watching him. To be honest I wouldn't put murder passed him, he’s a pretty bad kid.

I noticed Emma scrunching her nose up as he walked down the corridor.

“What?” I questioned.

“He reeks like a field of cow dung on a sunny afternoon,” she said smoothly.

I couldn’t help laughing at that. I’m sure she goes around comparing the smells of cow poo to humans. I mean who hasn’t done that once in their lives?

“How’d you know that?” I laughed.

“Had to sit next to him,” she mumbled. “He seriously does stink though, no joke.”

I smirked and shuck my head at her before we started making our way to the next lesson for the day.

I like Shim but I wouldn’t stop liking Emma just because she insults him. He is horrible most of the time and I'm weird for liking it really. Plus, I think most of her insults are to cheer me up. She thinks I hate him, which I should. So I suppose she’s trying to keep me happy.

At the start of lunch I was on my own on the lunch table. We sit with a group of other people normally but I don’t really think of them as friends. They’re just there. That’s all. I'm pretty sure they only let me sit with them because of Emma anyway. Right now, she isn't here though. She’s always let out late on Monday’s at lunch time. She’s got Mr. Grimshaw for a geography teacher. Poor girl.

I looked down at the table when I realized who’d just walked into the room. He saw me. He didn't catch me looking at him, but he knows I'm in here. I don’t have any backup this time... Crud.

“S’up Goodwin,” he smirked as he sat down in the chair next to me.

My heart started fluttering. He’s actually speaking to me like a human being for once, instead of just pounding on me. Then again, there’s a canteen full of witnesses at the moment, he prefers to hurt me when he can’t get caught.

“Not much,” I whispered like an idiot.

He was so close to me right now. Emma was slightly right about the smell. I couldn’t look at him properly though because I knew that if I did I’d start blushing or something stupid like that. Usually if we’re both standing I don’t get a good look at his face, so that isn't a problem. He’s tall and I'm short basically.

“Too bad,” he mumbled. Is he seriously showing an interest in me? “Got any food?” he asked me casually.

“Obviously,” I smirked without properly thinking.

He nodded his head at me and looked down at my lunch box. Yes, I have a lunch box, okay! It was as if his eyes were glued to it though. Kind of creepy.

“Oh hey look,” he said suddenly, pointing to the front of the room. “Here’s Emma!”

I looked over at where he was pointing and realized I’d just fallen for the oldest trick in the book. In the seconds that I’d look away from my lunch, he’d grabbed it off me and darted off out of the room. I didn't go after him. That’d be pointless. So instead I just watched him leave and then stared down at the place where my lunch box used to be.

How am I meant to explain my disappearing lunchbox to my mum? Great.

Hold on, what am I going to eat?

That ass stole my lunch!

For a while I was sat there holding back tears. I can’t believe he did that. I'm such an idiot.

When Emma actually turned up she looked pretty confused. It was understandable seeing as I’d usually be tucking into my lunch right now. No one else on the table noticed that I was a little upset, but she did. She knows me so well.

I'm not letting her blame Shim though. I'm too nice.

“What-?” she started as she sat down in the seat Shim was in a few minutes ago.

“F.M.L.” I interrupted her with a frown.

“Again...what?” she half smiled.

“Forgot my lunch,” I muttered.

Why am I letting him off for this?

“Idiot,” she laughed. “Want some of mine or have you got money?”

“I’ll be alright,” I lied, not wanting to accept her food because it’d be weird to pay her back with food. I sort of like settling debt.

“Eat,” she hissed before grabbing a sandwich and literally shoving it into my mouth.

“Ta,” I smirked as I ate it. “Pretty good actually.”

She force fed me. It wasn't my choice! But I’ll return the favor... somehow.

Once we’d finished eating Emma, Lauri (one of the girls from our table) and I went to the toilets. Seeing as they’re girls and I'm a boy we didn't go to the same ones though... Obviously.

Once I’d been, I went and washed my hands and splashed some water against my face. I like being in here when I'm on my own. Not because I have some weird connection with the school toilets, but I know no one’s watching me in here. Well, until someone walks in. Today it wasn't just someone who walked in though, it was a group of someones aka people.

The jocks as I like to call them.

They don’t take any notice of me though, but I can’t help hearing little bits of their conversations. I'm a nosy bugger so because I knew they hadn’t seen me watching my hands; I decided to go into one of the cubicles. I know I'm a guy but I love hearing gossip. I don’t spread it but I like knowing what’s going on around school.

As I was listening in I heard someone else come in and then the group all started chanting at him. From the things they were saying, I had a pretty good idea who it was out there.

“Ha, look who it is boys,” one of them laughed.

“Scruffy!” I heard another laugh before I started hearing something that sounded like a struggle.

“Wow, dude chill ya guns,” they teased, most likely over powering Shim. He’s a lanky kid and although he’s pretty tough himself, he stands no chance against a load of jocks.

I'm pretty certain it is Shim out there anyway.

“Ha, do you know what this thing is?” one of them asked him and I heard the tap start running.

“It’s called water. Ever tried washing in it?”

“Grow up,” Shim snapped at them.

I was actually expecting him to say something a little better than that.

“Ha, get a bath,” they laughed at him some more. “You know what, how about we give you one?”

There were more sounds of struggle then and I could hear Shim telling someone to put him down. The taps came on again then. It doesn’t take a genius to work out they were probably soaking him now.

Yes, Shim’s an ass, but there are worse here. And I like Shim, alright? Of course I'm on his side, even though the jocks don’t pick on people like me so I should side with them. They only go after the people who get on their nerves. The people who stay out of the way are fine.

“All better now,” they laughed before walking out.

Part of me expected to see Shim breaking down or at least looking upset when I walked out of there, but he wasn't. He wasn't showing any emotion at all really. I could sense a bit of anger though.

God he looked good wet.

“Aww Mark’s here,” he smirked with an evil look in his eyes as he spotted me.

He was walking towards me. I know I could’ve walked out easily, I could’ve avoided getting hurt, but I didn't. I stayed there and waited for it.

He punched me.

I looked up at him with sympathetic eyes. I can’t believe I feel sorry for him more than I do for myself right now.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he hissed before kicking me in the shin and walking out of the room.

I bent down in pain. You don’t kick the shin. That’s so going to bruise!