It's You, I Suppose

I was that awkward freshman that everybody hopes they never have to be. Slightly overweight, fashion confused and socially challenged, I was the model for the typical high school nerd. Thankfully, I was a nerd with friends.

Unfortunately, not one of the girls in my close knit group had gym with me. It wouldn't have been so bad, except I had the class first semester, first hour, and I was completely shaken that first day of school. 

Becca, my ginger and rather dramatic best friend hugged me to boost my confidence. "You just walk to first hour and kick high school's butt," she said, as she left me in the hallway as she sauntered off with the two other girls that completed our group.

I watched in jealousy as the turned a corner to go to Spanish. I turned my eyes towards the ceiling and pretended it was blue sky to ask the heavens why Becca, Alex and Josie all had their first high school class together and I had been left all alone. After getting no reply, I wrinkled my nose, shouldered my backpack, and walked down to the gym.

Upon entering I saw I wasn't the only one who was completely out of their element. What I did not see was a friendly face that could I be comforted by. Scanning the faces already sitting in the bleachers, I decided it wasn't worth it to awkwardly introduce myself to any of my peers. 

I took a spot on the end of the bleachers and tapped my foot nervously. I wished the gym teacher would come to class; perhaps then I wouldn't feel so secluded.

Two boys wandered through the gym doors just as the bell rang. They laughed to themselves and walked across the wooden floor with a confidence that was unknown to me. One was short, his curly honey colored hair hanging in his eyes. My eyes instantly went to his bright blue shoes and I couldn't help but smile. I had a thing for cool shoes, and those were defiantly a pair that needed to be called to my attention. 

My eyes wandered to his friend's feet which were clad in just simple Van's skateboarding shoes. Not as cool, but they fit the rest of his features and his dyed jet black hair.

The each boy's appearance contrasted the others, the blonde seeming adorable and approachable, his friend being his scary second half. As they made their way over to the bleachers, I couldn't help but think that they had to be the oddest pair I had seen all day.

"Can we sit here?" I jumped when I realized the scary boy was speaking to me. I nodded, scooting over, and they sat. 

"I'm Bren," the blonde boy who I wish had sat next to me said with a little wave. "And I don't like gym." 

I laughed. There was something about this boy that made me want to giggle with every word he said. His blue eyes shone and his lips turned up in a genuinely friendly smile that made me forget how awkward I was.

"And I'm Matt," the boy next to me said, and for the first time I took a good look at his face. I recognized him from somewhere. 

"I'm Ella, and are you the boy who I met during community theater this summer?" I asked, trying to make the connection, wondering if he was the boy I had met during the production of "A Midsummer's Night Dream."

"Yeah, I think so," he scrunched his face in thought. "You played Musteredseed the fairie, right?"

"How did you remember? That was such a tiny part," I said, completely shocked. 

"You're friend fainted during auditions, everybody knew who you two were after that," he explained and I shook my head at the memory of Becca passing out on stage. He pulled me back to the present by asking, "And how did you remember me?"

"When we were waiting backstage you told me it would be cool if the lights fell and crushed someone," I explained, hoping he would remember. 

"Oh yeah..." He nodded, "that would have been cool."

All three of us laughed and I looked up to see the gym teacher walk in appearing more flustered than a lost freshman. "Sorry I'm late," he tried to explain, but I didn't hear anything else as I tuned his voice and continued to talk with my new found friends. 

"You know," Matt told me, "you're pretty cool, for a girl."

"Thanks," I answered, "And you're not too bad either."