Melodies

I hate gym so much. Everything about it just makes me want to crawl into bed and fall asleep for the next 30 years, so I can just ignore everyone and everything.

I hate changing, but if you don't, you get points taken off, and no way am I going to ruin my report card by failing gym. I'd just wear gym clothes to school, but they're so ugly it makes me crazy. I tried it once and was completely miserable all day.

It's not just the clothes, it's the whole locker room thing too. 1) my locker will only open when it feels like it. 2) the whole room smells like socks and bad yogurt, for whatever reason. 3) Alex is always taking the opportunity to show me how stupid I am for being gay, because Sydney changes fast and isn't there to get him to shut up. Ashton kind of tries to pull him back, but Alex always ignores him.

So it completely surprises me that Sydney tells me he's gay. Does that mean he hasn't told Alex? What about Ashton? He said he was open. Or is it just that Alex feels he needs an excuse to hate me?

I over analyze this all through class. We pretty much just ran laps. It was just as much fun as it sounds. Thankfully, Kim was there for support the whole time, but most of her attention was focused on Elizabeth, even though she was sitting on the bleachers, looking bored. I see a relationship in their future.

Kim was kind enough to walk me to the locker room when Mrs. Payne called time. She made Sydney promise he would watch out for me too, despite my protests. I'm capable of defending myself, I just...okay, I'm not. But who cares?

His locker, unfortunately, is on the other side of the room, and he does need to change as well. So I'm alone after we get in, but I do see him looking over his shoulder at me occasionally, making my face go up in flames. I can't change like a normal person anyhow, but knowing that someone's looking only makes it worse.

I'm kind of happy though, that when Alex starts to come over, and I see Sydney kind of looking at him with a concerned expression as he's tying his shoes. I pull my hoodie over my head quickly and start to slip my feet into my beat-up Converse. Alex comes up and leans against my locker, making it impossible to get to my bag. "What's up?"

The funny thing about Alex is, I think we'd get along really well if he just didn't hate me. I had a friend like him once, loud and outgoing, even kind of rude at times. We were together all the time, and it worked really well until he moved.

"Can I get my bag?"

"Whatcha got in there that's so important? Playgirl?"

He's in a good mood. I feel a weird, creeping sensation go up my back as I realize he's not just going to hit and go away.

"Can I get my bag?"

"Do you think that if I had wanted you to get it, I would have blocked you from it?"

"Can I get my bag?"

He stood up straight, uncrossing his arms, getting closer to me as I backed up, knowing I'd been stupid. "I'm not stupid, faggot. I heard you the first time."

Sydney leaves his left shoe untied and comes over, making my chest tighten weird. "Dude, what are you doing?"

Alex backs off a little. "What's it look like?"

"It looks like you're being a completely ignorant moron. Back off."

"Make me."

It seems like they're going to start something, but Ashton appears from nowhere and pulls Alex away, muttering things to him that seem to anger him even further, yet he doesn't fight.

Sydney looks down at me (yes, down. I'm short, he's tall) with an expression in his eyes I can't quite figure out. It's somewhere between angry, disappointed, and shy somehow all at once. My heart goes off funny. "Alex was the guy bugging you?"

"Look, I don't want to start any issues between you guys..." I hold my hands up in front of my face, not really sure of what else to do. I feel responsible for any friendships I have messed with by this whole thing.

"That's what you're worried about? Oh my god, Kell, you should have said it was him. He's a total idiot, I could have helped you when this first started."

"But I didn't want to start anything."

"You didn't. Anything that happens is his fault, okay? Don't feel responsible for any of it."

I just kind of shift my weight a little and bit my lip, standing there really awkwardly for a minute. "I'm gonna get my stuff."

He nods and watches me a second after I back up.

I stuff all my stuff in the front pocket of my backpack and try not to let my cheeks flame up anymore. I feel like an idiot. I feel like a little kid who can't even watch out for himself. Kim basically made Sydney agree to babysit me.

I pass Sydney who's taking the time to put his stuff up in a somewhat organized manner as I'm about to go out the door, but I stop, remembering something. "Sydney."

He looks up at me, surprised. "Mr. Turner said it's fine. I can text you the address if you want, you just have to be there at 5:30 or he'll lose his mind."

"Yeah, sounds cool. Do you need my number?"

I almost say no, I stole it from Courtney's phone, but I catch myself. "Yeah, I guess."

"Here, give me your phone." He reaches for it when I hand it to him, and adds his number to my contacts list. "There you go." The bell rings when he hands my phone back, making me jump a little, widening my eyes. He smiles at me as I put my phone back in my pocket. "I'll see you at 5:30 then?"

I nod before turning again. "And thanks. For, you know."

"Yeah. Don't worry about it."

I bite my lip before nodding again and slipping out the door.