Bloodshot Eyes

Daniel

I walk down the hallway, adjusting the beanie resting on my head. People stand in front of their lockers, getting textbooks out and talking to their own friends. The hallway is more crowded than the usual, people walking briskly to their next class.

I feel sets of eyes on me and I raise my eyebrows at a group of girls giggling in a corner of the corridor. I give them a small smile, not entirely sure what to do. I spot Nick the moment I turn to my left sitting on the floor under the stairs with Ken. I walk to them with a grin.

Nick slaps my leg the moment his arms could reach me. He squints his eyes as he looks up at me. “It’s too early to be happy, man.”

I chuckle lightly, shaking my head. I take a seat beside Ken. “Shut up.”

“What’s with you?” Ken elbows my arm, a smirk toying on his lips.

“Broke up with Kim.” I exhale, leaning on the wall behind me.

Nick snickers. “Ooh, how’d she take it?”

I shrug. “Ran over my foot with her car.”

He opens his mouth to reply, but Lindsay comes into view, her army jacket loosely hanging on her shoulders. “Hey, guys.”

Ken raises his eyebrows. “Kim allowed you to talk to Daniel?”

Lindsay rolls her eyes, although a smirk appears on her mouth. “She doesn’t know I’m here.”

I raise my eyebrows. “So, what’s up?”

“I was just going to ask if we’re still on for later tonight?” She addresses Nick with her eyebrows up in question.

“Oh, yeah, um, sure.” Nick stutters, nodding his head.

“Alright,” she smiles. The bell rings, causing her head to turn to both left and right. “I have to go––I have an English test next period. Daniel?”

I look up and nod, standing up from my seat. “Oh, right, English.”

Lindsay and I say our goodbyes to Ken and Nick before walking down the hallway side by side. Heads turn as we pass by them, a few mutterings can be heard, most concerning my recent breakup with Kim.

Lindsay looks up at me. “So, did you breakup with her for good this time?”

I nod. “Yeah, she’s already going beyond the limit.”

“Which is?”

I shrug. “Saying shit about my family. I mean, I know that my dad is shit, and that my mom is shit, and so is my brother, somehow, but I don’t want to hear that from my own girlfriend, you know?”

She nods quietly, her eyes on the ground.

“Hey, you okay?” I ask with pure concern.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” She chuckles lightly. “Just a little worried for you.”

I laugh. “Lindsay, you have nothing to worry about.” I put an arm around her, opening the classroom door for the two of us. “Go ace that English test.”

––––––––

I sit quietly at the back, tapping my pen on the wooden table to the beat of a Ramones song, humming under my breath. I hear someone sing along quietly, a sweet voice singing the lyrics perfectly. I turn my head, looking for whoever was singing, and saw someone at the other side of the classroom with her head nodding to the beat of the song as I tap my pen on the table.

I stop and she looks up, a confused expression visible on her face. She looks amazing––high cheekbones, red lips, and big eyes. She licks her lips with her eyebrows knitted together, looking around the classroom to see why the music has stopped.

I smile to myself and continue the tapping, watching her smile and start nodding her head again in sync with my tapping. She starts singing quietly, drumming her fingers against her own table to create the second beat.

We reach the chorus and she opens her mouth to sing the first word, and the bell rings.

Our teacher looks up. “Alright, put your papers here before leaving the classroom. Have a nice lunch.”

I stand up slowly, being the lazy self I am. I pick up my test paper and stretch up my neck to look for the girl who sang along earlier, but I see her at the front, putting down her paper and walking to the door.

“Who are you looking at?” Lindsay makes me jump. Her teasing smile makes me want to smile, but I fight it back.

I quickly collect myself together before shrugging. “No one, just some girl.”

Lindsay smirks. “Whatever you say, Daniel.”

I roll my eyes and we walk out the classroom together. I walk Lindsay to her locker before going to mine, waving a hand as a goodbye.

“Have fun in AV Club!” Lindsay shouts.

“Shut up!” I shout back, raising my middle finger at her before turning around. I hear her laughing.

I walk to my locker quietly, looking down on the ground to avoid contact with anyone. Ever since I broke up with Kim before third period, everyone has been talking about me whenever I pass. They could have just talked about it after I pass, but since society is so fucked up, they decide to talk about me, well, in front of me.

Kim was a pain in the-everything. She complained about everything, and she wanted everything to go the way she wants it. She loved a physical relationship, and enjoyed sex too much. I understand why she is usually horny, sure, but sex in a gasoline station in the afternoon is just too much.

I take a breath the moment the AV Room was insight. I hated how the school is making me attend this club as a punishment, but it is better than anything else. Dungeons and Dragons is pretty cool, anyway.

I open the door and I see Sam talking to Bill on their respective seats. I nod at them as I sit on my chair, putting up my feet on the empty chair across me.

Mr. Fleck enters the room with a cigarette hanging on the tips of his fingers. “Sorry for the smoke, guys.”

I grunt in response, wanting to grab the cigarette out of his mouth and sucking it all in.

“Anyway, I have an announcement for all of you.” He starts. “Daniel is not going to be the newbie in this club anymore.”

Everyone looks up at him with confusion. He laughs. “Adelaide Skylark will be joining us.”

The door opens quietly and there she stands, her petite frame and brown locks falling past her chest. Her brown eyes look innocent, and her red lips were pressed together, showing her dimples. She smiles that smile I saw in English class, and I feel my stomach clench.