Save Me

{Matt}

When we got to the locker room I had to borrow some clothes from Eric, eww, because I didn’t bring any, not knowing I’d be taking gym today. I had to go to one of the coaches to get assigned a locker. After I changed I put my clothes in the locker and followed Eric and Cole out to the gym. As we walked in I saw Brian, Zack and their two other friends walking towards one end of the gym. ‘I wonder id Rainy’s in this class’. I thought.

I found out we’re playing basketball today. As I made my way to the opposite end of the gym from Brain and them, I saw Liz, Taylor, Gina and some other girls sitting on the bleachers as the guys started getting ready to play. I saw Dean and Chad there as well, but the others I didn’t know. There was one I recognized though. The one who pushed Rainy in Science class. Just great.

I looked over at the other end and saw Brain and them playing a game already. Then I saw movement at the door and looked over. There was Rainy walking into the gym. She headed over to her friends and sat down on the bleachers. These guys and me got into teams and started our own game. Every now and then I would take a look down at Rainy, watching her as she watched her friends play. I wanted to go down there and sit with her, talk with her even though she doesn’t talk. I wanted to get to know her and her friends. They’re the kind of people I want as my friends. The kind I want to hang out with.

We probably had about fifteen or twenty minutes left of class when I heard a yell at the other end of the gym. I looked down and saw Jimmy and Zack chasing Rainy. They were chasing her all around and as she headed towards the bleachers, Jimmy tackled her to the floor. He then straddled her and Zack held her hands down. Jimmy said something to her, and then I saw him shake his head. Next thing, they were both tickling her. I saw Brian and Johnny get up from the bleachers where they were sitting and watching this show. They both went towards the others and joined in on tickling Rainy. I couldn’t help the smile on my face as I watched them.

“Can they be anymore retarded?” I heard Liz speak. I caught myself rolling my eyes at her words. They were just having fun. Something these people probably didn’t know to much about. At least not the free willed fun, they probably only know how to have fun as long as moneys involved. As I watched Rainy and her friends, I knew they knew how to have real fun. They could probably be living on the streets and still find the fun in life. And I’m sure they don’t take the little things for granted, like Liz and her friends without a doubt do.

The coach sent us off to the locker rooms not long after. When I got done changing I gave Eric his clothes back and stood around the door where others were standing. I saw Brian and the others ahead of me and when the bell rang everyone started walking out of the locker room. Up ahead I saw Rainy exit the girls locker room with her head down. The guys caught up to her and I heard Johnny ask why she didn’t wait for them. It looks like she just ignored him. Then Brian grabbed her arm stopping her and turning her around.

“Hey what’s wro-” I heard him start to ask. Then I saw he cheek. There was a big red mark on it. Brian obviously saw it to. “Who did that to you?” he asked. At this, the others stopped walking and so did I. Rainy shook her head and walked away. Jimmy ran after her but they were to far to hear what he was saying. I saw him pull her to his chest as he rubbed her back. She pushed him away and walked down the hall, getting lost in the crowd. I heard him yelling after her but she ignored him.

“Who do you think hit her?” Johnny asked as Jimmy walked back to them. You could clearly see the anger on his face along with the others faces. I stayed back a little so they didn’t catch me eavesdropping.

“It had to be one of the girls, cause she didn’t have that mark when she went into the locker room.” Zack answered. “I bet it was fucking Liz, she’s always fucking with Rainy.” he said and the others nodded their agreement.

“That bitch is going to get it one of these days.” Brian seethed. Then they all walked away down the hall. I started to walk down the hall also being I still had to find the Shop room. What a bitch. Why would Liz hit her? What did Rainy do to her?

It only took me like two minutes to find the Shop room and when I entered I saw Brian and the other three there. I’m guessing we’re working on cars, as there were four old beat up, pieces of shit cars. There were groups of five working on each car except Brian and his friends. There were just the four of them, so the teacher put me in their group.

They were working on the engine. The teacher told me that he got these cars from a salvage dump and they all had a lot of problems. It was up to the students to figure out the problems and fix them. By the end of the year the teacher expected four fully fixed and working cars. I knew a little about cars but not much. These guys seemed like they knew a lot. Brian kept asking the teacher a lot of questions. Actually it seemed like he was the only one in the class that was. He must really be into cars. I just stood back and watched them figure out what was wrong with it.

“Are you going to help us or just stand there?” Johnny asked me.

“I don’t know that much about cars.” I confessed to them.

“Then why are you taking shop?” Zack asked me. I shrugged telling them I thought we would be building things, not fixing cars. Which was the truth. “That was the first semester. Working on cars is the second semester.”

“Well how about this? Today you can just read from the book, soak up some info, then next class you better be ready to get dirty.” Jimmy suggested. The others thought that would be a good idea and so did I. so I got started on reading the workbook as the four of them started arguing about what could be wrong with the engine. I figured I’d take the book home and read some tonight.

Ten minutes before the bell, the teacher told everyone to clean up and put the tools away. When the bell rang everyone headed out of the classroom. I made my way to my locker and grabbed the books I would need for homework and before you ask, yes I do my homework. Go ahead, laugh. I don’t care. I need to make good grades so I can graduate. After I got the books that I needed I headed towards the front doors. When I got outside I made my way over to my car.

“Oh wow. I like your car Matt.” I turned around and saw Liz standing there looking at my Porsche.

“Oh, um, thanks.” I personally hate my car. I wanted a Mustang but my parents said that Mustangs were for bums so they bought me a Porsche.

“Well, I’ll see you tomorrow then.” she said and walked away, swaying her hips more than was needed. She shouldn’t try so hard, I’ll never date her. I got into my car and started it up. Pulling out of the parking lot I saw Rainy and Brian get into a car with Jimmy.

When I got home my parents were out so I fixed myself a snack and went up to my room and did my homework. After my folks got home we had dinner and they asked me questions about my first day at school. I told them it was the same as all my other first days. When dinner was done I just went up to my room again and laid down on my bed, for the rest of the evening I just laid there thinking about Rainy and ways to get to know her. I fell asleep with her on my mind.