don't get too attached - matt sturniolo

chapter two

gym was not my favorite class of the day, but it was good to get my heart pumping and just try to shake out everything that had happened. when i entered the locker room, i felt the weight of stares burdened with unspoken questions upon me. of course people had seen me talking to the new kid. i had just desecrated the one rule we had. i rolled my shoulders back and continued to my locker, putting my stuff away before heading back out to the gymnasium.

the teacher set us out on laps, and i focused on the task ahead. the entire period was supposed to be spent jogging three laps and then walking around the gym to reach some predetermined minutes quota set up by the board. i decided to start out by walking, not looking forward to a forty-minute block of constant movement.

and then a gust of air pushed against me, and i barely had time to look beside me before a whirl of a boy sped past me, arcing across the floor and passing me again. others had obviously noticed, giggling to themselves or just staring wide-eyed after him.

and then he was next to me, breathing heavily and stretching his arms over his head.

"finished my laps," he wheezed, throwing me a careless wink. i scoffed, noting how other students were starting to stare.

"thanks for taking that water bottle for me, by the way. i'm chris."

"headlock victim, i'm aware. i met your brother earlier."

"oh, nick? yeah, he told us that you were coming over later. hope you get that stupid project done early."

"yeah...you know you can just walk on your own now, right? you finished your laps," i said, suggesting that he leave me alone without explicitly stating so.

"nah, i think i'll stick by you."

"why?" i asked suspiciously.

"i need someone to talk to. anyways, have you ever noticed how grape flavored candy tastes more like the color purple than an actual grape? and-"

and on and on it went, chris's incessant chattering droning in my mind until gym was done.