I Can't Help but Love You

Chapter 5 V

Once I  enter the girls locker room I spot Olivia, she hasn't seen me yet, good. I slip behind the row of lockers to avoid her. I open my rickety locker as quickly as possible, grab my coat and bolt out when she's not looking.

After everyone exits the locker room, we all line up against a wall.

"So, here's what we are gonna do, I'm gonna put you into groups of 3, each group will go down a different path." Coach yells, looking at us. "Your job will be to clear up the path you go down, track is starting soon, the paths need to be cleared."

Coach walks over to his desk at the
corner of the gym and grabs a bag and his clip board. "I'm going to call out the groups, one person will take the walkie-talkie, and the map with your trail, after you've got what you need, you can head out. All of you must be back in the gym by 2:30. Do I make myself clear."

"Yes, coach!" We say in unison.

"Good! Anderson, Cook, and Miller, you will have the creek trail." I bite my tongue, to fight back the panic. Olivia skips over to Coach and grabs the map and walkie-talkie.

"Come on Jenny," Olivia says, ignoring me, looping her arm through Jenny's and prancing to the exit.

I hurry behind them, Olivia swings open the door and sways out, closing it briskly behind her, the door slams shut, right in my face.

I take a big gulp of air, trying not to die of embarrassment, as pain shoots through my nose.

"You okay, Miller," Coach yells, and I hear a few people snicker behind me.

"Y-yep," I mutter swinging the door open and rushing out. The cold air hits my hot face as I hold in tears for the second time today. I'm so sensitive, it's not that big of a deal.

I blink back the tears and take another deep shaky breath, refusing to cry.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Veronica, I didn't see you," Olivia says as I turn the corner. She doesn't look very sorry with her patronizing smirk and judgmental stare.

"It's ok," I say, looking away.

"Good!" She claps her hands and walks toward me. She shoves the walkie-talkie in my hands, then the map too. "I'm super busy and have to leave." She says looking down at her phone. "Can you clean the trail for me and Jenny?" She glances up from her phone to look at me, her eyebrows raise like she's asking me to test her.

"Sure," I say flashing a stiff smile.

She stares at me for a second then turns on her heals, and starts walking to the parking lot with Jenny close behind.

Cleaning the whole trail by myself will suck but, I'd rather do it alone then with those two, picking on me the whole time, so jokes on her. I breathe a sigh of relief and look out at the field. The sun broke through the clouds and now casts the gray field in warm light.

The door behind me opens and I hear a few people walk out. That's my cue to leave. I head down the hill to the familiar entrance of the woods. Every time Will has football practice I stay after school and come down here to sit at the tiny bench on the bridge. The sound of the water, paired with the rusting trees is so nice and calming. I like to come down here and draw the scenery or read a book.

As I walk down the path I pick up fallen sticks, branches, a few rocks and throw them out of the path.

I wonder why Blake has talked to me so much today, no one has ever been that interested in me. I've had a few guys come up to me and try to flirt, but I always make it awkward, I clam up or say something stupid. They quickly realize I'm boring and weird then quit trying.