Popular Outsiders

The Eaton Household

The Eaton Household

Tuesday

It was lunch. I was sitting against my locker, which was a bottom locker, with my head leaned back. My eyes were shut so I wasn't staring at the sun. I had to admit, it was nice.

Calvin didn't know what I knew about him. And most of me wanted to keep it that way. But then there was always that pissy, annoying part of you that kept nagging you in the back of your head and there was only one way to get ride of it. I didn't feel like getting rid of it...

For now, I thought.

I sat alone. It was quiet. Everyone else was eating at their cafeteria tables. I wasn't even eating. For some reason, I didn't really eat at school. I would sneak a Hersey's kiss into a class every once in a while in case I was starving, but they melted so quickly it was getting rather pathetic at that point.

Someone kicked my gray Converse and my eyes opened. I stared at Calvin. He wasn't smiling, but that wasn't anything new.

"You eat alone too? So aren't you just another outsider?" Calvin asked flatly as he blocked the sun perfectly.

"What outsider bullies?" I grumbled as I craned my neck to look up at him.

"Outsider is anyone without friends," stated Calvin in monotone. "You can be a bully, goth, nerd, whatever."

"No, outsiders are people who aren't recognized by anyone and nobody would give a shit if they died," I argued.

Calvin flinched and I almost felt guilty. Almost. But curiosity quickly over took it.

"So, what's your deal with not meeting after school?" My voice was a little too casual and Calvin narrowed his eyes.

"Gloria told me a school friend had stopped by. The girl was an awful lot like you, but then again Gloria is rather old," Calvin hissed.

I shrugged his hostility off. "It's not like I planned on seeing you there. It's on my way home, and I just wanted to see if it was really you. Now I have solid evidence."

"What did Gloria say?" Calvin snarled.

Should I tell him? I wondered.

"Nothing personal, right?" I replied. "No backstabbing either."

"Exactly," he snapped and walked away.

I blew the hair poking my eyes out of my face.

Sheesh, I thought.

~

I decided to skip Chemistry. I wouldn't go home. Home wasn't a place I was necessarily excited to go back to after school.

Maybe if Mom wasn't as weird...Or dad wasn't in jail, I thought.

I took out my homework. Yes, I did do my homework. I had to pass class somehow. I wasn't studious though so forget tests. Finals? Please tell me you've heard of cramming. Lots to cram? Yes. Hard? Yes. Impossible? Nope.

I was on the top of the gym. There was a stairwell and railings. If I got in trouble, it wouldn't be because the roof is completely off limits, just that it is off limits during class time.

"What are you doing here?" Calvin asked, appearing in the stairwell doorway.

"What does it look like, stupid?" I shot back. "Ditching? Doing homework? You?"

"I'm always here practically-when I'm at school," he snapped.

"Seriously?" I asked. I really had never noticed him up here before. I grunted at this new information as my brain processed it. "Never noticed you."