3TS: The Chances of Starting Again

Okay

Okay. The word that seemed to be the universal word for being normal. For looking normal. For acting normal. But feeling anything but normal. But feeling anything but okay.

Lunchtime. I stood at the cafeteria door, weighing my options. I could try to stay here without being noticed. But ninety-nine out of one-hundred...I was going to be seen by Trent.

In that split second of decision, I picked the obvious option.

Few minutes later. I was sitting in the bleachers, at the highest bench, overlooking the track field and the gray sky above. This was the best place to be. One, it gave me a great view of the school. Two, it gave me a great overlook to see if anyone was coming.

A cold wind blew my hair into my face, and for the fifth time I took it out of my face.

The air smelled wet, but there was no rain. Not yet.

I ate as fast as I could, but it wasn't in time. Without a covering over my head, heavy rain started to pour. After the last soggy chew, I started to head down the bleachers.

This was the probably the only downfall of staying at the highest bleacher. You catch most of the rain on your way down.

By midway, my hair was damp, my clothes were dripping with fresh rainwater, and my eyes caught someone at the bottom of the benches.

I bit my lip. What could I do with Trent standing there? I was too wet. I was too cold. I was too tired to try and avoid him.

My main purpose now was to get out of the rain without getting sick.

The last step was full of water. But before I could step carefully, Trent was shouting at me.

"What were you doing up there?!" He shouted through the pounding rain.

I glanced at him to see his face dripping with rain. His clothes were soggy, as if he forgot also forgot to bring an umbrella to school today. And his friends were nowhere in sight. As I looked up at him in surprise, I also decided to take a step down.

Which was the mistake.

I slipped. Shouted out. And fell.

He stepped toward me, catching my elbow just before my face was going to land into a dirty puddle of water.

With one tug, he pulled me up. I looked into his eyes, wanting to thank him. Wanting to smile and laugh with him again. But that couldn't happen. Not until the Valentines Ball was over.

So instead, I looked down and pulled away. Walking away, and shivering, never felt so alone. Never felt so...cold.

But then, his hand was at my shivering back. This time, I didn't complain. But I didn't look at him either as we both walked to the closest building.

He was at my side, hurrying me along to get out of the rain.

When we entered the cafeteria, most of the students were already gone, spending the last ten minutes at the library or hanging out in the hall.

Trent pushed me along, steering me toward the small kitchen. Today was our lucky day, because the fifth graders had to cook bread for their projects today. So we were lucky to sit near the ovens and get warm.

We were even luckier to receive blankets from a kind first grade teacher. I didn't know where she got it, but seeing the alphabet sewn around the edge, it was for educational purposes.

But the luckiest part of it all was that my teacher excused me from class and-once dried up and warm-told me to go home.

Trent's coughing brought me back to the present. I looked at his wet hair and shivering shoulders and wondered why he had gone out there for me. I had told him to just keep away. I had told him I needed space.