If only the bell would ring when I wanted it to. There were barely two minutes left in class and I hadn't looked at anyone since I returned from the bathroom. I could hear them, though. Very clearly, might I add.
"He'll probably run home crying to his parents!" I slight pause and an obnoxious laugh. "Oh wait, never mind!" I could tell everyone thought they were top of their own comedy class and I heard the two people high five as if they'd won some big race. Most of the girls were chatting with each other and seemed to be uninterested in the rest of the gossip that was going on around them that wasn't in their own exclusive circle.
The bell released me not a moment too soon. My head was down and I tried to convince myself that I could get through the final span of idiots; the last pond of dummies in my Algebra class. The teacher, being a pretty laid back guy, wouldn't make us do anything as long as we kept our voices low. But based on the taunts and fingers that followed me in the halls, he was going to have a difficult time with that. Especially since these kids could be the spawns of the Devil himself.
"Hey Whitaker! Heard you had a great time in Biology!" Another voice in the crowd of hundreds, all with the same thing to say. I hated how they thought it was the funniest thing in the world to laugh at me for something I couldn't help. I'm sorry that I'm afraid of something I can't control and that the thought of it makes me sick. It's really not my fault. I didn't want to think about any of it, but it seemed the entire student body kept calling my name holding up their phones showing the video with my snarky comment to Mark Tullis earlier.
This hallway was giving me a headache. The people in this school had the poorest version of comedy I'd ever witnessed. Collectively, they were worse than Lars at making me laugh, but almost ten times better at making me cry. I wiped my eyes and wished my sensitivity would go away. I wish that every emotion related to my fears and sadness would dissipate along with the sands on the shore.
"Whitaker! Whitaker, hold up!" If I was losing my sanity, this would be a great time to tell me. This voice that carried down the busy hallway reached my ears and froze them solid. It was her. The girl from earlier. I could tell just by the tone of her voice. She was calling my name. My body tensed, but I continued to push through the students, a little quicker now. She knew I was listening in on her conversation with that Marcus guy earlier. And now, she was going to chew me out and embarrass me (not that it could get any worse).
I turned into my class to see it half-full and thankfully, as loud as usual. No one was staring at me directly, but as I passed them and my back was to their eyes, I could feel it. A group of stares hard enough to burn a hole through my spine. My desk, lightly nestled in the corner, was the perfect spot for me to see everyone pointed and giggling at their phones.
"I'm sure he thinks he is some kind of hero having an attitude towards Mark, Lexa. But it just makes him more of a loser if you ask me." Then the girl, who I unfortunately knew as Tiana Knight, laughed lightly covering her mouth.
"Honestly, I want the 'fame' to go to his head so he'll keep making a fool of himself." Then anyone who was listening laughed at the joke. I loved being invisible so much. It made my self-confidence skyrocket. At that moment, I wanted to whisper lightly I'm right here. But as usual, I remained as silent as a mute mouse. I just blinked at people when they looked at me, which thankfully, most had quit doing.
Then, I had a heart attack and died in my chair. The end.
In reality, that girl was walking towards me. She was looked dead at me coming towards my desk. I panicked and quickly got out of my chair. The tardy bell rang and it hurt my ears more than usual. I fell against the wall and could already hear more snickers as I watched people hold their phones up.
"Whitaker?" Her voice brimmed with concern as she held my shoulders. Her eyes were anything but angry and her defined eyebrows were furrowed in concern. "Are you alright?"
I attempted to swallow the lump in my throat to no avail. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to overhear you, but I was just on my way to the bathroom and I didn't know you were there." My plea was well noted as I watched her kind eyes momentarily freeze on mine. Again, they weren't angry, they just seemed to grow sad.
"I'm sorry you had to hear that. Are you okay? I saw you in Biology and, well..." It was obvious she had no interest in conversing about her run-in with Marcus, whoever that was, and my cheeks burned with embarrassment.
"I'm fine thank you." I probably came across as rude. I yanked myself politely from her grip and sat back down, not looking her in the eye. She didn't leave until Mr. Harris made it clear to her that she had to remain seated. Even then, she hesitated. The feeling of not being able to breathe returned. I thought for sure she was going to chew me out.
After a few passing seconds, the class went back to its usual chatter. I made the mistake of looking up to see her brown eyes reading me for answers. People would tap her on the shoulder and call her name, which I learned was Cassandra.
She ignored everyone around her and focused on me, which was honestly starting to creep me out. I tried to avoid eyes contact, but there wasn't much else to look at except for the walls and the people inside them. As the minutes ticked away, the noise increased. By this time, no one seemed to have much interest in my scene in Biology. It wasn't until there were only minutes left in my freshman year when some idiot had created a gif of me running out of the classroom holding my stomach.
"Hey, Whitaker! You should look for a future career in comedy! You'd kill!"
That one stung more than it should've. By this point, my exterior shell should've been much stronger. I should've been able to take it. Should've. But here I was, cracking under the slightest glance. Feeling sick as the last of the year dwindled down into nothing. That made me think. My first year in high school and everyone was only going to remember me as "The boy who's scared of water" or something.
I hated this school more than anything. I despised everyone in it and I could only hope they felt the same about me so during the summer they'd leave me alone. The heel was seconds from ringing and the atmosphere buzzed with excitement. The anticipation of summer plans was filling the enclosed air. Someone came up to me, then, moments from freedom.
"As the freshman class, we're having a final get together down at the pier. See you there." She turned and left without caring for a response from me and all I could think was no you won't. I wasn't going, obviously. No way would I put myself in line for being anywhere near the ocean for one, and two, I would never make myself a target on purpose.
I'm not an idiot.
I knew that's what they all wanted. I could see by the way they smirked and laughed that all they wanted was to see me fall. Well, I sure wasn't going to be the one to hand them that satisfaction. I looked up and Cassandra was still looking at me with her bright brown eyes.
A harsh and violent ring has never sounded sweeter to me. I was free from this ocean of idiots. Even if it was only for a few months, free is free. I didn't have to see Lars or worry about anyone bothering me for another two-and-a-half months; it was beautiful. I pushed my self from my chair and I'm ignored everything around me. My only focus was to get out. Push trough those front doors as a free boy. I wasn't weighted down by what others were thinking or why they kept looking at me. I was free. I had finally escaped this ocean and was now on the shore.
And no one was going to keep me in here any longer. Not even Cassandra, who was still calling my name.
