You're Different - Scott Reed

35

The following day Isabela walked into school alone and straight to her locker. She opened the locker and grabbed her books for her first half of the day. She felt someone staring at her so she did a quick pan of the hallway before her eyes met his across the hall.

She gave him a quick smile and closed her locker. She walked over to him glad to see him slightly better after a good nights rest.

"Someone looks better." she tried to joke but he kept a stern face.

"Really? Not talking to me now Mon?" no answer... "Mon..." nothing, not even a glance.

"wow, okay Montgomery." she began to walk away.

"I'm sorry..." he whispered behind her.

"I really hope you realize you didn't just lose me, Monty, I lose you too if you stop talking to me. I know deep down in that cold, dark heart you care about me but the decision is yours...Stop talking to me or keep coming when you need me." she turned walking again.

"Is..."

"Monty, it's your decision I can't force you to do anything I know how you feel about me but I told you that affects nothing. I'm still here if you need me."

-----------------------------

"Scotty! Stop" she giggled down the hallway.

"Come on babe! It's been a little let's go on a date tonight."

"What if I don't wanna?" she mocked

He gave her an unamused look before giving in and laughing at the faces she was making.

"What kind of date? Can we go over the weekend?"

"Like the Crestmont or Monet's. We could but I don't wanna..." he wined

"But babe you have practice tonight. How about a movie night after practice?" She looked up at him through her eyelashes waiting for him to give in.

"Ugh I guess we could do something else this weekend..." he tried to play annoyed but melted under her gaze.

She smiled happily and kissed him. "Kay, see you at practice." 

He leaned down and pecked her lips once more before walking away. Isabela lingered in the hallway for a little before she finally spun around to leave to class she bumped into someone.

"Uh- oh I'm sorry." she bent down to grab a notebook she dropped

"It's okay Princess I wasn't looking." He tried to smile at her. She returned the smile walking away.

Monty turned watching her walk away and turn into a classroom. He had been on his way to leave the school to skip his history class. His mind was even fuzzier than usual. He had been even more distracted than any other day.

Walking out to his jeep in the parking lot he got in and sat there. Thinking.

"I need her"

"But I can only have her as a friend."

"But a friend is better than nothing."

"Scott would be so disappointed  if he found out."

"Scott is one of the only guys that actually acts like a friend to me."

"I'll be practically homeless without her."

"Ah fuck! Why did I do this to myself!" he hit the steering wheel a couple of times before the throbbing feeling in his finger came back again.

He heard the bell ring from in his car and wondered how the period had gone by so fast. He wondered how practice was going to run. How he was going to be on the field with one of his best friends whose girlfriend he had just told that he likes her who also most likely will be at the practice.

"Monty! We missed you last period!" One of the baseball players hollered down the hallway.

"Oh he's in a mood again." another hollered when he didn't respond.

"Fuck off Parker." Monty pushed pass both of them into the locker room.

"Yo Monty, you good?" Scott asked when he stomped into the locker room.

"I'm fine why does everyone all of a sudden care." he quickly changed and left the locker room

"Dude what's your issue." Scott scuffed as he finished changing.

"Maybe because Zachy poo got captain and you didn't." One of his team mates teased as Monty walked out

He shoved the locker room door harshly. "Ow shit." he heard from the other side

"Jesus shit! I'm so sorry Is, I didn't mean to."

Her nose began to bleed and it was beginning to bruise "No, no, no shit! Okay come on" he pulled her to the school and into a bathroom.

"Hey, hey I'm okay. It's just a bloody nose I'll be fine." She tried to touch it but it hurt too bad. Wincing she pulled her hands away from her face.

"I-is it broken? Did I break it? Fuck! I'm such a fuck up! Jesus" He pulled his hair in between his fingers.

"Monty, hey this is not your fault. None of it is your fault. Why do you think that?"

"Because! If I wasn't such a screw up my dad would love me. I would be captain! I wouldn't have fallen for the girlfriend of the only guy that has been a friend to me. I wouldn't be so....s-"

"So what Monty? You're not a screw up at all. You can't blame yourself for everything. It's not your fault that your dad uses alcohol to feel better. They chose Zach because of his grades, think about it. You didn't want that spot for any good reason and you and I both know it. Nobody can control how they feel for anyone Montgomery. You can't keep blaming yourself for everything. Okay?"

No answer.

"Monty?"

No answer

"The more you blame yourself the angier you are. Do you want to be angry for the rest of your life?"

He shook his head but he wouldn't look at her.

She heard him sniffle. She hadn't realized he had been crying. In all the times he had come over her house beaten and bruised, cut up and bloody he had never shed a tear in front of her. Not once.

She hugged him tightly and allowed him to cry. She knew she shouldn't be this way with him but he needed someone. She knew deep down nobody has ever seen him cry. She had to be there for him.

He needed her.