Bye Gymnastics, Hello Boarding School

Chapter 2

I couldn’t walk. I hardly knew my way back to my dorm. Even worse, my vision was blurred out by the accumulated tears in my eyes. I sat on a bench nearby, kicked off Rayna’s shoes, hugged my legs and tried to hold back the tears.

            “Savannah!” Someone shouted. I expected to see Rayna, but it was to my surprise, Jeremy.

            I tried hiding my face, but it was no use. He knew it was me. As he approached I tried burying my face in my body. I looked so pathetic.

            He sat next to me and tried patting my back, “Alexa, she’s just a little... intense.”

            I continued sniffling.

            “But I’m sensing there’s more to this than just what Alexa said right?”

            I nodded weakly.

            “Come on, tell me,” he lifted my face with his thumb.

            I sighed, “It’s nothing, really. I’m okay.”

            “You’re not. Tell me,” he demanded.

            “Really, it’s nothing. I’m alright. Just a culture shock for me, I guess,” I lied, trying to compose myself.

            He could see right through me, I could tell. I just wasn’t ready for everyone to know yet.  

            “Come on, let’s go to the cafeteria, grab some food and have dinner somewhere else,” he said, pulling me to my feet.

            “It’s alright. We can go back in,” I said, quickly masking my emotions with a calm demeanour. It’s the same thing. Go back out there, and show them what you’re made of.

            Jeremy shrugged. We walked back to the restaurant.

            I slid next to Rayna. She smiled at me and mouthed, “Are you okay?”

            I smiled warily and nodded.

            “Sorry for being a bitch earlier,” muttered Alexa.

            “It’s okay. You’re right. I didn’t want to be here. I don’t want to be here. But since I am, I might as well make the best of it,” I confessed.

            “Why are you here then?” Mia asked innocently and politely.

            I smiled at her grace. “Not this dinner, this school.”

            Mia’s mouth formed into an O shape.

            “Let’s not talk about me. So... are there any crap teachers around here?”

            They went on and on about this particular teacher with extremely bad breath and B.O. The conversation soon drifted to sports.

            “I’m so glad football season is over man,” said Max with relief.

            “Tell me about it, man. My muscles are crazy sore,” Jeremy replied then turned to me, “Savannah you’ve got a pretty good build. Do you play?”

            “Play what? Football?” I laughed.

            “Anything,” he shrugged.

            “Nope, my hand-eye coordination is horrible,” I said.

            “Amen to that, sister,” Rayna laughed, giving me a high five.