Him & I

1

Today would have been any other day.

You know, as normal as my first day in junior high could go.

I've been in this school all my life so the faces I'll see would be pretty much the same, and the routine? Shouldn't be nearly as different.

I would've hailed a bye at dad whilst running out of the car and into school's grand white building. Later, linger around a while after the bell goes off to see if the heavens can get Pamela to walk in through the screen door before first period, despite knowing punctuality has never been one of her strong qualities. Yet if she does, we'd walk into English class with one of her arms draped around my shoulders - like always. Like every school day whether she arrives late or early.

But today wasn't any normal school day. Though, I did say a 'bye' to dad before the car sped off, there was a new transfer student. While that should be normal, knowing there's always atleast one at the beginning of every semester - the new student isn't who we would ever expect here. As a matter of fact, his presence here is enough to start a whole damn chaos.

Except it doesn't.

Rather, the entire hallway he just walked into stays dead quiet as a graveyard and the ticking of the grand wall clock at the back is the only thing alive.

We'd heard the news all through summer, saw the man with a typical moustache that matched his high enthusiasm on our screen whenever the sports news begun, "- player said to be leaving the team this July!" I guess, we just never knew he was leaving there for here.

Who would've thought?

Maybe if we did, maybe if I did, I'd trade my oversized maroon blazer for a fitted one, trade my knee-length skirt for the type cheerleaders wear, and probably would've spent last night straightening my tight curls since Pamela said it looks better when it's straight.

Or maybe I wouldn't.

Especially the last one because God knows I'm too lazy to and sincerely cherish my sleep. Plus, it would all go unnoticed anyways, there's nothing much you can do to stand out when the only thing that differs you from the crowd is your wild vase of curly hair. Walk in and we all look like a variety of monotony, a sea of maroon blazers on pleated skirts or straight trousers, depending on gender. Even, Tyler's part of the sea too since he also came fully prepared with his uniform on and everything. Only that he's more like the part we all stand to watch at a good distance away because he's different. Like the new fish in the sea.

And we probably would continue staring if the screeching sound of the bell didn't interrupt.

I watch as everyone, with much reluctancy, begins making their separate ways to whatever class they're having. I watch because out of the hundreds of students on this floor, i'm about the only one who hasn't gotten myself together and still can't stop staring. My customized backpack made to match my blazer in colour is held lazily on the tip of my fingers by my side, i'm not short but being the average height of a woman still keeps you a little too close to the ground, as well as the said bag on my left hand.

It's practically cleaning the tiled floor at this point but that's not enough to get me moving.

I've got English class. I should be there, or at least on my way there and not here, in the fluorescent lit hallway, leaning on my half closed locker with my eyes on him not so far away.

But he also shouldn't be here. Here in Colorado. Here in Eastwood High Academy. Here, breathing the same air that I am. I mean, everybody knows Tyler Jones. Successful NFL player who's got his life pretty much planned out than the rest of us. A name enough to be topic on girls' tables at the cafeteria when I'm cornering them with my lunch tray, on guys' tables whenever he scored an outstanding goal that got the media talking, and with my best friend on weekend nights when we're chilling on her bedroom floor in overpriced, oversize pyjamas.