Hustle Heart

All Along

The next class was fine, lonely but fine. I almost prefer the solitude, but I was surprised to find myself missing Addy's perky personality. Over all geography passed in a blur and I found myself walking to my last class of the day. As I neared Creative writing, one of my senior classes, I saw a head of tousled dark hair that seemed familiar. I shrugged it off scoffing at the absurd thought. Addy said he ditches his classes, and no way was he smart enough to take a class a grade ahead. His head was to full of his ego to fit anything else, much less a brain.

I sat down and got my things out. The teacher had said I could sit wherever was open, there was no arrangement. So I choose the front row. I love writing, it's my passion, of course I was going to sit front row.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw someone sit down on the only desk to my right. It was the same head of tousled hair I spotted earlier. Curious I looked up and gasped. There in front of me was a smirking Michael.

Michael raised one eye brow, "shocked to see me Goldie?" He had an amused expression while looking into my bewildered eyes.

I wanted to ask what he was doing in here. Demand him to sit away from me, but instead all that came out was, "that's not my name"

The glint in his eye never left as he leaned back into his chair, "well you best get use to it, Goldie, that's what I'm calling you."

I scoffed and turned to pay attention as Mr. Pastel explained the assignment. Today we were working on poetry, trying to express what we would say if someone was truly listening.

I set to work straight away, but when I was half way through I turned and saw Michael lean back in his chair, finished. He saw me looking and smirked. "Is your poetry on how attractive you find me? Because the staring is flattering but I really don't know you, and we should save the love letters for later."

I groaned, "there will be no later"

"I see, so it's now or never? Well in that case-"

"Mr Case, since you love talking so much why don't you share with us your poem," Mr Patels eyes held a challenge.

Michael looked up and smirked, "with pleasure"
He walked up to the front of the class pulled out his paper with a flourish and began to read,

"Sometimes life goes on and I don't
Sometimes life gives me options to take and I won't
Sometimes the basket is open and I won't take my shot
Sometimes I make a pass but it was all for naught
Sometimes they think they have me all figured out- they are wrong
Even though I've been standing here all along"

By the time he had finished my mouth was wide open in shock. I expected some crap on hot girls he'd dated, but it was actually good. He was talented.

When he was done Michael looked to the teacher who simply nodded quietly in awe inspired acceptance. Michael walked to his desk and sat beside me. After a few seconds he leaned over and out of the corner of his mouth said, "close your mouth Goldie, you might catch flies."

I instantly clamped my mouth shut. "What is it called?"

Michael seemed distracted when I asked my question, "what's what called?"

"The poem, what's the title?"

"Quietly he whispered All Along" and with that we both listened to the teacher for the rest of class. Me to shocked to say anything and Michael to distracted.

When the bell rang I stood up with Michael. "I didn't know you were such a great poet."

"There's a lot of thing you don't know about me." When I turned to look at his face he was wiggling his eyebrows in a suggestive manner. I rolled my eyes and picked up my pace hoping to lose him in the hall as I find my locker.

But he's fast and catches up to me easily. "What are you doing?" I look up, yup up, I am incredibly short. About 5' 3 1/2"  You would think that would impede my skills on the court, but it doesn't. The tall girls can't bend that low to steal the ball and run.

"I'm going to my locker" I humph and keep walking. Michael and I stop at the same spot and open lockers right next to each other. We must have just missed each other in the hallways earlier.

I sigh, just my luck. "So what's the story behind that poem?"

Michael stops in his tracks letting some of his books drop back into his locker. He stands still for a minute before turning to face me. He stares into my eyes for several minutes and whatever he finds must have reassured him because then he says, "I've always been king on the court, and I'm the man with the ladies, but still...Sometimes I feel stuck, because people don't know the real me, the one that makes mistakes."

"Sometimes it's better if they don't know, then they don't have the power to hurt you nearly as bad." Michael looks like he was about to say something but right then a group of teenagers come up. One of them I recognize as Chris and another looks like the female version of Michael. The girl has long raven black hair that rest in perfect waves down her back. Her eyes... I gasp earning a look from Michael. They were the exact same shade as Michaels. Green with a perfect twinge of blue.

The girl rolls her eyes at Michael, she has a playful yet guarded and annoyed look. "Another conquest Micah?" Michael, or should I say "Micah's" lips twitch into a half smile at my confusion.

"This is Goldie the new girl." The raven haired girl turned to look at me with raised eyebrows.

I sigh and say, "No my name is not Goldie. This idiot can't get anything past his thick skull. If his head was a ballon his ego would have popped it. My name is Janey."

The raven girl blinked in surprise then her Chris and the other girl they were with burst out laughing. I was pleased to see that not everything was perfect about the raven girl. Her one noticeable flaw was in her donkey wheezing laugh.

"I like this girl!" Raven exclaims. "My name is Melody, this balloon heads twin sister." I nearly gasp in response. I look up wide eyed hoping to not have offended her, but her guarded and annoyed look left and I saw a sparkle in her eye that wasn't there before. "You are much different then the other girls Micah usually talks to. I hope he keeps you around. He could use a spitfire girl with some spunk." I was about to protest when Melody simply continued, "Do you play any sports? Aiden and I are on the volleyball team." She gestures to the girl beside her who I assume is Aiden. "Any chance you'll try out?"

She looked hopeful but I shook my head as Michael responds, "No Melody she doesn't play Volleyball. She's going to try out for basketball. With any luck she and Leah will play together."

Melody looks let down but nods vigorously anyways, "Leah would like you."

"I'm sorry but who's Leah?" I have no idea who they are talking about.

Raven responds, "Leah is our little sister, she's only a freshman, but we are hoping she will make it onto the high school basketball team."

"Oh I hope she makes it, what position does she play?"

Chris pipes up before the others can, "shes small forward." By the pride in his voice I would guess Leah is like a little sister to him.

I squeal in surprised delight. "I'm small forward too, I would love to work with her!"

Melody looks like she is going to burst of joy. "Oh my gosh!!! Can you just marry my brother! You sound like you would fit in this family perfectly!" We all laugh at the joke but my laugh is an octave higher then usual. "Well tryouts are this weekend, if you both make the team you can work with her all the time! Oh! Speaking of Leah, Micah we need to get going, she is waiting for us to pick her up outside the middle school next door."

Michael jams his stuff into his locker and the gang rushes off. "It was a pleasure meeting you Janey! I hope we have some classes together!" Melody seems genuine when she spoke and I couldn't help but like her. She was overall very different from Michael. She had a bubbly and likable personality, but Michael? I don't know, he seemed like a total player, but what about that moment when I asked about his poem? Could he have been acting? I've only been here a day and already I'm analyzing every person I come in contact with! Who am I kidding, what do they matter. It's not like I can become friends with any of them. My trust was burned to far to ever be whole again.