Lab Partners (Wattpad Books Edition)

I DON'T LIKE BULLIES

Jordan and I left the field and walked the long way back to the school. When we reached the building, Jordan pried open the heavy metal door leading to the gymnasium. It had been propped open with a doorstop, as it tended to lock as soon as it closed completely, and I'm pretty sure it couldn't be unlocked from outside. Either that or it was so old that Mr. Mason didn't have a key. Regardless of the answer, we were able to get inside.

"Your name is Elliot, right?" Jordan asked as we walked side by side down the hallway. "Elliot Goldman?"

"Yeah," I said, holding the back of my neck with both hands to try and relieve the aching in my head.

"I'm Jordan Hughes," he said. "I think we're lab partners."

"We are," I confirmed.

"It's nice to meet you," he said, sticking out his hand. I shook it quickly.

"Likewise," I told him, closing my eyes. My body swooped as my head swirled, and I wasn't sure I could stand up straight much longer.

"Whoa, are you okay?" he asked when I stopped to lean against some lockers.

"I'm fine, I just—" Everything was spinning. "I need to sit down for a minute." Jordan grabbed my arms and helped me to the floor. The contents of my stomach roiled and it wouldn't be long before I threw up.

"You don't look so good," Jordan said uneasily. "Do you need me to go get someone?"

"No, just give me a minute." I drew my knees up to my chest and held my head with both hands.

Jordan wordlessly slid down the lockers to sit beside me. He kept throwing me concerned glances. I considered telling him to stop looking at me like I was a wounded animal but refrained when I realized it would only worsen my headache.

"How long have you been bullied?" he asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I mumbled, keeping my head down so it wouldn't spin out of control.

"I may be new here, but I'm neither deaf nor blind. I can tell this wasn't a one-time deal. They've been doing it for a while. That Cole kid had a look of glee on his face when he took you down. That's not cool."

"Who?" I asked, trying to stall. This really wasn't something I wanted to talk about with a complete stranger. With anyone, really.

"I don't know all of their names," he said. "But every time we're in gym, Cole finds some way to make your life miserable."

"It doesn't matter. I'm fine."

"You're not fine, you can't even move right now," Jordan said. I couldn't tell if he was referring to my physical state or my mental one. "And it does matter."

"Why do you care so much?" I snapped. "You're a cookie-cutter popular kid. You've probably never had to deal with any shit like this in your life."

"You'd be surprised," he muttered. "Look, I'm sorry I pushed you. Bullies are the worst, and I don't like seeing stuff like that happen to people who don't deserve it. Sometimes I get a little carried away about it."

"It's okay," I breathed, leaning back and resting my head against the cool metal of the lockers. "I'm sorry I snapped. My head is killing me and it's making me more irritable than normal."

"No worries," he said. "Fresh start?"

"Sure," I agreed, and went to stand up. Jordan was immediately there to help me.

"You good?" he asked.

"As good as I'm going to be. We can't sit in the hallway all day in our gym clothes."