The 7 Year Endearment. √

Chapter 6.

Jason was standing a few feet away from me in the hallway and the fact that his locker was near mine didn't help at all. I knew what the protocol was; take a deep breath and count mentally till twenty as I walk in his direction. But right now, it felt I was in vacuum and a foreign language taking over my mind who knew nothing but, "Phone Home."

My legs were trembling and my hands were slightly shaking as I miserably feigned nonchalance. It felt like I was a phone on vibrate mode who forgot that it only has to shake when it gets a notification or a call. My heart was literally thudding  fast and hard against my ribs and I mentally kept repeating Don't Look here. Don't look here, a thousand times. But of course, the guy who had been talking animatedly with his friends had to stop mid conversation to take in his surroundings and I swear I saw him take a double take from the corner of my eye when he saw me.

We were seeing each other after a week, and of course I was angry at this brown eyed gorgeous looking guy who was surprised to see me opening my locker without noticing him. After some moments he seemed to regain his composure as he cleared his throat and started talking again, but this time his voice kept on decreasing which meant he walked away like he didn't just see the girl he insulted in front of the whole school.

Hello! An apology would suffice, thanks.

"Oh hey." Beth came and hugged me in someone-had-died-and-you-need-a-hug kind of way and I wanted to shove her and say,"Stop treating me like I'm made of glass.", but shut my mouth and returned it affectionately because I needed one.

"What's up?" I smiled and looked at her.

"You missed a whole week of school, that's what's up." Beth shrugged and looked around and as I mirrored her expressions I saw students scattered around, some in groups, some alone and that's when I noticed that even when they all were sometimes pointing not-so- subtly in my direction or looking at me with raised eyebrows or a wrinkled nose, no one had actually teased me with Jason or hollered his name out.

Beth had called and apologized everyday for her irrational behavior and how she shouldn't have forced me.

Paris, Jess and Sarah dropped by my house everyday after school to check on me if I was feeling okay, and that they were sorry. They even said how they were going to make Jason apologise to me but that was the last thing I wanted so I sternly told them not to.

If he wanted to apologise he would approach me and do it, not because someone told him to.

Also, over the days I realised that I wanted my dignity and respect back, so even if it meant that I'd have to stay away from the brown haired guy as far away as possible then so be it.

"Did I miss something?" I questionineg gazed at everyone standing in the hallways. No one seemed too eager to tease me with Jason which would
have been easy to point a week ago.

"Not really," Beth shook her head, her auburn curls softly hitting her face, "I think they just got bored of teasing you with him," she shrugged, "if that's what you're asking." She locked her arm with mine and gave me a warm smile as we both began walking to history class. I returned her gesture and it felt nice to come back to school; all the drama aside.

******

I have always been shy and kept to myself like I can't recall the last time I was called up in front of the class for a presentation without my hands and legs trembling like the buildings do during an earthquake. I would rather take the wrong order given to me by the cafeteria lady than stomp my feet and go bonkers like hello? I didn 't order a salad with fries on the side.
Sometimes I question my bravery not knowing when to surface because when it heard say it! and Jason in a frame, it suddenly knew how to swim towards the shore.