BOYS LIKE GIRLS / CLIFFORD

02

MICHAEL CLIFFORD

-

Sitting in front of Alyssa? Definetly one of the worst things in life I've ever experienced. It didn't affect me as much as the teacher thought it would be but he didn't bother to move again.

But Alyssa?

Raising her hand in class, stating opinions, that stupid smirk on her face when she gets it right. 

I buried my face in between my arms and try to shake off the voices of Alyssa and Luke, talking about some stupid concert.

"Are you going to the Blink-182 concert next month?" Luke asked.

"No, I couldn't get the tickets, almost everyone is going!" Alyssa whined.

I didn't even bother to turn around and I knew Luke would have a dumb smirk on his face as he 'be the hero and saves the day'.

"I have extra tickets if you want, we can go together." Smooth, Luke, smooth. As usual.

Alyssa didn't reply, from her silence I assumed she just politely rejected him by shaking his head. She's always been like that, acting so high and almighty, like she's better than everyone else.

Good girls like her, have always been like that, and she didn't seem to be the odd one out of them either.

-

Math class, math class, math class. 

As I was scribbling in my math book, waiting for Mrs. Dawson to show up and as I was going to turn around to talk to Calum who sat three seats behind me now, but all I saw was Alyssa, fumbing through her backpack, and her facial expressions were mixed with anxiety and stress and she was mumbled fragments of words.

"Math..." "Where..." "Shit..."

Although hearing Alyssa Harlow swear is probably one of the rarest thing in life. I shook it off.

Then the teacher came.

I don't know if Mrs. Dawson was on her period or whatever, but she seemed to be in a shitter mood than she usually is in, the sound of the heels of her high heels hitting the floor echoed through the classroom, everyone exchanged glances at each other.

"Did everyone bring their textbook?" She asked, monotoned.

I placed my textbook on Alyssa's table and raised from my seat, "I forgot it." I said.

Mrs. Dawson slammed her textbook on the floor, her face was red, I should've knew her reaction would be stronger just because the fact that this is probably the only day I've actually brought my textbook in ages.

"Mr. Clifford, should I even warn you the fact that you're on the edge of getting expelled," She yelled in a rapid speed, "The amount of 'stunts' and 'jokes' you've pulled this year is unbelievable."

"I try." My voice was slightly trembling, a small laugher was created in the classroom crowd.

"Mr. Clifford, just get out." She sighed, "Class, open up unit six please, we're going to talk about geometry today."

Walking out of my classroom, I held my head up high and as I left the room, I gave Alyssa one last glance, she gave me a smile, a short smile that I've never seen from her before, mixed with 'Thank you' and 'I'm sorry', the ones you see on television shows when the girl rejects the guy.

Honestly, till this day, I still couldn't remember why I gave her my textbook.

-

Afterschool, I stood at the school parking lot, trying to yank off the lock that was on my bike. Calum, Luke and Ashton was at the basketball court, trying to sneak in another game before they had to go home.

"Thank you, Michael."

I turned around and there stood Alyssa, standing there in her school uniform, unlike the other girls, her's follow the school rules perfectly, her plaid school drops right above her knees, her shirt buttoned up entirely.

"Why thank me? I was glad to skip the entire math class." I said, still on my knees, and still attempting to yank off the lock off my bike.

"Can I ask a question?" She said, kneeling down next to me.

I was surprised by her sudden action, "I don't know, can you?" I joked.

"No, seriously, Michael." Her facial expressions were serious like usual, giving an unapproachable vibe.

"Fine, go ahead." I nodded.

"Why don't you study?"

"Okay, well first, you didn't have to point that out, and second, studying isn't my thing, I don't like school, school doesn't like me, so I don't do school." I explained, "Lastly, why do you care?"

Alyssa looked like as if she wasn't used to comments like these, which didn't strike me as a surprise since when we were little she always have been the 'perfect' kid in everything, including sport.

"I don't 'care'," She said as she puts air quotes up, "I'm just asking because you seem to enjoy the fact that you're throwing away your future."

"Oh, the good girl has some attitude." I smirked, her cheeks turned in to a light pink color.

"It's not attitude, it's simply called stating a fact." She said.

I shook my head as I finally yanked the lock off and I threw it in the the basket on the front of my bike.

"Well, goodbye, Alyssa." I said, standing up.

"So what, you just don't want to study?" She said as she stood up and handed me the math textbook she was clutching on to.

"Yes, Alyssa." I replied, rolling my eyes, "Not everyone is a perfect human being like you, okay?"

"I'm not perfect." She said, staring in to my eyes, "Nobody is, I just try my best to my ability."

"You see, that's exactly what all smart kids say." I said, cross-armed.

"Well, it's the truth." She shrugged as she looked at me pulling my bike out from the lot.

"Well, I'm leaving." I said, "See you tomorrow, Alyssa." Driving off, leaving her alone.

"Can you at least try to study?" She shouted behind me.

"No can do." I shouted back, driving off in to the sunset.