Dangerous Fellows-I found love in a coffee shop

Another Crush?

One day in Phys Ed class, the bleachers were out so it was a study hall. I knew Harry and his friends were in the same class as me but I had never paid them much mind. They were talking quietly, and I was daydreaming away. I was staring at Harry even though my mind was somewhere else entirely, until for some reason I felt eyes on me and realized Zion and Ethan had caught me staring. I quickly looked away as I flushed, now looking anywhere but. Judy walked into the gym and came up to me. "Why is your face a tomato?" She asked, not at all quietly. I just flushed brighter and she laughed, coming to me. I hid my face in her shoulder. "They-caught-me-staring.." I said too quickly, but trying to be quiet. "Oh honey.." she said sympathetically. "I was zoning out..." I muttered. She giggled at me. "Don't laugh at me.." I pouted. She just laughed harder and I shoved her shoulder. "Great to know you find joy in my embarrassment..." I teased her by stealing the clip from her hair. "Oii!! Give it back." She cried reaching for it. I leaned backwards. "Never!!" I put a funny accent in my voice. "Jadyn, you're gonna fall.." My hand was supporting me from the way I was sitting and keeping me from falling. "Nah. My ninja skills are too good for that." I replied. She shook her head in amusement before crying out. "Jadyn look out!!" I ducked, covering my head with my hands but the action made me lose my balance and I tipped backwards. My hands went out to catch myself and a really old and hard basketball bashed me in the head and I managed to hit my head on the bleachers as well. The noise actually concerned the teacher and he came to check what was going on. Judy helped me up. "Jadyn are you okay?!" I had hit my head hard enough that I was crying now. Judy gathered me in her arms. The teacher didn't catch it at first. It was Zion and Ethan that got his attention. "Coach!" He looked in Ethan's direction. "Up here." Zion explained. The P.E. teacher came up the steps. "What happened?" He asked. "She was balanced a bit precariously and someone threw a basketball... I told her to watch out and she tried to duck and she fell. I think the ball hit her in the head and she hit the bleachers too.." Judy explained. "Pack you and Jadyn's stuff. You can walk with her to the nurses office." Judy nodded and moved away from me. The teacher coaxed me to lift up my tear stained face as he checked for blood. Judy finished and grabbed my arm lightly, helping me up. We descended the steps of the bleachers, with the entire class staring. Zion glared daggers at the kid that did it. Deciding to withhold the basketball the kid threw. Zion was one of the strongest kids in the school, nobody messed with him. When the teacher went back into his office, the kid came to get the ball. "Red, toss it to me." Zion glared. "As if Tyler." Tyler looked pissed. "Come on man, stop goofing give it!!" Zion shook his head. Tyler started coming up onto the bleacher's thinking he was really gonna take it by force. "You seriously think I won't floor you? Back the fuck off." Zion warned. "Ball is mine now. Go find something else to do." The kid backed off and sulked away. "You're just gonna confiscate the basketball?" Eugene asked. "I'd like to pop him one. But I don't feel like dealing with detention. I'll settle for ruining his fun and making him be bored and the laughing stock of his buddies." Ethan grabbed said ball. "This thing is on its last legs anyway. It's not supposed to be used.." He knocked on the ball. "Honestly, if she doesn't have a concussion i'll be surprised. This thing is hard.. No wonder it made her cry.." Harry came back into the conversation right then. "Made who cry?" He asked. The entire context was lost on him. He had dozed off due to lack of sleep the night before and a migraine. "One of the assholes hit JAdyn with a basketball and made her cry... She and Judy just left for the nurses." Zion explained. "How are you feeling H?" Ethan asked. "Less than spectacular... but I'm alright." He assured. His friends knew of his migraines and of his abuse, but there wasn't anything they could do about it other than be there for him when things got bad.

The nurse gave me some ice and ordered me to rest. Judy left with the promise to pick up my homework for me to which I gave her a less than enthusiastic 'yay.' I wasn't crying anymore, but my head did hurt pretty bad. She gave me some medicine before I laid down to rest.

I didn't remember dozing off, but I heard some people talking. The lights were dimmed and I sat up slowly to look around. The nurse was having lunch with the secretary. "Hey Jadyn! Are you feeling better?" She asked. I nodded. "Yes, much. I didn't mean to sleep though.." She shook her head. "It's alright. You didn't have a concussion, but you do have a couple of bumps. I'm sure a hit like that gave you a nasty headache." I nodded. "Yeah, it did." She smiled. "Lunch just started. You have time to get a tray.." I nodded. "Alright, thank you." I grabbed my bag. Stopping off at my locker to deposit it before heading to the cafeteria. I absently played with my phone in the line, avoiding eye contact with the other students. Judy had sent me a couple of heart texts about feeling better and my other friends sent me cute pictures.  I smiled at the texts. I didn't have lunch with them though so I decided to text Judy "BOO!" with a ghost emoji. I watched her reaction as she looked around. "Behind you." She turned in her seat and saw me. Waving enthusiastically. I laughed at her, waving back. She texted me so she didn't shout across the lunch room.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better. Thank you for trying to save me.."

"Welcome. I should have just pulled you or something."

"Nonsense. What's for lunch?"

"Flat Ribs and Perogis."

"Yummm"

Our texts back and forth consisted of silly nonsense. She promised to meet me at the exit so my lunch wasn't ruined. True to her word, Judy was there waiting. "Would you like an escort my fair lady?" She asked, holding her arm out to me. I giggled at her. "Yes quite.." I replied. Linking my arm with hers as we went back to the table. She was already done with her food, but talked to me and my other friends I did have lunch with as we laughed and joked with each other. There was a tap on Judy's shoulder and she turned. It was Ethan. He held out her hairpin to her. "Here, you dropped this.." He said simply. She took it, managing to squeak out a thank you. She turned back, her face flushed bright red as he walked away. I gasped. "Oh my god you like him!!" I squealed quietly. She gave my arm a series of hits that had no real power behind them as I laughed hysterically. "I can't believe it.. You're crushing on the star pitcher and you didn't even TELL me!!" She took a pierogi and shoved it in my face. I bit it and she covered my mouth with her hand lightly. "Now chew..." She sighed dramatically as I obeyed. "Sweet silence.." feeling playful I licked her hand to her "EWW!" And she wiped it on her jeans. I finished my food. "Hm.hm. It makes sense now. You stare in his direction at the cafe sometimes." I ventured. She blushed again. "Hush you. Like you have any room to talk Miss Daydream." I just laughed at her before getting up and depositing my tray. "Hey Jadyn!" One of the lunch ladies doing the dishes greeted. I smiled. "Hey Miss Loraine." As I took a small shortcut back to my table a kid ambushed me. "Since when did a loser like you get so chummy with some of the most popular kids in school?" I tensed up. "What do you mean?" I asked. "Zion stepping in to save you all the time.. The star pitcher coming to your table... When did you get so chummy with them?" I shook my head. "I'm not Tyler.." He advanced. "Oh yeah..? Could have fooled me-!" He put his hands out to shove me, but someone grabbed and held him back. It was Zion again and Judy was making her way to us as well. "I told you to stop Tyler." Tyler glared at me and backed off just as Judy came up to me. "Are you alright?" She questioned. I nodded. "Yeah.." I looked up as I spoke. "Thanks Zi--" He was gone. Judy led me through the sea of students and back to our table. "You just can't stay out of trouble can you?" My friend Cody ventured. "Oi, I don't understand why they hate me either, they just do." I replied. 

The next few days passed by without incident.