The Moron and His Muttonhead Friends

No way was I going back there. How could I? Everyone just saw my… Well, you know. And I’d never live it down! At that moment, as I bolted for the nearest safe haven with my tattered shorts bundled in my arms, I decided that I couldn’t attend the school, even if by some miracle I was accepted. I’d never, ever, ever, ever live this down. I’d hear about it every day in class, in the hall, at practice.

                I ran and ran, like the coward I was, findin the side door to the school’s main building. Just as I ducked through the tall double doors, I skidded to a stop. A girl, a beautiful one (of course, right?), walked down the hall.

                I swear, she must have been floating. Or I was going dizzy.

                She was the most beautiful girl. And believe me when I say it: I was probably drooling. Her dark blonde hair fell lazily around her narrow shoulders obviously effortlessly and natural. And her eyes… so stormy and deep, perfectly blue-gray. And  looking straight at me.

                Oh, brother. I sounded like a girl. Was I really thinking like that? Knock it off, Finch. You’re a man. Act like it.I scolded myself and straightened up just as a blow hit my shoulder and jerked me sideways, almost directly into Her Highness. A stupid jock bolted passed me, looking back and laughing an idiot laugh at an unknown person behind me.

                The kid ran off down the hall. Just my luck, I turned around to put the broken puzzle pieces together and see who the instigator was.

                Garret.

                “Oh, would you look who it is? It’s Mr. Drafty!” Garret tease, elbowing his friends and pointing at my currently pants-less legs like it was the funniest thing they’d ever seen.

                “Aren’t you so funny, Dill? Wait, rhetorical question. Just in case you happen to know what that means,” I tossed back.

                Garret must have been the king of dopey looks. He kept a straight look on his face, not laughing anymore, with an ugly curled lip. The kid was downright stupid.

                “You should really work on your comebacks, kid,” he finally said, shaking his head and holding that hideous smirk. He muttered something that sounded like “what an idiot” to his following idiots then turned to me again and gave me a shove.

                Under circumstances, I would have shouldered back. Well, probably. Maybe.

                I let the push go, though, because then Garret stepped around me and did something that, of all things, probably crushed my hope most, of anything.

                He reached out to the beautiful girl I had locked eyes with. “Let’s go, Anya. This fool’s gotta get home for bedtime.” Anya returned his gesture by slipping her arm around his waist. It was like a slap in the face.

The pigs plus the pretty girl walked off down the hall.