WARNING: THIS WILL TAKE SOME OF YOUR TIME!
Hello. Thank you guys so much for the feedback and for waiting for the second chapter! I'm sorry it's taken so long! I haven't had a lot of time, and when I do, writing usually for some reason isn't in mind. Sorry for the long chapter, and tell me if I should wait to post chapter 3 or if I should post it now, since I already have it written. I'm sorry ... this chapter is a bit boring and slow. It just gets some stuff out of the way. But if you stick with this, it will get into what hopefully will be the good parts! Enjoy!
Chapter 2: Sports
Ms. Brown grabbed a blue dry-erase marker and started writing on the whiteboard.
1st period: Play a “get to know each other” game.
2nd period: Explain rules & expectations for future reference.
3rd period: Mr. Smith’s class has challenged us to play kickball
4th period: Take a tour around the school and visit library for books.
5th period: Lunch
6th period: Watch a video on germs
7th period: Take a quiz on how much you know from last year
8th period: Read parts of, “Hamlet” by Shakespeare
9th period: Gym (For those who didn’t bring gym clothes may sit in the stands)
The class was murmuring about what was going to happen today.
“Darn!” I whispered to myself
I had forgotten my gym clothes. Although, maybe my old sweat pants and T-shirt that I was wearing would be OK.
“Everyone quiet down now! Let me explain what we’ll be doing today,” said Ms. Brown, trying to talk over the noise. It eventually got quiet. 'In a moment, we’ll be playing a 'get to know each other' game. This game is played by saying your full name, saying your favorite color and animal, and then saying an interesting fact about yourself. You have a few moments to think of what you’re going to say, and then the class will take turns saying the facts they have come up with. At the end, people will try to remember everyone’s facts. NOTHING INAPPROPRIATE PLEASE!”
As Ms. Brown said this, a few kids replied with an, “AWW!”
I covered my laugh with my hands. I already knew my name (of course) and my favorite color, green. My favorite animal was a rabbit, but I wasn’t too sure what I should say for the, “interesting fact”. After a few moments of thinking, I came up with, “I like pickles." It was interesting, and it would probably make the class laugh. I’d like to see Lia smile again. Oh, that smile! After about half of the class said something, it was Lia’s turn.
She said fluently, “My name is Lia Iris Aarons, my favorite color is blue, and my favorite animal is a Border Collie dog. An interesting fact about me is that I like to sketch drawings.”
I was lost in her deep green eyes. They were so pretty. I didn’t know it was my turn.
I blushed embarrassingly, then said, “My name is Warren Christopher Allan, my favorite color is green, my favorite animal is a rabbit, and an interesting fact is that I like pickles.”
The class laughed at my random comment, then the person behind me said the facts about themselves. I had no idea that the person behind me was one of my best friends who I’d been inseparable with since birth that lived down the street from me. I think I was too busy staring at Lia.
She said, “My name is Ellis Jennifer Owens, my favorite color is red, and my favorite animal is a black bear. An interesting fact about me is that I have a retarded cat that has a habit of running into walls.”
I already knew this, but it never got old when Ellis said, “I have a retarded cat,” so I still laughed with the rest of the class. After a few very random facts that were said about people who I knew and didn’t know, we we’re to try to remember all of the peoples names, favorite colors and animals, and their interesting facts. Most of the people got almost all of them right, except for a few goofy people that got about one right (themselves). Suddenly, a loud, ringing bell shot off.
“OK, students, since it’s the first day of school, you don’t have to go to any classes-” the class broke out in “woo hoos”- “Instead, I will be explaining the rules and expectations of the middle school. That way, you will know what goes on here, and what we expect of all of you.” Said Ms. Brown. “First of all, when teachers and lunch aids put up one finger-” Ms. Brown held up her pointer finger and pointed to the ceiling- “That means silence. Also, when a person is talking, that means everyone should be silent. Then the rest of the rules you guys should already know. For example, no running or talking in the hallways, no chewing gum unless teachers give it to you. Don’t bring cell phones or video game councils. Oh! The dress code, yes, I almost forgot. You’re not allowed to wear hats indoors. You can’t wear pants that hang at your butt-” A bit of laughter broke out. “No gangster symbols on your clothing. Um…. What else? You can’t wear pajamas, you have to wear clothes, and you can’t wear clothing that distracts people from learning, such as Groucho Marx glasses. The expectations are really just you being respectful to adults, turning in your work on time, being safe and not being a bully, not hurting anyone, possibly getting involved with the school’s clubs and after school activities, etcetera. That’s about it, but I was told to show you a video, so I’ll put it in the TV.”
Ms. Brown then grabbed a disc and reached up towards the DVD player below the TV. She put it in the slot and the class went silent. It started up with a happy song and a man in a tie-die suit with a big grin on his face. It was hard not to laugh my butt off, and I think the rest of the class was trying to not explode with laughter, either. I saw a few students with watery eyes, big puffed up cheeks as if trying to hold in air, and their faces were bright red. I turned back to the television, and saw that the man was happily explaining to a kid that he shouldn’t be chewing gum on school grounds. The rest of the video was the guy in the tie-die tuxedo telling kids not to do this and that. The man was basically explaining what Ms. Brown had just explained to us, except in a longer and happier way.
When the video was over, Ms. Brown took out the disc from the DVD player and put it back in its case. The rest of the class let out a big sigh and started giggling as quietly as they possibly could. I started giggling quietly, too.
“OK, OK. You guys can laugh, I know it was a bit of a ridiculous video,” Ms. Brown said, smiling down at her desk as she messed with her papers.
The whole class roared with laughter. A few people fell out of their chairs, while others pounded on desks. I saw a few students’ eyes filled with water. I didn’t think it was that funny, but I still laughed along. I suddenly whipped to see Lia. I don’t know why I did, but when I saw her smile I remembered why. That beautiful smile! I thought. I never had believed in love at first sight, but I think I did now. Ellis kicked the leg of my chair and I stopped staring at Lia. I turned around to see her, and she gave me a devious smile.
Oh, crap! I thought. I knew she probably thought I liked Lia. I was staring at Lia every chance I got. I wondered if the whole class knew. Probably not, Ellis does know me well, I hoped. I sneaked another look at Lia. I turned back around to Ellis, and she pointed at me, then Lia, and hummed “Warren and Lia sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G.” I gave her a begging look, as if to tell her “please don’t!” Ellis rolled her eyes and stopped humming.
The laughter was still going on, but when the bell rang, it died down.
“OK, class, I’ll lead you outside to the field in the back of the school. There, we’ll play kickball with Mr. Smith’s class!”
Ms. Brown’s class got in a line next to the door and on Ms. Brown’s word, she lead us outside. Outside, there was a big field with dandelions and clovers scattered in the grass. Mr. Smith’s class was already there, and, when he wasn’t looking, I gave the guy who smiled at Lia earlier a hateful glare.
“Hello, Ms. Brown. Should we introduce our students before we start?”
Asked Mr. Smith.
“Yeah, that would probably be a good idea,” replied Ms. Brown.
Mr. Smith’s class said their first names, but I only paid attention to one name. Michael. That was his name. The guy who smiled at Lia.
“OK, classes! We will call your positions! Ms. Brown’s class will be the first to kick. I will call the positions of my class. Reynolds, Nellie will be at first base! Sires, Michael will be at second base!” Exclaimed Mr. Smith, naming the rest of his class and their positions.
Ms. Brown’s class got lined up behind home base. I made sure I was behind Lia. Ellis came behind me, smirking.
“Is it obvious?” I asked as quietly as I could to Ellis.
She replied, “Only for great observers.”
Ellis was reading the Sherlock Holmes series, and was acting a lot like him. Now she wanted to be a detective. It got annoying, at times.
After a few minutes of screaming encouragement to whomever was running bases, it was Lia’s turn.
I whispered to Lia, “Good luck!”
She ran for the ball and kicked. The ball went straight into the air, right in front of the hot, burning, sun, so it made my eyes water to watch it. It landed with a loud, “Plop,” in the outfield. I could see a few kids running for it, but Lia was already on second base.
“GOOOOOOO! KEEP ON GOING! RUN, RUN, RUN! YOU CAN DO IT! WOOHOO!” I roared with the crowd.
All of the other kids on my team that were on the bases had made it, only leaving Lia. The kids in the outfield were throwing the ball to the kids closest to the pitcher. Lia was running very fast, her long legs moving swiftly in front of the other. She was seconds away from getting to home plate, but Mr. Smith’s team were seconds away from getting her out. I gestured with my hands to come over to home plate, as did the other kids on my team. She jumped, and then she was on home plate. Then, the pitcher got the ball a second after.
“She’s not out!” Called Mr. Smith.
“WOOHOO!” roared my team.
Lia got up from the ground, brushed the dirt of her clothes and gave a big smile. I high fived her and she laughed.
“Good job! You did great!” I said, smiling at her.
Then, I realized it was my turn. I gulped, and my heart thumped against my chest. I could never do as great as Lia. And I wanted to do as great as Lia. I wanted to impress her.
My team said words of encouragement, including Lia. I gulped and went to the plate. I was positioned in a running start, ready to kick the ball. The pitcher rolled the ball against the grass, and I could hear it moving quickly towards me. I kicked, but I missed. I kicked air. I turned bright red and was given an extra turn. This time I kicked and the ball flew in the air, but plopped a few feet from third base. I was never great at kickball, I remembered sadly. I’d always get strikes in elementary school when I played. I ran as fast as I could, the crowd roaring with encouragement. I kept running, but stopped at second base. Next to Michael. I tried not to give him a hateful glare, and made my face look normal. I looked where he was looking, and found he was staring at Lia. Now it was really hard not to give him a hateful glare. It was Ellis’s turn, and she kicked. I ran, and, turning my head back, I found that she had kicked it near the outfield. The ball was close to third base, so I ran even faster. I felt the base squish under my foot, and I was running towards home plate. The crowd was jumping with excitement, screaming words of encouragement, and I saw Lia doing that, too. I ran even faster, my breathing getting louder and heavier within the minute. But, at the last second, I tripped over my own leg. My body flopped down, and my arm hit the grass painfully. I found that it was touching home plate, and smiled. I got up, and scratched the back of my head sheepishly. I got to the back of the line, and Lia looked at me.
“Good job,” Lia said.
“Not as good as you,” I said, wanting to flatter her, and at the same time make her give encouragement to me.
“That was pure luck. I’m never that good. I was in shock when it was flying so high,” she said.
“Really? You getting a home run was luck?” I asked, smiling.
She nodded. I laughed and put my arms on my kneecaps. My breathing had gotten a bit softer, now that I had stopped running. I cheered to those who were running, and after a while it was Mr. Smith’s class’ turn to kick. Ms. Brown yelled out positions, and I was in the outfield. Ellis was nearby me, and one of my best friends, Jason, was a few feet away from me, too. The sun shined down on Jason’s chocolate skin. I looked at Ellis, and her short black hair was waving in the breeze. Sometimes I thought Ellis was a mini Catherine. She has a few of the same characteristics as Cat, likes the same music as Cat, and likes the same books as Cat. There’s a lot more of similarities between my sister and Ellis, but I’d get tired naming all of them.
I looked to see who was kicking, and it was a kid that was in my class last year. I smiled and gave him a friendly wave. He smiled back, and then put all of his focus on the pitcher, who was a guy named Steven, and the kickball. Nothing much happened in the outfield, so I got kind of bored. After a few kids had kicked, it was Michael’s turn. I knew I shouldn’t have hated him just because he stared and smiled at Lia. I guess I just didn’t like the fact that he was really good looking, and probably liked Lia. He kicked in the outfield, and my legs shot like a gun. I was running right underneath the kickball, and I held my hands out.
My team was screaming at me, “GO, GO, GO!”
I heard Ellis’s footsteps behind me to the right, and Jason’s footsteps behind me to the left. I kept running as fast as I could go, but I was getting tired. The ball was about to fall, and I held my hands up to the air, almost exactly below the kickball. It was coming down and… I caught it! My team roared with happiness. I saw Lia in the corner of my eye jump and punch the air. A few more minutes of playing kickball, we had to go back up to our classrooms. I was tired from the game and the climb up the stairs. Lia, Ellis, and Jason caught up with me. At the top of the stairs we heard the bell ring. All of my friends said that I did really well, and I just complimented back. The rest of the class caught up, and we went into our classroom.
***
The rest of the day took either very fast or a slow boring blur. I didn’t pay attention much, but the germ video was ridiculous. Like all the other school videos that I have seen, it was very stupid and didn’t teach me all that much. But then there was gym. We had P.E. with all the other 7th graders’ classes. I sat on the bleachers, waiting for the rest of the classes to change into their P.E. clothes. The gym teacher, Mr. Bartley (I had heard kids calling him Mr. Fartley), had said that my regular clothes were OK to wear for P.E.
I saw Ellis come out. She came up and sat next to me.
“Hey, what’s up? You were practically drooling over Lia!”
“Shut up! Don’t tell anyone that I like Lia! I’m serious, you can’t tell anyone! The only reason I’m staring at her is that I saw her in one of my dreams,” I said.
“Uh-huh. But, I’m not joking, when you were looking at dream girl I thought I saw drool on the corner of your mouth,” said Ellis.
I distinctly put a finger to the corner of my lip. It was dry.
“Please don’t tell the world that I’m in love with Lia-”
“Hey, you admitted it! You admitted that you’re in love with-”
“SHUT UP! Keep your voice down! God, I just told you to not tell the world!” I said in the loudest whisper I could muster.
“So, tell me about this dream,” said Ellis.
I told Ellis every detail I remembered of the dream. I saw her smirk and sometimes laugh when I said that I liked the girl in the dream and how Lia was very pretty in the dream.
“Weird. I’ve always liked the theory of being a psychic. Do you think you saw the future?” Asked Ellis after I told her the dream.
“I hope so – I mean, uh, maybe…” I said.
“Haha, I already know you like her, you don’t need to hide it,” replied Ellis.
“Yeah, I guess so-”
“Hey, you there, uh,” Said Mr. Bartley checking his clipboard, “Uh, Ellis. No hoods. It isn’t, uh, respectful.”
“Ugh! I don’t get why we aren’t allowed to wear hoods. Or hats. I mean, what if you have really disgusting and greasy hair? You’d wear a hat, right? Wouldn’t showing your hair be more disrespectful than to wear a hat?” Asked Ellis as she ripped her hood down.
“Then I guess you take a shower…?” I replied.
“Um… You don’t have a shower. Or… You forgot to take one last night. And what if you have really bad dandruff that no shower will fix? You wear a hat. Or hood. Also, what if you have lice? You wear a hat!” Exclaimed Ellis.
“You shouldn’t go to school if you have lice!” I said, sort of laughing.
“Hmmm… Uh, what if you have missed too many days of school and if you were to miss another day you’d go to summer school? Ugh, that’s not my point; my point is that wearing hats shouldn’t be disrespectful. I mean, really!” Said Ellis.
I laughed. Ellis was funny how she would make a lot of effort to prove her point or be right, even if it was over something stupid.
Almost everyone was on the bleachers now, but I could see a few boys and girls still coming out of the dressing rooms. When everyone seemed to be there, Mr. Bartley spoke.
“OK, class, uh, classes. We will start gym today by stretching and running a few laps around the entire gym. Then we will start to play dodge ball. Now, everyone please come off the stands.”
I moaned. Dodge ball. I hated doge ball. Into the first 10 seconds of every game I’d get hit. The longest I’d ever played was 14 seconds, I think.
Ellis gestured for me to get up, and I dragged myself off the stands. I met up with Jason, and we sat next to Ellis, doing some stretches. After my poorly-did yoga moves, the whole entire portion of the 7th grade ran laps around the large gym for about 3 minutes.
“So, how do you think you’re going to date Lia?” panted Ellis as she jogged behind me.
“Shut up!” I replied.
“Lia? You like Lia? HA! Didn’t you just meet her? No offence, but that’s a little desperate.” Said Jason.
“Would you like to explain why I like her, Ellis?” I said.
“Sure, I’d love to,” replied Ellis.
She started to explain my dream to Jason and just finished when we were done with our jogging. Jason laughed when she finished.
“So you dreamed her up? Whoa, awesome! But still, you hardly know a thing about her!”
“Yeah, I guess so. It’s just… This is the only time I’ve believed in love at first sight a little…” I tried to whisper the last part.
“‘Love at first sight!’ You have got to be kidding me! Dude, just try to know her a little bit more! For all you know she could be a serial killer!” Jason commented
“I’m pretty sure she isn’t a serial killer. And, I’ll get to know her a bit more… It’ll just take a while.”
“Ooo, get to know her.” Jason replied.
“Aw, come on!”
All the time we were talking Ellis was already grabbing a dodge ball and getting a position in the game. I moped over to the bag of dodge balls. I picked one up when Jason said something.
“Hey, it’s a bag of balls!”
I broke out in laughter. Mr. Bartley didn’t notice. At least, he didn’t act like he noticed. But a lot of other kids heard and started screaming in laughter, too.
Mr. Bartley frowned in confusion at us, shook his head, and the told all of the 7th graders to get ready to play. Then he blew his whistle and a swarm of red balls flew over my teams’ heads. I heard Jason behind me laughing and knew exactly what he was thinking.
About 10 seconds into the game I got out, like I guessed. After a while Ellis and Jason got out, too. Then Lia. I tried not to obsess over her, but it was hard not to. She was just so perfect. I wondered if she was some mythical creature like in all those books, but doubted it. I quickly glanced at her then looked away. But I couldn’t stop. I kept taking quick glances until the period was over. I’d even been caught by Jason or Ellis at least five times that I was looking at her. The only thing that got me out of looking at Lia was the loud, ringing, bell calling the end of the day. I followed the line up to Ms. Brown’s classroom, and Jason had to go back to Mr. Smith’s room. I got my backpack out of my locker and tried to not stare at Lia as she got her own backpack out. When everyone was set to leave the school, we followed the line down the flights of stairs and out the main entrance. I walked with Ellis and Jason to the busses and got into my seat. This time I tried to sit far away from Lia. I sat next to Ellis and Jason, as usual. The whole way home I just stared out the window, wondering how I was going to stop this weird obsession for Lia. Ellis and Jason were having a conversation without me, probably knowing that they shouldn’t bother me when I have my looking-out-the-window-with-a-wondering-look face on. When it was Ellis’s and my stop, we said bye to Jason, who lived two streets away, and got off the bus. I walked silently with Ellis, staring at my feet, when she turned around, to Lia, who I was trying not to notice.
“Hey, Lia! I was just wondering, since I haven’t seen you around too much, where you live. I know it sounds a little stalkerish, but I was just curious,” said Ellis.
I stopped dead and turned around. “Oh, hi Lia. Didn’t see ya there!” I lied.
“Oh, hi. You’re… Ellis, right? Hi Warren! Um, I live almost all the way at the end of the street. I just moved here about two weeks ago. I haven’t been out much. You know, lots of unpacking,” Lia replied. I couldn’t believe she remembered my name.
“Oh, that’s cool! I can’t wait to hang out with you!” Replied Ellis, a bit happier than usual.
“Oh, um, cool. I can’t wait, either!” Said Lia shyly.
I walked to my house and Ellis came over. I didn’t look at Lia the whole way after we talked. I couldn’t believe that I did. When we arrived my mom came up to me.
“Hi Warren! Hello Ellis! How was your day?” She said.
“Great! And I think Warren agrees with me,” said Ellis, giving me a devious smile.
I blushed, embarrassed. I was never going to tell my mom about Lia.
copyright February 16, 2010 (Don't ask about the copyright thing, my dad doesn't want anyone to steal my ideas.)
