The Brief Confrontation after Class

Thank god that was over. My ears hurt more than my guts when old Mr. Gray dismissed us for lunch. Funny how long an hour feels like when it’s spent unproductively. By unproductively, I mean, something I don’t enjoy, of course. The definition’s not something that I share with the other people here.

I usually hurry out of the room to meet up with Abby. Abby’s my best friend. We take our lunch together at the cafeteria as fast as we can then scurry up to the school gym to see how the varsity’s doing. We’re not sport buffs nor do we advocate the school spirit; we just like looking at sweaty guys in their uniform – or half of it.

She particularly likes looking at “Sweaty Eddy” – the senior team captain of the basketball team who just happened to be the god of her idolatry. Like most of these jocks, they spend most of their time playing and competing than they do going to classes and all. It’s just not their thing. And we can’t help but forgive them about it.

More about the varsity later...

But for some reason unbeknownst to me, I lingered a while in my seat that day and sort of felt the whole room slowly emptying itself of students. Out they went, the whole lot of them. That is, except for two.

“Sophia,” a cold voice just deviated my thoughts and brought me back to the tangible. I looked around and saw the owner.

“Hey, Garrett,” I squinted, “I didn’t see you there.”

“You’re not supposed to,” he quipped, “I’m that inconspicuous.” Then he smiled, or smirked rather. I’m not that sure.

“Are you? ‘Coz you were just a little too noticeable this morning.” That smile, or smirk, or whatever you call it, killed the last shred of dignity I had. I almost slapped myself silly again. He sat on the arm of the empty arm chair beside me to make things worse.

“So I was. You never really looked at me before. And I’ve been coming late since time immemorial, so... is there something different about me this morning?” Did he really have to ask me that, I thought.

“There’s nothing different. And you’re wrong about me not looking at you, ‘coz I do. Well, not all the time. Just...” Okay, Soph, just stop it, I reprimanded myself. I’ve got to do something about this innate predisposition of mine to spill all the details. “There’s nothing different.”

Up-close his eyes were lighter than brown. They were almost fiery. They seemed to dance around when he talks and he stares when he listens.

His eyes smile well, sort of when he smiles.

“You’re not like most girls,” he said, as if redeeming me from embarrassment. “You’re very honest.”

Okay, Soph, watch what you say this time... “Is that supposed to be a compliment?” Good one, Soph. Not too harsh, yet not too accepting.

“I meant is as a compliment. But if you see it otherwise, there’s not much I can do about it, is there? It’s really up to you.”

“Yeah, well… Thanks.” I looked down, then up again. “Don’t you eat lunch?” Stupid question, Soph.

“Ha! I do.” He almost laughed. “I just don’t eat here,” he shook his head then bit his lower lip. “I go home.”

“That’s why I don’t see in the cafeteria. Your mom must cook an awful lot,” I said.

Garrett crossed his arms and replied, “My mom passed away when I was 8.”

That shut me up. Inside, at least. “Gosh, I’m sorry, I didn’t know... I didn’t mean to pry. I’m awfully sorry.” What the hell was I thinking?

He raised his left hand and said, “No harm done. Really.” Then he brought it to his chin for a moment and let it drop to his legs. “It’s really no big deal. I talk about my mom all the time... So, um, where are you off to?”

Geesh, that’s when I remembered that I was supposed to meet Abby. “Oh, yeah, I’m supposed to meet Abby for lunch. Thanks for reminding me.” I stood up and got my books and my backpack from the floor. I was also shaking my head the whole time.

He got on his feet and went with me to the door. “Sorry, if I kept you. I just thought I’d take the chance and talk to you. You never really stayed long after class.”

“Abby and I, we just have this thing we gotta do after lunch. So I rush out. It’s nothing. We can always talk afterwards.” I was, of course, hoping to see more of him.

“Great! I...” he was cut short by a figure of some redhead running in the corridors towards. It was Abby.

She took a moment to catch her breath. “Soph, I thought I’d see you here. What took you so long?” Then he stared at Garrett and puffed, “Aren’t you gonna let me in on your new friend?”

“Uh, we’re not friends...” I said. Then I looked at Garrett, “Are we?”

“I’d like to think so, yeah.” He smiled. “Would that be okay?” He brought his left hand to the back of his neck.

“I guess...” I said. Later that day, Abby reported that I was red all over when I said that. Drat!

“Okay, then,” Abby said. She reached out her hand for Garrett to shake then said, “Hi, I’m Abby, sophomore, I’m Sophia’s best buddy, and you are?”

“Garrett Hawthorne, sophomore, I’m in Sophia’s class,” he took Abby’s hand and introduced himself. “It’s nice to meet you, Abby.”

“Same here. You don’t mind if I steal Soph for a while, do you? We’ve got plans, you see,” she said as she grabbed my arm.

“Not at all... I’ll see you ‘round.” He looked at me and nodded, “Sophia.”

“I’ll see ya,” then I turned around as Abby tugged at me again. “Oh, and I’m really sorry about what I said.”

“It was a good start.” He bit his lower lip and then reached into his hoodie pockets.

Abby finally won me over and was basically dragging me through the corridors to get to the cafeteria.

I smiled inside and out.

- to be continued -