STORY OF THE CHUBBY

STORY OF THE CHUBBY 15

Chris didn’t come around. I saw him before even classes started in the hallways talking with some of his friends and he didn’t even acknowledge me, didn’t even look my way.

I felt like I had betrayed his trust. Okay, I had. I didn’t expect this though. That coupled with the fact that Sammy and I weren’t talking spelt out a bad Friday and weekend, too. This week had not been my week and it seemed like everything was spiralling down from there.

I sunk into a state of sadness after I realized Chris and Sammy would continue to ignore me. I missed them so much. I didn’t realize how lonely I was until today. Today as I walked towards the football pitch instead of the cafeteria because I couldn’t bear look at Chris and Sammy. Come on, even Jonah had more friends than me to say the truth.

I went and sat at the bleachers, munching an apple by myself, listening to Lorde’s album, Pure Heroine.

It was during that time that Ash Samuels decided to sit beside me. Ash Samuels...you know...one of the bad boys? Yea, him.

‘Yoh, Chubby,’ he said, poking my arm. I pretended not to hear him until he yanked out my earphones from my ears.

‘What gives?’ I exclaimed, grabbing them back and glaring at him. He simply gave me his signature charm-pants-off-a-girl-smile and I rolled my eyes at him. I seriously did not have the time for him.

‘Hey, Cecelia. Come on. I just wanted to talk to you,’ he said, as I was in the process of putting back my earphones.

I paused midway and turned to look at him. He knew my real name. ‘You know my real name?’ I couldn’t hide the surprise in my voice.

‘Well, yeah...Chris’ been calling you that all week,’ he said, looking a little nervous. I scoffed inwardly, turning to look back at the pitch. Of course it was due to chris.

‘Plus  we’ve been in the same school since forever, Hastings,’ he said with a sincere smile.

I studied him a bit as I tried to figure this situation out. Here I was, sitting with one of the school’s bad boy and he actually looked like a normal person. If I was someone else I wouldn’t say he was a bad boy or that he got into trouble and that he’d slept with half the female population in school.

Although right now I could understand why most girls from freshmen to seniors were tripping on their feet whenever they saw him. He was actually good looking. Sand brown hair, green eyes and that charming smile...

‘Done checking me out?’ he asked, looking smug.

‘Pfft...keep dreaming,’ I said, smirking at him. ‘So what brings you here? Shouldn’t you be having lunch with your friends or making some girl’s dreams come true?’

‘I’m here making your dreams come true, aren’t i?’ He said, smirking and sitting closer to me.

I gave him a blank look before moving to stand up, ‘I don’t have time for this.’

I felt his hand tug at my arm forcing me back down, ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry Chubby. Don’t leave...I just want to talk.’ He looked apologetic and I decided that I was curious about what he wanted. Oh like your curiosity got you anywhere yesterday, my subconscious mused. I ignored it.

‘Okay, Samuels. Talk,’ I said.

‘Well, to be sincere, I came to talk to you out of curiosity. I was thinking that if Chris and Raul and even Leroy are your friends then you must be a cool person,’ he said, giving me a genuine smile that seemed almost bashful. Almost.

‘Oh.’ I really didn’t know what to say about that. I hadn’t really expected it. ‘Well, what’s your verdict then?’

He shrugged, ‘Well, I don’t know yet. I don’t really know much about you. But I watch you sometimes, you know...and in a non-stalkerish way btw. You really don’t take any shit from anyone. Pardon my language, by the way. You don’t care about how you look like most girls and you just kinda go with the flow. But I also think you always try to stay hidden and unknown. Like you don’t want anyone to befriend you sometimes. Why is that?’