Soul

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

            The halls were filled with loud cries and crushing bodies as friends regrouped after the Christmas holidays. I pushed my way through a crowd of squealing girls, tugging at the collar of the green knit sweater my mom had given to me for Christmas over the new HD Beats earphones I had been asking for constantly. I heard a loud snicker as I walked passed, and turned, ready to strike at whoever was making fun of me.

            Trey was walking toward me, a large toothy grin playing on his lips. He threw an arm around me, tugging at the hunter green threads of the itchy sweater.

            “Nice sweater,” he teased, “but the color doesn’t suit you. I would have gone with a more burgundy red, to help bring out the blue in your eyes.”

            I blushed, shoving him away from me. “Ha ha, very funny.” I sneered.

            “I thought it was.” Trey said, looking hurt.

            “Can’t you see all the laughter on my face?” I looked at him, putting a cheesy grin on my face.

            “It’s hard to tell,” he responded, holding a hand quizzically to his chin, “it looks more like you’re in pain to me.”

            “Thanks,” I said sarcastically, “you are the best friend anyone could ever wish for.”

            Trey snorted in laughter. I stuck my hands deep in my pockets, and looked at a group of Goths as they walked by. A tall, slim girl with chocolate colored skin glanced over at us. Her glossy lip twitched in a grin, her lip ring moving with it. She raked her gaze past me, looking at Trey eagerly. I glanced over at Trey, who was entranced by her charcoal colored eyes. I looked back at the girl, but she flipped her chemically straightened black hair, streaked with royal blue, and walked away.

            “Now that’s a girl I would like to meet.” He sighed, trying to sneak another look at her.

            I scrunched my nose. “But, she’s a Goth, and you’re…,”

            “Not,” he retorted. “Why does our school have to be so cliquey? Just because I’m labeled a jock doesn’t mean I can’t date a so called ‘Goth’.” he hissed the word Goth, while lifting his fingers in an attempted air quote.

            “But, she has multiple piercings… and a lip ring.” I asserted.

            “So?” Trey retorted. I looked away, not sure why she had been so keen to Trey’s eyes.

            We moved easily through the hall, passing the football team. Some of the guys threw out fist pumps and back slaps as we passed by, all looking curiously at the hideous clothes I was fashioning.

            “I need to get rid of this thing.” I grumbled as soon as the guys were out of ears length.

            “Took you long enough.” Trey asserted. “You’re cramping my style.”

             I glared at him. I stopped at the edge of the hall, next to a wall of trophies incased in glass. My backpack plopped onto the carpeted ground and I grabbed the edge of the sweater. The itchy wool rubbed against the side of my face, clinging to the t-shirt underneath, and revealed my hard, chiseled stomach; any girl’s dream for a guy.

            The sweater came off, and I readjusted my shirt. I looked at Trey, who was shaking his head.

            “Do you know how many girls’ head spun around just now?”