A Needed Chance

Chapter 10

I sat through History last period. Chance was playing with his chewing gum all class. He was pulling it into a tight string from his teeth to his fingertips. When he looked over at me, half of the gum pulled out into a thread, I made a face and shook my head.

After sticking the gum under his desk casually, he kicked my ankle to get my attention. “You wanna walk to the music store after school?” he whispered.

“Sure. I have to be home by 5:00 though,” I answered quietly.

“What are you doing that's so important? You don't have a social life,” he joked.

I hesitated, then whispered, “Physical Therapy.”

“Oh,” he whispered. I looked away, frowning; anything burn-related was hard for me to talk about. He kicked my ankle again. “So, music store is a Yes?”

I nodded. Chance gave me a thumbs up and I turned to the front of the class again. I paid attention for the last five minutes and then looked over at Chance, who was entertaining himself by trying to balance a pencil on his lip piercing. He glanced over at me, the pencil perched perfectly. I shook my head again.

The bell rang and the class exited into the hallway. I grabbed my stuff from my locker and Chance slammed it shut before asking if I was done or not. Then, like most normal days, we started walking down the stairs to the lower level hallway. We were almost to the exit when Sarrah came up to me, smiling.

“Hey Riddick,” she said, almost singing it. My heart stopped and beat fast at the same time.

“Hey Sarah.” I beamed.

Chance tapped my shoulder. “I'll be up stairs. I forgot something.” I nodded. I was pretty sure he had a different meaning for leaving me alone with Sarah. I would meet him up stairs later, I planned, then turned to Sarah. She pulled me aside to talk for a moment. I was happy that she wanted my attention. She was speaking louder today, more comfortable. I liked the way she attempted to look me in the eyes.

We talked about the horrible lunch menu for a minute or two. She laughed frequently, which I took as a good sign. Then she waved goodbye and I waved politely back as she walked out to her mom's car.

She was so beautiful. Who was I to be talking with her? I was broken and she was perfect. I felt like the hunchback of Notre Dame-the elephant man- Frankenstein's monster- or some other sort of disfigured creature when I was around her. But really, I was just trying to be me.

Then suddenly, I thought of Chance. I began walking through the crowd of kids heading out the doors and walked up the stairs. The upstairs hallway was always empty after school. Even the teachers were downstairs in the lunchroom, mingling. I had gone up the staircase that was closest to Chance's locker, in hope that he would be there..

As I turned into the corridor, I froze, staring at the scene unfolding. My stomach flipped and I couldn't force myself to move forward. I couldn't force myself to do something to help.

Chance was laying on the ground, Jake standing over him.

Jake kicked his stomach firmly and Chance curled up painfully. He groaned and pushed himself off the ground dizzily, coughing as he tried to get air. Jake punched him in the nose and he fell back into the metal lockers, clattering.

Jake paused, looking straight at me. I gasped, swallowing hard. I didn't breathe and I wasn't sure if I remembered how. I was shaking very badly and my teeth felt loose.

I watched in horror as Chance stood up again and looked at me. His eyes were big and very round; I can't remember if he looked at me with a gleam of hope or with teary-eyed fear. Whichever look it was, I didn't do anything; because the look in my eyes was definitely fear.

Jake snickered at me and then kicked Chance in the shin, making him fall against the tile floor, giving a quick scream as he landed on his hands. Jake grabbed his collar, scooped him upright and punched his jaw again before dropping him like a brick.

Gasping uneasily, he looked up at Jake. Chance held his hand up in a small attempt to defend himself. Jake shook his head and kicked Chance one more time before walking away- towards me.

I was still shaking and trying to hide my quivering terror. My mind and body had frozen together and turned me into cement. The only reason I stood my ground was because I was too frightened to do anything else.

As Jake was passing me and leaned and whispered. “If I ever catch you talking to this homo again, you'll be next.” He threatened and then walked down the stairs and out of sight.

There must have been a good minute of silence as I stared down at bloody Chance. He spit some blood onto the floor and sat up, propping himself against the wall of lockers. He held his side and stomach and spit again, coughing and wiping blood from his lip, which was split right next to his lip-ring.

He looked up at me, his right eyes turning into a dark and shiny bruise and a welt appearing on his left jaw bone. He looked very pale and small. Then he croaked, his voice hoarse and weak, barely waving his hand to greet me, “Hey Riddick.”