Perfect Storm

17.

•× Spencerו

It didn't really take long for people to start noticing that there was a new guy in school. Girls would come up to him in the hallway by the dozens and jocks would approach him asking questions and talking to him like they were old friends.  Within 45 minutes, everyone knew his name and everyone had an opinion on him. From what I could tell, they were good so far. And if they weren't, I knew he didn't care.

By the time lunch rolled around, Michael was no where to be found near him but that didn't mean anything, No matter where he went, he had people by his side. Girls wanted him and boys wanted to be him. He had no idea how much pressure was on him right now. And oh how funny would that be when he did.

"Where has he been all my life?" a girl giggled to her friend at the locker next to mine. I rolled my eyes. This is the kind of talk that I knew wouldn't end for three weeks. That's how long it usually took for people to actually shut up. I closed my locker after shrugging on my book bag and a few seconds later the girls left. I took a step back from my locker and stopped for a few seconds before I ran my tongue across my top row of braces.

"Move" I said with a little venom in my voice.

"Dammit!" he groaned walking out from behind me and to my side as I laughed.

"You're never gonna scare me, Michael. I don't know why you keep trying" I told him as we walked.

"One of these days I will" he promised and I only laughed again. We stopped at the gym doors and looked around before walking in. Usually we aren't supposed to come in here but we didn't care. Not one teacher in this school could intimidate us, not even if they held a gun to our heads. It'd just be putting us out of our misery. Normally we sat at the very top of the bleachers when they were out, but when they weren't-like today- we'd sit in the middle of the gym floor just talking as we ate.

"What do you think about the new kid?" He asked me eating a fry from the bag of McDonald's he'd bought for me and him.

"Ugh, not you too!" I moaned already annoyed with the subject.

"No come on, I wanna know your opinion" he encouraged laughing. Both of our voices echoing throughout the gym. I sighed.

"What about him?" I asked taking a bite of my burger.

"I don't know" he started scratching the back of his neck.

"....But he seemed pretty interested in you earlier" he grinned. I almost choked on my soda as I stopped and looked at him confused.

"Don't worry, I told him I didn't know you like you told me to" he promised. But I ignored that.

"Michael what are you talking about?" I asked putting down my cup. He laughed then shrugged.

"In French he asked about you" he simply said. I sat up a little straighter.

"Yeah" he nodded with a laugh like he could read my thoughts.

"What did he ask about me? What the hell does he wanna know? I swear to God, Michael-" I snapped but he cut me off.

"Chill out, it's not that big a deal. I was talking to him about the girls at this school, told him everyone has a different story and that I knew most of them and he asked about you" he told me.

"And did you tell him anything?" I asked glaring at him as he stole a bite of my cheeseburger.

"Just the rumors" he shrugged. I punched him as hard as I could in the arm.

"Ow!" He yelled.

"If he wanted to find that out he could just go around and ask!" I hissed.

"Well he didn't know that, I was the only one talking to him at the time" he exclaimed still holding his arm.

"You shouldn't have been talking to him in the first place!" I said loudly punching his other arm.

"Ow! What's your deal?!" He yelled.

"I live next to that bastard!" I said lowering my voice but still loud enough. No one else needed to know that.

"No way" he laughed. I ate a fry in response.

"You're serious?" He asked.

"Serious as a heart attack" I told him. He only laughed again shocked.

"Why do you hate him so much then? He just got here" Michael said.

"Anastasia had me bring his family some Brownies as a welcome to the area gift and we got into it" I waved it off.

"So what? you got into a little argument, people always say stuff they don't mea-".

"No" I cut him off sharply with a stern voice. He watched me for a few seconds then back at his food.

"You know how dramatic you are sometimes" He said.

"If you went over there and watched the way he talks to his mama and the rest of his family, you'd think the exact same way. He calls his mom by her first name" I let him know.

"Not everybody values family the way you do" he pointed out.

"I know that, but this kid's got no respect for anyone. He's-"

"Different? Yeah so are we. Not everyone is in the same situation as you are. Different is good sometimes. As you can tell" he cut me off motioning between us.

"So what are suggesting I do, Michael Clifford?" I said with a hard expression. He shrugged for the millionth time.

"Don't knock it till you try it" he said drinking some of his soda.

"I'm not trying anything" I said sourly.

"You say that now but when I'm right..." he trailed off.

"Yeah sure" I said shaking my head. He only smirked.