A New Beginning

Crush

As Shane walked into the gym with Adam, Will, and Nathan, he immediately spotted Shania standing near Savanna. She's so damn pretty, he thought to himself, admiring her gentle, green eyes, her thick, brown hair, and her slender frame. He wondered if he would get a chance to talk to her some more without anyone thinking that he had a crush on her.

"Hey Shane! Whatcha looking at?" Adam queried. "Do you have a thing for Reynolds or what?"

"Hell, why would I be into her?" Shane scoffed as he turned to face his friend. In reality he was trying to hide his feelings for Shania. The last thing he wanted was to be seen as a softie because he had feelings for a girl.

"Oooh, I think he does!" Will said, elbowing Shane in the ribs. "He's blushing!"

"Shane likes Shania!" chimed in Nathan.

"Shut up!" Shane retorted. "I never said I liked her!" He felt his face getting warm and quickly looked at the ground in order to hide it from the guys.

"But you do!" Adam protested. "I know it! You're just too ashamed to admit it!"

"I am not!" Shane insisted, sticking his hands in the front pockets of his jeans. "She's already going out with that asshole Trip anyway."

"They only went out like once," Adam informed him. "And Shania isn't that into him either. I bet you could make a move on her!"

"I've heard you have a thing for my cousin Abigail," Shane reminded Adam. "Why haven't you made a move on her yet?"

Before Adam could reply, Mr. Ferrington motioned for everyone to gather in a circle. "All right everybody!" he yelled. "Today, we're gonna play dodgeball. Boys against girls."

There were whoops and shouts from the boys as they gathered on one side of the gym. Shane was slightly disappointed, as he had half-hoped he would be on Shania's team. Even though he knew she was dating Trip, he just had to try and win her over.

The dodgeball game was cut short when the next bell rang. Shane's stomach rumbled; he felt like he could use a snack before his next class began. Eh, I'll have time before the tardy bell rings, Shane thought to himself. Picking up his backpack, he threw it over his shoulder and wandered downstairs to the cafeteria. Picking up a blueberry muffin, he proceeded to the window where the lunch lady sat. Unfortunately, there was a bit of a line, so Shane was left impatiently waiting, with the muffin in his hand, constantly checking his phone for the time.

Finally, it was Shane's turn. The lunch lady rang up his muffin and he was on his way back upstairs, when suddenly a loud ringing noise sounded above him. "Fuck! That's the bell!" He cried as he took off up the stairs and raced down the hall towards Mrs. Lorne's classroom.

When Shane burst in the door, slightly out of breath, every student was already seated in their desk, and they all turned to stare at him.

"You're late, Shane," Mrs. Lorne informed him, her stern, brown eyes piercing his soul. "Go to the office and get a tardy slip."

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Shane cried, glancing at the clock in the front of the room. "I'm only thirty seconds late!" He proceeded to find his empty desk and plop down in it noisily, setting his muffin on top and throwing his backpack on the floor at his feet.

Mrs. Lorne folded her arms across her chest and continued to glare at Shane. "Number one," she began, her voice rigid. "You will not use that filthy language in my classroom. Number two," she continued, "You will go to the office and get a tardy slip. Now."

"Oh my God!" Shane exclaimed, rolling his eyes and standing up from his desk. "Whatever, if you so insist," he added with sarcasm. "I will go get myself a fucking tardy slip."