Anything But Ordinary

Chapter 1: S a m

I pull my lengthy brown hair into a ponytail as I run out of the girls locker room and into the gym. Mrs. Lovett has us running laps around the crowded gym because it's raining outside. My feet pound the floor. Right. Left. Right. Left. I can feel my breath quicken as my body is working to move it across the gym. I hate running inside. It's all stuffy and it feels like I'm trapped in a box.

      Mrs. Lovett blows the whistle and shouts, "K girls line up! Time to stretch those muscles. Stretch those muscles! C'mon Tallon! Arms higher. You're not going to stretch anything with arms like that. Caren, stop talking to Grace!"

      I snicker at Caren's red cheeks from across the gym and blow her a kiss, throwing a look at Grace. Caren blows me a kiss back and I pull my arms, stretching them out. Health Education is the worst class in the world. Correction, the most humiliating class in the world.

      The only upside (if there can really be an upside to P.E classes) is that we can wear whatever we want. Of course it's mandatory that we suit up, but stupid uniforms are not required. I might actually prefer the basketball shorts and ugly gray shirts from junior high better. Only because I'm forced to look at girls in their tight spandex everyday.

      The rules of today's exercise are explained to us and Lovett tells us to find a partner. Right when she says "partner" I make eye contact with Ally from across the gym. She returns the contact with a thumbs up.

      Lovett blows her whistle again and we disperse to different areas of the gym with our partners. I reach Ally the same time Caren does. I laugh, "Sorry Care, I called Ally first."

      She throws me a sarcastic dirty look before reciprocating the joke. "Fine, I'll take tawny Tallon," she glances over her shoulder, "Looks like no one wants to be her partner. Doesn't surprise me. She's so socially awkward. It's hard to even want to breathe the same air as her."

      A lump catches in my throat but I just nod at her as she leaps away, greeting Tallon with what can only be a fake smile. Ally and I watch as Tallon returns the smile shyly and starts to do the work out. I feel bad that Caren can't even try to be her friend, but I can't tell her what to do. I haven't tried to be Tallon's friend either. Mainly in fear that if I do, I'll turn into "stupid Sam" or something for ditching my friends. It's too bad; Tallon seems really nice.

      "She's so brave," Ally sighs dramatically and we begin to do our workout.

      By the time P.E is over, I'm sweating cats and dogs. The ten minute warning bell goes off and I sprint to the locker room to cool down. The air-conditioning feels so good, and I can feel my breathing beginning to slow. I finish getting ready and sling my bag over my shoulder, heading to my next class.

      Ally and Caren go the opposite direction of me. I wave my goodbyes and them likewise, then I make my way through the crowded hallway we call 'high school'. Every face is familiar and it's calming to know that I'm never alone, even when my closest friends aren't with me. Jordan walks by and waves. Maria walks by and smiles. Caleb walks by and we laugh at an inside joke from yesterday.

      I love being at the top of my game.

      My legs finally reach sixth period, at the whole other side of the school. Seriously, they should have speed limits in the hallways if the security believe that we can make it from one side of the school to the other in under five minutes.

      "Hey," Chazz taps my shoulder as I sit down. I turn around, "Hey babe!"

      My parents, for years, told me that having a boyfriend in high school was stupid. They are "nothing but ordinary creatures that should not be realized as men until you graduate," to be exact. I'm not one to argue with my parents; so I didn't. Until Chazz came into the picture. But my parents seem to like him.