Strange Blue Feelings • Sallyface

People Can Change [15]

"Let's do sit ups, here, I'll hold down your feet.", you suggested, hands placed upon the tips of his sneakers, "Whatever...", he replied, beginning to lift himself up and letting himself go down, it was clear he was struggling slightly with the exercise. Once again, your kind heart got the better of you. Looking around the PE field, you noticed Coach Jensen was occupied with chatting up the school janitor in the opposite direction. "Hey, he isn't looking. You can stop for now.", you said, Travis quickly taking the opportunity to take a break from the tiring set of sit ups.

Panting, he looked towards you with a confused look on his face, a bit of sweat dripping down the side of his face, "You know, you're weird.", he bluntly stated. "Huh? What makes you say that? I mean, I know I'm weird, but what did I do?", you asked, eyes fixated upon your gym teacher just in case he looked your direction and caught you slacking off. "You're weird because you're being nice to me, even though I tried to fight your boyfriend before. And I hate your little group of friends. What'd they think if they saw you being all chummy with me?", he asked.

Giving it some thinking, you responded honestly, "They'd just say that's how I am. I know you're an asshole to us, but, I'm not going to stoop down to your level and be an asshole back. I don't enjoy being mean to people, even if they're mean to me first. Plus, my dad used to always tell me, if someone's lashing out or taking their anger out on other people, it's always gotta do with something going on in their own life, so try your best to be a little compassionate towards them. Even if they don't deserve it sometimes.", you paused, hugging your knees against your chest as you glanced over at your gym partner, who was staring back at you with a look you've never seen before, "I'm just guessing you've got your own stuff going on that makes you act the way you do. But, hey, what do I know? Sorry if it sounds like I'm assuming your life story.".

Something inside Travis clicked once he heard your explanation for being kind towards him despite him being nothing but awful towards you and your friends, like a sensation of both remorse and realization. He clutched onto the cross hanging from his neck. "Oh, shit. Jensen's looking. Hurry, let's act like we're doing crunches.", before Travis could respond to what you had said, the two of you were instantly back to doing grueling exercises.

You and Travis continued the assignment in silence, nothing really needed to be said anyways, the atmosphere felt a lot lighter after you had spoken sincerely to your blond gym partner, almost as if that negative aura around him had been lifted ever so slightly.

Class was over a lot quicker then you had expected, that wonderful sound of a whistle being blown signaling students to head towards the locker rooms. Just as you were about to catch up with Maple and head up to the girl's locker room, Travis called out to you, "Hey, Y/N.", your head turning to face him, "Yeah?". Wiping the sweat off his forehead, he continued, "Thanks...for helping me out today, you didn't have to do that but you did anyways. I don't know if you're stupid, naive, or just too nice for your own good, but thanks.", his tone was much less harsher than usual, now being reduced to a simple overly sarcastic way of speaking.

For a second you simply looked back at him, before giving him a half smile, still unsure of how to react to this sudden change of pace, "Don't worry about it. Later, Travis. See ya tomorrow.", you called out before walking off. As you changed within the locker room, you thought to yourself, "Was that...an attempt at being a decent human being? I mean, he did suggest I was stupid, but hey. Progress.".
* * *
"Ash, Todd, you uh, might wanna pinch your nose when we go in. This place reeks.", you warned your brunette friend as she gave you a thumbs up, raising a hand to cover the lower half of her face, "Don't gotta tell me twice, Y/N.", she replied. Larry was the first to walk into the room Megan resided in within the fifth floor, followed by Sal, yourself, then Todd and Ash.