Take A Chance On Me [boyxboy]

Take A Chance On Me {3}

                Eric yanked Callum’s earphones out, yet Callum didn’t even raise his head. He just kept looking down at the table, pretending that we weren’t even there.

                “You’re pathetic.” Eric said, his smirk growing wider as he snatched Callum’s lunch away from him.

                He peeked into Callum’s lunch bag and pulled out a yogurt. He threw the bag on the ground and stomped on it several times.

                I winced as Eric opened the yogurt and poured it onto Callum’s head. Eric, Rupert, Tabitha, and Ashley all laughed as they began to rub it into Callum’s hair, roughly smacking his head as they did so.

                I stared at them, confused and disgusted. Why did they have to do that to Callum? He hadn’t been bothering them.

                But the bigger question was, why was he letting them? With the muscles on him, he easily could’ve ripped their arms off and beaten them to death with them, never mind the yogurt.

                Callum was wincing slightly each time they hit him. He began to lift his arms, and I actually thought he was going to fight back, but then he quickly let his hands drop down into his lap.

                “Come on Tate.” Rupert said, glaring at me.

                “You’re right. He is pathetic.” I said, relaxing at their approving nods as I smacked Callum’s head, rubbing the yogurt onto his face. I instantly felt guilt wash over me, but I pushed it back as I heard several people whispering around us.

                “HEY!”

                A girl stormed over and shoved us away from Callum roughly, looking absolutely furious. She clenched her fists tightly.

                “You all best be leaving Callum alone ‘fo I smack you!” She snapped.

                “Is she speaking English?” I whispered to Ashley.

                I jumped back as the girl stomped in front of me. “Shut up when I’m talking to you boy!” She growled.

                “Let’s go, you guys. We’re too good to be around this trash.” Eric said flatly. Tabitha nodded in agreement, flipping her hair.

                We walked away from the girl, ignoring her as she spat threats at us. We sat down at our table and I watched the girl curiously.

                She was helping Callum wipe the yogurt off of his face. She took a water bottle, used it to wet a napkin, and began trying to clean out his hair, concern on her face.

                Callum just sat there, back to staring at the table. He mumbled something to the girl and shrugged.

                “Who is she?” I asked. Is she a friend of Callum’s?  I had never seen him with friends before. He was so antisocial that I thought he didn’t have any friends.

                “Who cares?” Tabitha asked, glaring at me. “What, do you want to date her?” She and Ashley laughed at that.

                I rolled my eyes. “Real funny.” I grumbled. Honestly, was every girl in this school scary? Tabitha, Ashley, and now this new chick whose name I still didn’t know.

                I looked down at my shirt and pouted. Great, I had gotten some of the yogurt on it. I sighed in annoyance and stood up.

                “Be right back.” I said and left the table.

                I let myself into the boys’ restroom and grabbed a paper towel. I wet it and began to clean the yogurt off of my shirt before it could stain.

                Hm…does yogurt stain? I wonder what type of yogurt it was. Callum seemed like a strawberry yogurt type…..Why am I thinking about this? Like I said, hobby. I need one pronto.

                The door opened and I jumped and spun to face Callum. He ignored me as he grabbed several paper towels, wet them, and began to clean the yogurt out of his hair with them.

                Well, can you say Awkward with a capital A?

                “Uh…are you…”  I trailed off, playing with the end of my shirt.

                Are you what? Go on Tate. Ask the guy if he’s okay after you and your ‘friends’ just embarrassed him in front of the entire cafeteria. I’m sure he’ll tell you that he’s just dandy. Life’s going great for him. It’s the best day of his life.

                Callum finally glanced at me after a moment. “You and your friends say I’m pathetic, but you’re the one who would degrade himself for just a few minutes of attention.”

                My jaw unhinged at that, but I snapped it shut and shook my head. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Back it on up. Did you just call me pathetic?” I asked in shock. Callum what’s-his-last-name just called ME pathetic? While he was washing yogurt out of his hair?

                Callum looked thoughtful for a minute before nodding. “Yeah. Yeah, I did.”

                He tossed the paper towels into the trashcan and left the bathroom without another word to me.

                I stared at the bathroom door as it shut. Again I am asking myself, what just happened?!

                Still…

                That feeling I had gotten earlier was back. That feeling of contentment, of subtle excitement only from Callum’s attention. I didn’t want to lose my friends over him, but I sure as hell wanted to find out as much as I could about Callum.

                And Callum had said I’d degrade myself for some attention. Oh boy, you wait and see just what I’m willing to do for attention Callum, especially yours.