Only You

Bonus Chapter 3: You've Got a Friend in Me

*Flashback to the elementary school days*

LIAM'S POV

All the other kids are on the playground and I'm sitting here on the bench alone. I don't know where Miss Olivia is, she usually eats lunch with me but I think she doesn't like me anymore, just like all my other classmates.

George hits the ball so hard it lands a few feet away from me. I look at them and quickly stand up to get the ball and hand it back to them, maybe if I'm kind they'll invite me to play with them for the first time. "Here." I say and give him the ball with my both hands.

He laughs and punches the ball from the bottom, hitting my face with it. "Ouch." I say to myself and everyone starts laughing, even the girls. I stay still without saying a word but they keep laughing at me. I don't understand why they don't want to be around me, I haven't done anything wrong or rude to them.

George and José stare at me for a moment and then they give a look to each other. "You aren't expecting us to invite you to play, right?" José says, coming closer to me.

"Uh- I" I stutter, looking at the ground. They're making me nervous.

"Don't be so rude." George interrupts before I say something, "A few minutes won't hurt anyone." He says and hands me back the ball, inviting me to join him and his friends. "Come on." He says.

I feel weird about this. They never invite me to play or to join their team, they don't even say nice things to me, and now they're being decently nice to me. I think it's my lucky day.

"My brother's been teaching me how to play football." George tells me and I follow him. "Cool kids like us play football and girls cheer on us." He says. My family and I watch some games every now and then, but I'm not aware of all the rules, maybe I should ask.

"You know how to play, right?" Isaac pressures. They all are staring at me and I feel my chest beating faster.

"Yeah." I answer, trying to sound confident. Everyone goes to their position and I see the girls from our class surrounding us, waiting for the game to start.

I've seen them several times playing and they're so intense at it, they don't see it as a game but as a battle field. Miss Olivia has even tried to break them apart because sometimes they get mad and angry at each other for losing. I hope they don't break any of my bones.

"Now!" George shouts and I turn my sight up, looking at what the guys are going to do. I see everyone from my team and from the other running to my direction and they all jump over me. I couldn't protect myself with my hands since they came way to fast and I'm having trouble breathing, they're just too heavy.

Be a man Liam, be strong.

"I can't-" I try to say I'm not breathing but no one listens, they're too busy laughing and keeping me on the ground.

"What is happening here?" I hear Miss Olivia saying in a loud voice and everyone slowly starts to stand up, leaving me exposed on the ground. "Liam, are you alright? Did they hurt you?" She asks and helps me get up. I look at the guys and they have a smirk on they face.

"I'm okay." I lie. My entire body hurts and I'm breathing heavily but I don't want them to keep laughing at me. Every time Miss Olivia helps me out they make rude comments about me and they get me in trouble.

"Let me get you to the nurse so she can check you out." She says and George starts making noises.

"He's such a girl." He tells José.

"He forgot his dress and doll at home." He adds and I see Grace, the girl I like, laughing. I thought she was my friend.

Miss Olivia grabs my hand but I jerk her off and run towards George and start punching his face and body. He throws me to the floor and hits me back while I listen to everyone around us shouting, "Fight! Fight!" They say at the same time. I can feel his knuckles on my cheeks but I keep defending myself, I'm tired of them laughing at me.