Splinters: Part One

Part One | 5

"We're going to do the Mile Run, you guys," the P.E. teacher announced. "Hit the locker rooms and get changed."

Uh-oh. I had no clothes to change into. I sighed, suddenly feeling the urge to throw up. I took out my phone and texted Ursanne.

I am in physical education. I dont have clothes.

I leaned on a bench, listening to the faint sound of the other guys getting dressed. I stared at my phone, waiting for Ursanne to reply.

"Come on, Ursa..." I pleaded. "Please."

"Why are we waiting?" a voice whispered right next to my ear.

"Woah!" I jumped, my face paling. I pressed a hand to my chest, feeling the fast heartbeat from just being scared to death.

A boy stared at me and then let out a quick chuckle. He was smiling, his hands to his sides and his crazy blond hair sticking up in all different areas. His eyes weren't aligned and he had puffy red cheeks.

"Well why aren't you dressed? We gotta run the mile."

I stared at him and blinked.

"You okay?" he asked, stepping towards me.

I nodded, and then my phone vibrated. Ursanne texted back. The boy stepped towards me and smiled.

"Oh! Who's that? Girlfriend?" he grinned, nudging me in the side.

I shook my head. "Um, no. It's my sister."

"Oh. You're Braxton?"

"It's Brayden." I mumbled, opening the message.

I'm pretty sure you don't want spandex to wear and that's all I have.

I didn't know what spandex was, but at the moment, it almost sounded appealing. I didn't want to get a bad grade the first day of this class.

"Oh! You need some clothes for gym?"

I looked back up at the boy.

"Uh, yeah."

"C'mon! I've got some."

I wasn't sure if he was messing around with me or if he was really this cheery. I didn't have time to wonder. He was already going to his locker, running in a way that looked kind of funny. I followed him slowly, stopping at number 45. He opened it, clothes falling to the floor. He scrambled to pick them up and then smelled them.

I pressed my lips together and waited. He made a few weird faces and then threw the clothes back in. Finally, he found a pair of basketball shorts and a black Just Do It shirt. Handing them to me, he said, "These are the only clean ones I've got. You can wear those. I'll just wear some from last week."

"But you'll have to wear dirty ones."

He shrugged. "You need them more than I do." 

"Okay..."

"I'm Grady by the way."

"Hi."

I lifted my shirt and got dressed into his clothes while he did the same. They were baggy on me, but they did the trick. We both emerged from the locker rooms and enteredq the gym.

"Boys! You're late." The teacher announced.

"We are finished, sir!" Grady said, giving the teacher a soldier solute.

I stared at him. I don't think he was trying to be funny because he spoke so seriously. I noticed a girl roll her eyes at him.

"Mile run. Hit it." The teacher pointed toward the exit of the gym behind us.