The Fumble

Chapter One

Baljeet's POV

     I wake up in the morning and get ready for my first day of my junior year in high school. It seemed like just yesterday we (Isabella, Phineas, Ferb, Buford and myself) were all in grade school. Now we're in high school, nearly all grown up. Well, everyone else has done a lot of growing up. I, on the other hand, have only grown taller and grew my hair out. Even Phineas and Ferb have gained enough muscle to leave the "scrawny" category. I was still just as scrawny as I was back then, only taller.

     "Baljeet! Hurry up or you'll be late to school!" I hear my mother call from somewhere inside the house. I make a small eep sound as I hurriedly pull on pants and a clean white shirt. I snatch my bag off the ground, picking up my calculus and chemistry books as I dash out the door of my room. I hold the books to my chest, my bag slung over my arm and slipping down as I run out the front door to meet my mother waiting in the car for me.

     "Sorry, mama," I mumble as I buckle my seat belt. I take a deep breath and sink slightly back into my seat. After a crazy summer with Phineas and Ferb, I was ready to get back to school and learn. I feel my phone buzz in my pocket, startling me. I dig it out, seeing Buford's name pop up in a text.

     Buford: Hey Nerd. Where r ya?

     Me: Sorry! I woke up late but I am on my way now.

     Buford: Well hurry up. I ain't waitin out here all day.

     Me: But it only takes ten minutes for my mom to drop me off.

     Buford: U still get dropped off by ur mom? Ahahaha what a nerd.

     I don't bother replying to the message, sighing and tucking my phone away. A few minutes later, my mother pulls up to where everyone was waiting. I kiss her cheek as I say goodbye to her, grabbing my books and walking up to the group.

     "Hello everyone!" I greet with a smile, Isabella happily returning my hello. Isabella had grown a few inches and grew into her body. Buford had changed the most out of all of us. He grew a good foot, now towering at maybe 6' and no longer had any fat, just pure muscle. He was a football jock so he was a large guy, muscles the size of my head. He still had the flat top haircut, the pale skin and raspy voice. He had a lip piercing and a strong jawline. Every girl wanted him. But he was still a big bully to me though he protected me from other bullies. It was nice.

     "Hey, Nerd!" Buford stomps towards me and grabs me in a headlock, rubbing his knuckles into my crown.

     "Gah!" I struggle to get out of the man's strong hold but was unsuccessful until he released me, smiling down at me. I was a few inches shorter than him still, his height intimidating at times. I fix my curly hair, putting it back up into the messy bun I had it in. I've gotten picked on for having a bun as a man but Buford had stopped those insults before they could get very far. "I would appreciate it if you would not ruin my hair, please, Buford!"

"Ah, don't be such a nerd, Nerd," he smirks at me and an odd feeling blooms in my chest. It was like butterflies but at the same time my heart did a back flip. I wasn't sure how to describe it exactly but it was a new feeling. Well, if new meant it's been happening for about a year and a half now. I didn't know why this was happening or what THIS even was. "'Jeet, what classes do ya got?"

"Um, let me check," I say as I dig out my schedule from my pocket. Since I went to the meeting for juniors and seniors, I have my schedule before most kids. But once the bell rings, we'll all head into the gymnasium for a rally kind of thing so the kids that didn't show up can get their schedules. "Chemistry, Honours English, French III, Calculus, band, Biology, and computer science," I look up to see Buford with a hung jaw.

"Nerd," is all he says before he turns to talk to Phineas. I walk up to stand beside Ferb and Buford, listening to their conversation.

"-A way to talk to animals or hear their thoughts," Phineas says, gesturing with his hands as Isabella watches intently.

"That is if they think at all," I cut it in. "Many scientists have stated that animals don't have the capacity to think or even ration-" I'm cut off by Buford elbowing my side roughly. "Owwie!"

"'Jeet, let's just leave it up to Phineas and Ferb to prove and disprove that theory," the bell rings and the intercom comes on to tell us all to head to the gymnasium. Buford tugs on the sleeve of my shirt, making me stumble forwards a tad before I catch myself. I readjust my books and follow after the large man.

Inside the gymnasium, crowds of students flood the bleachers until they all found a seat, some having to stand at the end due to lack of seats in their grade level's section of bleachers. I sit between Buford and Ferb, squished between the two. I lean more against Buford, trying to give Ferb more space. I can hear girls behind Buford giggling and whispering to each other things I wish I didn't hear. I peak over at Buford, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Welcome back everybody!" The principal says into the microphone, her voice slightly hoarse. I huff, hearing more of the conversation between the girls.

"-Do you think he's into blondes?" One girl asks. No, I think in my head. He's only ever dated brunettes.

"Ooh, what about tall girls like me?" Another girl giggles. I wasn't sure why but I felt my heart twist the more I overheard their conversation. I didn't realize I was holding my books to my chest tightly until Buford nudged me.

"You OK, 'Jeet?" He asks, concern in his dark eyes. I look into his eyes and open my mouth but nothing comes out. His eyes had me in some kind of trance and it's like I forgot how to speak.

"Um, ye- I should- uh... mer," I feel my cheeks flush and keep my head down, hearing Buford chuckle slightly. I avoid Buford's attempts to get me to look at him or speak to him, remaining silent as I turtled up. Once the principal dismissed us, I scurried quickly away, avoiding Buford's reaching hand and weaving through the crowds to get to chemistry. Once I was inside the classroom, I grabbed a seat at the end of the classroom and quickly sat down. I let out a long breath, letting my heart return to normal.

Until Buford storms through the door and bounds towards me, slamming his hand onto my desk causing only a handful of onlookers to turn their heads. He stares down at me, dark eyes boring into mine.

"What's goin' on, Nerd?" He demands, his face so close his breath blew back a long strand of curls from my face. My stomach was doing flips again, my heart beating faster. He was barely two inches away from my face. Oh my god, I think, I like Buford! The feeling in my stomach makes sense now. I have an immense crush on my best friend.