Opposites Attract

Chapter 2

                                                                       "All Alone"

            I didn’t have a class sixth hour so I was walking around minding my own business. This was one of the most boring hours of my life. As I walked I started to hear some kind of beating noise. I tried to ignore it but as you may have guessed I’m a really curious person.

            I started walking down the hallway. I was going the way it sounded like the noise was coming from. It led me to the gym. I slowly opened the door and stuck my head in. I kind of felt like a spy.

            As I looked around I saw a figure sitting at the very top of bleachers. He had a basketball in his hand and he was repeatedly banging it on the bleacher steps. He didn’t seem to know that I was here so I slowly made my way forward and started climbing the stairs.

            When I came closer I was surprised to see that it was Nathan Bates. I hadn’t seen him since two days ago when his brother came up to me. I actually had talked to K.J. a couple of times since then.

            I sneakily made my way up the bleachers until I was right behind him. He seemed to be in his own head. He was steadily bouncing the ball. He didn’t even notice that I was there.  I didn’t know how to proceed. I guess I should just say something.

            “Hi,” I said. It came out as more of a question. His head whipped over to me and he frowned at me. “What are you doing in here?”

            He just stared at me without saying anything. It was starting to make me feel awkward.

            “Are you not going to tell me,” I asked. He just continued to stare at me. “Can you talk” I asked suddenly wondering if he was mute.

            “Yes,” he said in a clipped tone.

            “Oh wow. You have a deep voice,” I said with a big smile. I think I may have seen his eye twitch. Then he grabbed his backpack and stood to walk down the stairs. “Why are you leaving,” I asked as I followed him.

            He still didn’t say anything. I just followed him. He walked outside and sat down on a bench. When he looked up his eyes widened when he saw me. I just smiled and sat down beside him.

            “I don’t know if anyone told you but I don’t like people. Leave me alone,” he said as he pulled his phone out of his pocket.

            “Why don’t you like people,” I asked curiously.

            “They annoy me. Like you are right now,” he said without looking at me.