--Day Fourteen--
“You guys don’t need to worry!” Liam cried, “I mean she’s been nursing this crush for three years and it hasn’t gotten anywhere. So I don’t think anything will change now.”
Callum shut his locker, a small frown etched between his brows, “I don’t care that she likes him, she can like anyone. All I’m mad about is that she didn’t even tell us. We’re her best friends; we should at least be able to know something as important as this.”
“I-” Liam started to say but then paused when he realised that Callum was right in a way. He dropped his arms from their defensive stance, his head drooping along with it.
“That’s unfair Callum,” Jasper murmured, his back remaining on the lockers that he leaned against.
“It isn’t! She’s-” Callum started to argue, turning a heated glare towards Jasper.
“Our best friend,” Jasper cut in, “There have been things that you have also kept a secret that we’ve ended up finding out from someone else rather than your own mouth. Carly has a right to keep some things from us, just like Liam kept the fact that he likes Marissa-” Liam snapped his head up, his eyes widening, his mouth hung open in horror, his hand clutching onto his shirt right above where his heart was beating erratically and his skin colour paled, “-from us. Don’t blow this out of proportion because Carly will get upset and none of us want that to happen.”
Callum dropped the glare he was impaling Jasper with and slumped dejectedly, “You’re right,” He admitted.
“Of course I am,” Jasper snorted, turning his nose up in a superior manner.
“You don’t have to sound so smug,” Callum growled, his eyes slitting dangerously.
“How did you guys know?” Liam squeaked, pulling at his hair.
“Huh?” Callum asked, frowning at his distressed friend.
“How did you know I liked Marissa?!” He shouted as a furious blush covered his cheeks.
“How could we not?” Jasper retaliated, leaning his arm on Liam’s head and bending down so that he could look at him from the side, “You do nothing but stare at her like some love sick puppy.”
Liam cried out and buried his face in his hands, covering the scorching blush on his face, “So blunt,” He moaned in despair.
“Hey guys?” A deep voice called to their right.
All three males turned questioning eyes towards a hesitant soccer Captain. He stood awkwardly next to the lockers his hand clutching onto his back pack.
“What is it?” Callum asked bluntly.
Jasper nudged Callum slightly sending him a meaningful look, “What’s up?” Jasper asked stepping forward.
“Er, I was going to ask you guys on the first day she wasn’t here but it was so hectic trying to find a new goalie keeper so quickly in such a short space of time, that I didn’t have time to ask,” Elliot started, rubbing the back of his neck nervously, “But is Carly alright? I mean I noticed she hasn’t been with you guys for over a weak now and I kind of got a bit worried.”
The three friends remained silent as they took in the small blush on Elliot’s face and the way he scuffed his foot bashfully onto the grimy school floors.
“She’s ill,” Liam said quietly, “She’ll be back in a week or so.”
Callum nodded in approval, averting his eyes and clenching his jaw while Jasper crossed his arms, digging his nails into his flesh. All three of them wanted to say something about his questions but they reeled in their hateful feelings and kept their mouths shut.
“Oh!” Elliot said, nodding quickly, “Well can you tell her I hope she gets better?”
Liam swallowed and unlatched his lips from his teeth, “Yeah,” He said, his voice wobbling slightly, “Will do.”
Elliot nodded again with a bright smile, said his thanks before turning and almost seeming to skip down the hallway. On his way there he managed to bump into Carly, both of them launching into a small conversation on soccer practise. Callum, Liam and Jasper watched from their position as Carly’s face glowed with glee and happiness.
“Guys we have a big problem,” Callum said.
“Elliot likes her too,” Liam whispered.
Jasper looked down at his shoes and scuffed them harshly on the ground, “Yeah,” Was his only answer.
“What if...” Liam started, taking in a shaky breath, “What if they get together and she starts neglecting us?”
“That won’t happen,” Callum tried to reassure him.
“But what if it does?” Liam pressed.
Callum’s eyes widened slightly in panic and he whipped his head to the subject of their conversation, “I don’t know what we’ll do,” He lamented, “I really don’t know.”
Liam pressed his lips together as he stared at Callum’s crestfallen expression, “No you’re right,” Liam said, both males turning their heads to him at the sound of the determination in his voice, “She wouldn’t ever do that to us.”
Callum and Jasper shared a look with each other over Liam’s head, both of them nodding to one another at their friend’s words.
“Guys!” All three of them snapped their heads in the direction of Carly’s voice. She was now standing alone in the corridor with a look of expectancy on her face, “What are you standing around like we have all of the time in the world. Come on! We have to get to the Canteen before all of the students get there. They’re like animals I tell you. So get your brains in gear and let’s haul ass!”
Slow smiles spread across their lips with each word that left her mouth, “You know,” Callum said in amusement, as Carly continued to shout at them to hurry from down the hall, “I don’t think we could get rid of her even if we tried.”
Liam and Jasper chuckled as they watched Carly practically bounce on her feet from sheer exasperation and impatience, “Come on,” Jasper encouraged, “Let’s get to her before she decides to come down here and drag us there.”
Liam laughed and skipped ahead, Callum and Jasper following behind until they were finally side by side with their angry friend. The four of them made their way down the hallway, the three males only smiling as they listened to Carly chiding them on not moving fast enough.
Jasper sighed and linked his fingers behind his head, standing just a couple steps behind from his friends. It was because of this distance that they didn’t notice Jasper being pulled into an empty classroom.
Jasper turned un-amused eyes towards his attacker, fully prepared to unleash the glare he only uses on special occasions. That is, until, his eyes met with the dark brown of Dylan Connor’s eyes. Jasper’s eyes narrowed and his mouth parted slightly as he stared at her with nothing but suspicion. He still hadn’t gotten over the fact that she had dumped him head first into a rubbish bin.
“I know,” Dylan said bluntly before Jasper could even question her presence.
Jasper frowned, “Know what?”
“I know that Carl is actually Carly,” She supplied further, leaning her side against the whiteboard and picking at a loose thread on her shirt sleeve.
The words didn’t seem to register at first and Jasper could only stand with a blank look on his face. When it did finally settle in, he felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead.
Jasper opened his mouth but was cut off by Dylan, “Don’t even try to deny it. I pieced it all together; well that and I overheard your little friend’s conversation this morning. So, you better have a good explanation for why she’s dressing like a girl or you can guarantee that this is going to be spread throughout the whole school.”
*********************
“Hey guys, where’s Jasper?” Carly asked, looking at the empty spot at their table.
Callum looked up from his slow pickings of his sandwich, craning his neck to see all possible views of the Canteen before shrugging, “I thought he was right behind us.”
“Oh look there he is,” Liam said with a smile, pointing towards the Canteen entrance. However, his smile immediately fell from his lips and shattered onto the ground as soon as he saw who was following him, “Is that Dylan?” Liam whispered in horror, sinking low into his chair and trying to hide behind his ham and lettuce sandwich.
Carly looked behind her with curious eyes, “Yeah that is her,” She said, “I wonder what he’s doing with her.”
“I think we’ll find out soon because they’re heading right towards us,” Callum viewed, handing his red tray towards Liam so that he could use it as a shield if need be.
Before anyone could question Dylan’s presence she sat down at the chair closest to Carly. For Dylan the chairs weren’t close enough and so she hooked her fingers under Carly’s chair and dragged her closer towards her. Carly could only remain in her wide eyed frozen state as she felt a heavy arm drape around her shoulders.
“You boys should be ashamed of yourselves,” Dylan growled, “Blackmailing her with such an embarrassing picture just so that she can take part in your bet.”
Jasper sat in his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance as he felt his friend’s eyes turn to him slowly. “Before you blow up at me I had to tell her, she overheard our conversation in the morning so there was no point in lying.”
“You don’t have to worry, I won’t tell anyone,” Dylan said with a sigh, as she tore the crust from Liam’s sandwich and nibbled on it.
“Why?” Callum asked his eyes wide with suspicion.
“Simple,” Dylan said with a smirk, “I want Carly to win.”
She stood from her seat and gave a reassuring pat to Carly’s shoulder, “Hang in there kid, the months almost over.” She turned her back and was about to walk away but paused. An exasperated sigh left her lips as she turned towards Jasper and Liam, “I’m sorry about dumping the two of you into a rubbish bin. I don’t like it when people shout at or upset my friends. You understand that right?” She said sending a meaningful look towards Carly.
Liam and Jasper followed her stare and watched as Carly chewed on her sandwich, oblivious to their conversation. Liam chuckled, “I guess,” He said rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly; “I forgive you.”
Jasper remained silent and only stared at the table, “Same,” He finally muttered.
Dylan nodded, a genuine smile crossed her lips, one that didn’t look like she just pulled a heinous crime, “Cool,” Was her last word before she strode towards her designated table.
“Well,” Carly said with a clap of her hands, “That was unexpected.”
**********************
“Carl is so good looking,” Samantha said, a sigh escaping her lips as she watched him dribble a soccer ball through the cones.
It was after school and the three of them decided that it would be a great idea to watch the soccer team practise. Well...actually it was more that Samantha had begged them to go with her and they had relented due to her incessant pleas.
“Hmm,” Dylan murmured distractedly, not really paying attention to her love sick friend. Lillian had her head phones in and was currently listening to some loud music so she wasn’t able to hear anything.
Dylan sat with her trig work leaning on the back of Lillian’s head, working through it with a sense of satisfaction that she was nearly done with it. Lillian sat between her legs comfortably, her elbows resting on Dylan’s knees as she read a book she had recently purchased from the library. Samantha sat next to Dylan, leaning forward slightly as she took in Carl’s running form.
“I’m a bit confused though,” Samantha admitted, pulling on her hair insecurely, “I mean I kissed him but he hasn’t said anything about it, he hasn’t even approached me at all.”
Dylan paused in her furious writing and cut her eyes to the side to study Samantha’s face. She grimaced when she saw the look of forlorn on her face, her hands clenched around her book, crinkling some of the papers.
God damn it, she thought exasperatedly as she closed her text book and set it aside, I’m sorry Carly but I need to let her know. She’ll end up getting her heart broken if she goes any further.
Dylan snapped her fingers by Lillian’s ears just to make sure the girl couldn’t hear any of the conversation. “Samantha there’s something you need to know about Carl.”
“Huh?” Samantha asked turning to regard Dylan, “What’s that?”
“Do you know that girl that always hangs out with Jasper a lot?” Dylan questioned.
Samantha frowned slightly, turning her body so that she was facing her “Yeah, erm...Carly?”
Dylan nodded, “Yeah,” She said, “Now don’t you think it’s a little suspicious that when Carly isn’t here Carl all of a sudden springs out of nowhere. And that he just so happens to be spending all of his time with them?”
Samantha frowned, her brain slowly fitting the pieces together, “Dylan what are you saying...?” She said.
Dylan clenched her fists when she saw the look in Samantha’s eyes, Dylan could see that she understood but she just didn’t want to, “Samantha Carl is Carly.”
There was a pause after Dylan’s rushed words and Dylan could only look at the back of Lillian’s head as she waited for Samantha’s words. It surprised her when she felt fingers curl around her chin to turn her to face Samantha, “Tell me everything,” She said staring into Dylan’s eyes.
Dylan sighed.
********************
“Wow,” Samantha breathed.
“Yep,” Dylan nodded.
“I...I – I feel sorry for her,” Samantha cringed as she watched the Coach shout at Carly to run faster.
“Yep,” Dylan repeated with a cringe of her own when she saw Carly trip over her own two feet.
Lillian – who had taken her headphones out just a few seconds ago – frowned in confusion at her friends, “What are you guys talking about?”
“Nothing!” Samantha shouted, making it painfully obvious that what they had been talking about was not ‘nothing’.
Lillian pouted cutely, “No it’s not.”
Both Samantha and Dylan cringed at the cute look on her face. Samantha was the first to crack, “Okay we’ll tell you but you can’t tell anyone.”
Lillian nodded eagerly and leaned forward so that she could hear clearly, “Carl is really Carly dressed up as a boy,” Samantha said before leaning back and watching her reaction.
“Oh that?” Lillian asked with a smile, “I already knew that.”
Lillian put her headphones back on and opened her book to the page she had left off. Samantha and Dylan could only watch her, their mouths hanging open in clear shock.
*******************
I’m so beat, Carly groaned as she pulled off her soccer shorts in one of the toilet stalls.
She had finally just finished a rather tiresome practise, which had involved the Coach shouting at her to ‘Move those pathetic excuses you call legs faster before I throw you across the field’ or ‘You call that running? My Grandmother – may she rest in peace – could run faster than you boy’.
Carly was currently standing in the corner of one of the toilet stalls, trying really hard not to crumple into heap like her soul had done the moment the Coach had opened his mouth. She sighed heavily and pulled out her jeans but froze when she heard the sound of the toilet door open and smack against the wall. Her eyes widened when she saw the toilet door she was occupying shake as a fist slammed down on it repeatedly.
“Hurry up man I’m going to blow!” Bryan Fletcher shouted from outside of the door.
Carly immediately groaned out, “Go to another toilet.”
“One’s out of order and the other has been locked for years,” Bryan retorted.
It’s true one of the toilets have been jammed shut since they first built the restrooms and it was an unspoken agreement with every male who entered the bathroom to never try to open it and so it remains sealed shut to this day, even the Coach didn’t think about fixing it. As for the ‘out of order’ toilet, it was safe to say that the Coach had ripped a new hole out of the student who managed to block it up.
“Come on Carl man!” Bryan grunted as he bent over and held onto the door, “If you don’t come out I know a way to jiggle the lock.”
Carly’s eyes widened, looking down she saw that she had no pants on. Wait what underwear am I wearing? She thought to herself as she pulled her shirt up, holy shit!
She panicked even more when she saw the door lock starting to shake, “Ah! Bryan wait!” She cried as she grabbed her jeans.
“Too late,” He hissed as he yanked the door open.
They both stood frozen in place as they took in each other’s forms. This is the end, Carly was still in a hunched position, I’m never going to hear the end of this.
Before Carly could even do something embarrassing, like start crying, Bryan reached forward and gripped her shirt, then proceeded to throw her out of the toilet stall.
“Jeez!” He fumed as he slammed the door of the stall, the sound of his belt clinking could be heard, “When a person says they have to go then they have to go.”
Carly remained in a frozen form, not quite believing that she had gotten out of the situation because of a bursting bladder. The sound of someone relieving themselves was the only thing that pulled her out of her thoughts. She quickly put on her skinny jeans and grabbed the rest of her clothes so that she could make a quick escape from the place.
“Hey,” Jasper said as he kicked off from the wall outside the changing rooms, “You took a lo-”
“Shut up and go,” Carly cut him off as she pulled on his arm and practically dragged him out of the building.
Inside of the toilet stalls Bryan sighed in relief, God damn that was close, he thought to himself. Now that he had relieved himself the guilt of throwing Carl out while he had been changing sneaked up on him and he frowned. The guy didn’t even have his pants on...Bryan chided himself, wait – his eyes snapped open, was it just my imagination or did I just see Carl wearing pink underwear? Not only that but I’m pretty sure I caught some frills and a small bow at the front.
Bryan sat on the toilet for a second and simply reflected on what he saw before he deemed it fit to place the front of his face into his open palm. I am so done with this place...