Ch. 3: Life Must Hate Me

I have no clue when things got so out of hand with Austin. I don't know when things begin to change. To be honest, I don't even know exactly what kind of person he was before I met him. All I do know is that he just changed without an explanation. He just got all of his belongings, erased the old him from his memories, and left faster than it took for him to get here.

I can't find an explanation for the way he treats people now. I can't say that it's because of something a person did or didn't do. Maybe this was meant to happen. Maybe his world burns too bright for everyone to withstand. Maybe he grew up a little bit too soon or too fast. Or maybe he's just a shallow person who doesn't know the first thing about being kind!

But whatever his reasons were or are… I've moved on. I have passed the stage of trying to figure him out. I'm done making foolish theories that would explain his change. I no longer try to talk to him in an attempt to get him to reason. I simply stopped trying to help those whom he teases.

I stopped caring after I saw him acting like a drunken fool at a party. I stopped trying to get him off people's case when I saw it only encouraged him to continue. I simply brought an end to my naïve wishes of him being nice when I realized that the bastard doesn't have a heart to comprehend what the word nice means.

The only thing I can't understand is why the hell everyone treats him like a king when he treats them like dirt. He has people who line up to do his homework. He has those who let him cheat off their tests in hopes of climbing higher on the social ladder in school. I think the reason why he's after Adrianna the most is because he's afraid that she'll start a petition against him or an Anti-Austin Club on campus. If he only knew that he's not even worth her time or anybody else's to even run or start these activities. If he just left people alone, they would more than gladly stay out of his way.

As soon as the last bell rings I grab all my stuff before standing up to go. Everyone rushes out of the classroom and I don't blame them. History with Mr. Wart is always a dread. And yes, his last name is very unfortunate. Usually I would be one of the few students to leave right away. Today though, I am the last student who is miserably walking out to make her way to her locker… because today is the first day of my punishment.

I don't know what I did to get punished like this. I get good grades. I am the reason why this school is known for its academic success. I have never wronged anyone whose name isn't Austin Moon and I am very active in my community. Yet due to my horrible athletic ability, the school makes me seem dispensable. I can wage if it was Austin in my situation he would just be given the rest of the day off so he can "clear his mind" from any "stress" the poor boy could be going through. Life is really unfair.

I throw my backpack into my locker and give a short prayer for my own safety before I take the last few steps to hell. I wonder what the Devil will do to me there. Hopefully the coach will be there every second of practice every day. Who knows, I could be lucky enough to be sent home. After all, they need more help during games with the score board and setting up. What can a girl like me do to help with their practice?

Well I got proven wrong. Apparently there are a lot of things a girl like me can do at practice. So far I have been given a list of tasks to do and half of them seems like the Devil himself made sure I got. All I'm thinking as I roam the school hallways is that he better be prepared for what I'm going to do to him as soon as I find him. I am going to give him a piece of my mind and scream on top of my lungs to him as I explain to him the foolishness that is behind the tasks he has planned for me.

Like for example, why do I need to clean his locker? What need does he have of me to tell him he's the best player on Earth? Half of the things on the list are to let him know how great, handsome, and how madly in love I am with him every time I see him. First of all, I have mentioned the boy does have some bragging rights, but his ego is already too big to encourage. He's not bad looking. He's actually very good looking. He has beautiful brown eyes when he's not using them to glare at you, and has this shiny blonde hair that is always perfectly messy and beckons you to just run your fingers through it. And don't even get me started on his body. But like I have also mentioned, his ego is already big; wouldn't want the human race to become extinct because of his big head. And for the whole loving thing, well here's the thing, I don't think I could ever love a guy like Austin. Especially when I know everything is just a game to him.

So I really have to talk to him about the list seriously. Most of all, I am going to lecture him on why punctuality is important. Because then I wouldn't look stupid as I walk around in circles like a lost person as I search for him. And it needs to be as soon as possible before the coach yells at me too, for taking too long in locating him.

I take my third lap around the first hallway I went through when I hear a sudden gasp from the janitor's closet followed by someone saying Austin in a croaky voice. Oh gosh. Please don't tell me that I heard right. I try to brush it off as I continue walking but whoever was in there said his name once again only ten times louder.

I feel trapped as I wonder what to do. I should get Austin. That's the first task that the coach gave me. This is the first deed that I have to do to get through my punishment as smoothly as possible. But the thought of interrupting him while he's getting some… action… just grosses me out.

My heart slightly speeds up as I hear other noises come from the closet and I can feel my cheeks burning. I am not good with these types of topics. In fact I haven't even experienced half of the things that the majority of my schoolmates have. Call me old school or what not, but I'm hoping to stay strong 'til I get married. I know that I might fall into temptation and what not, but at least I just want it to happen with someone who I care about and who cares about me.

Taking a deep breath I slowly take small, hesitant steps to the janitor's door before I slightly knock on it. From the sounds I can pick up on they don't notice me at first but then I knock again and it gets quiet. The silence probably lasted for two or three seconds but to me it feels like an eternity. I don't even notice when I put my hair into my mouth and started chewing on it. When I hear muted sounds coming from inside I feel my heart beat increase wildly. This is most definitely not one of the most shining moments in the life of Ally Dawson.

I take a step back as I expect them to open the door at any second but I feel my embarrassment drag on as I hear their hushed conversation. He's asking her if she's heard anything. She's telling him to just continue what they started. The rest of the one minute conversation continues something along these lines until I can't take it no more and shout, "Austin the coach is looking for you and if you aren't at the ice rink in five minutes I'm going to tell him where you are!"

Then I run like I've never ran. I run as fast as my feet take me and I don't stop when I hear him angrily shouting after me. I don't even stop when my lungs are scorching inside me. When I finally am standing outside the door of the rink I bend over and try to catch my breath. I have no clue why people do sports. It takes too much effort and if you're uncoordinated like me, it means you bruise easily during games and practices.

I stretch a little bit before opening the door. I don't even open it half way when I see a hand impede me from opening it further. I don't need to turn around to know that the Devil is breathing down on me. In fact I don't need to turn around to see his eyes staring at me in a malicious way. In my head I hurriedly say my goodbyes as I expect the worst. But it never comes. All I am given is a push before he walks ahead of me.

I stand there at the doorway a few seconds as I contemplate what he's planning. He's Austin Moon. He's bound to get me back… especially since I scared a potential girl away from him. Oh dear lord, please help me when he attacks. I promise to behave like a saint. I swear that I will eat my veggies that my dad gives me from now on and I'll go to church more often if you just let me witness the miracle of Austin Moon not coming back for revenge. I take a deep breath before entering the place that I will get to know too well to be considered healthy.

Taking a deep breath, I continue with the list of chores that I have to do and count the minutes I have left until I can leave.

I wanted to be the first one to leave when the coach dismissed us. But I am not. And guess who else is staying back? My favorite person, Austin Flipping Moon! Of course out of all the players Austin would be the one to stay behind. Thank you god for crushing my hopes!

My weight keeps shifting as I try to dodge the glare that Austin gives me whenever we both look up. I'm trying to look as busy as possible and attempt to maintain a calm, serious face but my heart is beating to its own wild, panic drum as I see Austin staring at me harder than before. I guess someone's still mad that they didn't get the release they hoped to work in before practice. I feel like I should apologize for interrupting whatever "moment" they were having but at the same time I feel like he doesn't even deserve it. Wow is it just me or did it get twenty degrees lower in the ice rink?

I'm playing with my fingers when the coach's booming voice breaks my concentration by shouting both Austin's and my last name. Naturally we both turn to look at one another before making any move. And although I've never had anything to agree with him… much less talk about, the look on his face mirrors mine as we both wonder what have we done this time and what punishment will be the consequence of it.

Remembering who I am, Austin shakes his head and glares at me once again before leaving me sitting on the bleachers paralyzed; watching him walk away. Gaining my composure I gather my books and slowly I make my way to the coach's office behind Moon. We're both quiet and the only sound is the occasional times that Austin bumps his hockey stick with the ground. I bite my lips as I review the things I did today and how well I did them. According to the coach before he asked me to stay behind, I was doing so well that I might even get to leave my punishment earlier than planned out. So what does he want to talk about now?

When I open the door of his office, Austin is standing with his arms crossed, a clear annoyed expression on his face, and I can still see the sweat clinging onto his skin that he's cumulated in practice. He really should have washed up before entering. Wanting to finish this surprise meeting before I get into any more trouble than I am caught in, I stand on the opposite side of Austin and clutch my books to my chest as I wait.

Taking a deep breath, the coach sits down on his chair and when he sees none of us make any movement to do so, he shouts in a stern voice, "Sit down!" indicating that this is no game.

I don't turn to look at Austin to know that he feels just as terrified and confused as I am. In silence we both place our belongings on the ground and sit down as calmly as we possibly can while trying to hold our minds back from jumping to conclusions. Smoothing out my skirt as I impatiently wait to hear the words escape from the coach, I can't help but wonder why all of this happens to me.

Clapping his hands together, it makes my head whip up and with a serious face he says in a crucial tone, "There's one more part to the principal's request of Ally's punishment."