The game of Dodge Ball was deadly. There was no way around it. Literally. I ducked behind Jade's back so I didn't get hit much, though that didn't help when they started chucking balls between her legs. I got hit in the chest a couple of times, making me fall on my face and bruise my nose. I got hit in the stomach by a ball and I damned near threw up. When I got hit the mouth I felt like crying and throwing a tantrum but I didn't. I just continued to duck and cover and sometimes I even stopped, dropped, and rolled like a dog that's just been dipped in acid.
"Okay, kiddos, get into position!" Mr. Stern, the Gym teacher, shouted over the talking of the other kids. "Whatever you say," Jade said, grinning. I backed away from her, bumping into another girl. The girl spun around and squinted at me with her big green eyes. The kind of squint you give someone in a movie when you're angry.
"Did you just bump me, bitch?!" The girl shrieked at me in a high shrill baby voice.
I flinched and took a step back.
"Answer the question and don't let me have to get physical on your ass!" she shrieked again. I just stood there, petrified beyond words, as I always did when I was spoken to directly like that.
"Excuse me," Jade said, the words almost a silent growl. "But did you just call my friend a bitch?" She said the words so calmly that I was sure she was going to explode. The girl with the green eyes, who I know from Spanish class to be Tanya, rolled her eyes with an attitude.
"Yeah, I did, bitch. What are you gonna do about it? Tell on me?" she said, rolling her neck, smacking her lips, and everything. Jade smirked. I could tell she was trying real hard not to scream at her.
"Okay, little girl, first of all, I am not a bitch. Second of all, I am most definitely not a snitch. Oh, and I'd watch myself if I were you."
Tanya rolled her eyes and flipped her hair before saying "Well, you look like a bitch, you talk like a bitch so...you must be a bitch. A really big one at that." I choked down a cough, trying not to disturb and get any attention, letting my hair fall down like a curtain over my face.
"That's cute, really cute. Come on, I know you can do better than that. What are you, in the sixth grade?" Jade laughed. Everyone's attention was on them, as if they were on some kind of TV show. My heartbeat took off like a rocket. I couldn't believe it. Someone was defending me for once. Me. I knew it was stupid. I knew that I should try to stop them from arguing any longer but, strangely, I felt happy about this, though I was too petrified to show it.
"I don't even know why I'm wasting my time with you or your retarded friend," Tanya snapped, glaring at me. I looked down at the ground quickly, shoving my hands in my pockets. I felt so childish but it was all I could do, for I didn't want to look into her cold green eyes again. "Coward," she laughed at me, shot a death look at Jade, and stomped away.
Jade patted my shoulder softly. "Don't listen to her," she said soothingly. "You are neither a bitch nor are you retarded. You're very intelligent and nice." My heart swelled. I put on my tight version of a smile and pretended that it didn't bother me at all. I had a feeling that Tanya would hate me from now on.
"Like I said kiddos, before I was so rudely ignored," Mr. Stern paused to shot a look at me and Jade. "Get in position for our next round!" I frowned. That didn't sound very appropriate...
So when I sat on the ground to tie my shoes and looked up in the next instant Jades butt was in my face and she was giggling. I turned my face the other way, confused, and not wanting to look at her butt. "What are you doing?" I asked her.
"What does it look like? I'm bending over, silly!" she said, as if that explained things.
"I know but why are you doing it?" My voice was strained with embarrassment, for a boy was looking over at me and so was his friend. I blushed and looked down.
"Well, the teacher told me to get in position so I'm doing it! Don't you get it, Paige? I'm getting ready to get laid by the old man!" She shouted and then laughed in a psychotic sort of way. My face reddened to crimson and then darker. "Oh, I get it...sort of," I muttered to the floor. "Erm...did you forget to take some kind of medication?" I kept my voice low, hoping she wouldn't get angry at me. The words were meant as a joke but I wasn't laughing or smiling. But, thankfully, Jade was laughing. Thank God.
Jade got up from her position and so did I. "Yeah, I did. I used to be in therapy and so they recommended I use pills for being so crazy," She confirmed. She was not smiling so I began to worry. Why was she in therapy? I had no idea and it was none of my business so I didn't ask. Jade burst out in fits of giggles. "You actually believed me? Man, you are so easy!" I could only muster a nervous laugh at her outburst. Though I really liked her, I was scared to death of her.
"But...I wasn't kidding about the therapy thing. I really had went there. No lie", Jade said sadly and then smiled again as if everything was okay. She really is moody, I thought. "I don't think you're crazy", I blurted out unthinkingly. "Sure", Jade grumbled and then...that hyped up smile appeared on her face again. I took a step back, now deciding that she was creep-tacular but...not at all crazy.
We got into our teams for the stupid game and began the second-half of the injury-guaranteed-game. As usual, I tripped and got hit a couple times. When we were finished I was laying on the ground facedown with a red face and holding my stomach. Our team had lost...because of me. "You suck at this game, Mathews!" some of my team mates screamed at me. I did not cry. I did not move. I just laid there until the gymnasium was empty and only Jade and I were left in the room. "I'm a lose," I said. "Aw, don't be so hard on yourself. I fucked up the first time I played the stupid game and I still fuck up sometimes." "You did great," I sniffed. Jade snorted. "You are not a loser. End of discussion. Now get up. I'm hungry."
I got up sulkily. "I would hug you but...I'm not like that. That's not how I roll," Jade said.