Jack was still trying to get used to his schedule. His first class on Wednesday was Gym. He hasn't had this class yet this year, seeing as there was no school Monday.
His last year schedule was a bit more full than this year's schedule. He had to retake his sophomore math class, along with trying to get all of his elective credits out of the way. He only needed three more. He decided to take gym since there's no real way to grade gym. Easy A.
Class started at nine. He had five minutes before class to change in the locker room. After changing into his gym clothes, he came into the gym and while he waited for the gym teacher to get class started, he chatted with a freshman.
After a bit, Mr. Conn blew a whistle. The teacher explained to them that they would just be doing open gym until next week, seeing as everyone was just going to be reorganizing their schedule till then. Mr. Conn grabbed a few basketballs and tossed them to random kids around the room.
The students started forming groups and messing around. Jack went with the freshman he talked to earlier and his friends. The teacher had pulled out some plastic basketball hoops. The group played around one of those, but mainly talked and joked around. After a few minutes, while Jack was not paying attention, he didn't hear another group of kids yells "Watch out!"
A basketball came flying towards his face, hitting him square in the nose. Jack stumbled back, holding his nose in his hand. He lifted his hand from his nose and saw blood.
A new senior this year ran up to him. "Oh my god, are you okay?" He asked, slightly panicked. "Oh my god, you're bleeding! Let's get you down to the offi-"
Jack waved him off. "I'm fine, just a bloody nose. I'll get a tissue and be fine."
"Just a bloody nose? It's not just a bloody nose! You are bleeding!" The boy exclaimed. "I'm taking you to the nurse."
"No, I'm fine, I promise!" Jack exclaimed, but the other man dragged him to the nurse's office. Jack just went with it, seeing as he could use some tissues anyways.
"Why are you freaking out so badly about this, dude?" Jack asked.
"Because you are bleeding, and it was me who threw the ball anyways!" He said as he opened the door to the office. He stood by the counter, still holding Jack's arm, shaking just a bit.
The school secretary turned around from whoever she was talking to. "Tissues and ice packs are over there." The lady pointed to the other side of the office, where a small freezer sat. The other senior let go of Jack's arm, grabbed an ice pack for Jack, and began looking for the tissues, with no luck.
Jack walked over to the cupboards and grabbed a few tissues from an already open box.
"So what's your name?" Jack asked the other boy.
"Oh, uh, David," He said. "But you can call me Davey." He extended his hand to shake with Jack.
Jack checked his hand to make sure it didn't have any blood on it and then shook Davey's hand. "Jack."
"Sorry about throwing a basketball at your face," Davey said, looking down.
"Ay, don't sweat it," Jack said. "Was an accident, I'm sure."
"It was." He said, looking up again. "I guess we oughta head back to class?"
"Ah, teach ain't taking attendance," Jack explained as the two left the office. "Open gym, A.K.A. no real need to go back to class."
"I don't think I could get myself to skip," Davey said, looking almost embarrassed.
"That's all good, no pressure. I'll go back then, too, so you don't gotta walk in without the person you dragged at the wrist." Jack laughed.
"The guy who isn't even using the ice I dragged him out for." Davey cracked a smile.
Jack held the cold pack up to his face, on the side of the nose where the ball hit him. "This better?"
"It is." Davey laughed a bit.
Jack stopped outside the gym door. "You got any friends here yet? I've never seen you here before."
Davey looked away. "Um... No, not yet."
"Well, now you do," Jack said. "Unless you don't wanna, that's cool. If you wanna, my schedule is open for third and fourth hour. I'm assuming you got one of those open for lunch, you'd be crazy not to. But come sit with me and my friends."
"I'm not a charity case, Jack." Davey said, then back peddled his words, "I do appreciate the offer, but you don't have to."
"Nah, no charity. You just seem cool. I'll be towards the back of the cafeteria, probably."
Davey smiled. "Thanks, Jack."
"No problem, Davey." Jack opened the gym door, and the two came in and finished gym class in their original groups.
Jack sat in the cafeteria during second hour, saving his friend's seats. He made sure to sit where he told Davey he would be. He pulled out his sketchbook and began sketching some characters from his favorite TV shows for the hour he spent alone.
"Yo, Jack!" He heard his friends voice.
Jack shut his sketchbook and put it back in his bag. He looked up to see a few of his friends walking towards them. "Hey boys, how was class?"
"Not bad, didn't do anything all hour," Albert said. "How was sitting around all day?"
"Hey, I had a class this morning!"
"Jack Kelly, going to class? Shocker." Anthony, also known as Race, laughed.
"Bet it was art," said Albert.
"It was gym," Jack defended himself. "Met a new senior. He threw a basketball at my face."
"Ah, how all good friendships are made," Elmer joked.
They all sat and talked for a few minutes, more friends coming to the table as time passed. After fifteen minutes, Jack saw Davey enter the cafeteria. Jack gave him a wave to join him at his table. David started walking over to his table, but changed his mind last second, leaving the cafeteria.
"Was that the basketball guy?" Crutchie asked Jack.
"Yeah, that's him," Jack explained.
"Pretty cute," Crutchie said, elbowing Jack.
"Ay, careful, loverboys got a girlfriend," Romeo said with a grin.
Jack stood up. "Imma go check on him." He excused himself from the table, taking his bag with him.
He searched around the school before spotting Davey in the commons area, sitting alone at a table.
"Hey, Davey," Jack said, walking over to the table. "You okay?"
"Oh, hey."
"You okay?" Jack asked. "You seemed a little weird in the cafeteria."
"Oh, yeah, I just wasn't sure if there would be enough room at the table and I didn't wanna pull you away from your friends, and so I just figured I would come in here," Davey explained. "I'm sorry if you were upset."
"Hey, it's all good. I just wanted to check on you," Jack said with a smile. He pulled one of the chairs out from the table Davey sat at. "Mind if I join you?"
"You don't have to, you probably wanna head back to your friends," Davey said, looking a bit embarrassed.
"Nah, I wanna," Jack said as he sat down.
Davey smiled, looking into Jack's eyes. "Thanks."
"My pleasure."
The two talked for the full hour, talking about the school and similar topics. By the end, the two exchanged phone numbers. Jack was sad when he had to leave for class. He wanted to learn more about him, but sadly, history calls.
After school, Jack waited for Crutchie on the steps outside. His brother exited the building about five minutes after his class.
"Twenty minutes late," Crutchie said as he left the building.
"It's Wednesday, I'm gonna say thirty," Jack said. "Whoever is closer doesn't gotta do the dishes tonight?"
"Deal," Crutchie said, sitting down on the steps. "Make sure to rinse the plates before putting 'em in the washer."
"Keep dreaming, buddy." Jack laughed.
The two sat on the steps together, talking about this and that. Jack asked his brother how his classes went, and Crutchie explained how boring his teachers are, and how he hates how much homework they give when it's only the beginning of the year.
"So, I gotta tell you," Jack said. "Got hit in the face by a basketball."
"Cute girl?" Crutchie asked. "Or was it a cute boy who nailed ya?"
"This guy named David."
"Jacobs?" Crutchie asked. "New guy this year, tall, wore a hat today?"
"That's the one."
"That is a cute boy," said Crutchie with a smile.
"I mean, he certainly does look nice," Jack said.
"Ame's gonna be jealous," Crutchie teased.
"Hey, there are tons of cute people at this school," Jack said.
"There sure are."
About a half hour late, Medda pulled into the school driveway.
"Make sure to rinse the dishes before putting them in the wash," Jack teased as he helped his brother up from the steps.
"Ha ha, very funny."
"Oh, I'm hilarious."
The boys hopped in the car and drove off with Medda.
Medda dropped the boys off at home but left quickly after for her performance she had lined up. She left them with some money to order pizza later on in the night.
At six, the pizza arrived. To make things easier for his brother, Jack brought Crutchie up a paper plate with a few slices of pizza on it. They ate in Crutchie's room and talked about various topics, ranging from serial killers to their tastes in music.
Jack spent the rest of the night in his room. He sent Amelia a text around seven, wondering if she was just out late.
At about 8:30, with still no response from Amelia, he texted Davey for fun.
Jack: Hey, it's Jack from gym. Whatcha up to?
About five minutes later, he got a response.
Davey: Just finished with some reading. You?
Jack: Not much. Just wanted to say hey.
Davey: Well, hey.
Jack: Hey.
Davey: Well, I do need to finish some homework.
Jack: That's okay. See you tomorrow?
Davey: For sure.
After reading Davey's last response, Jack put his phone on the charger and went to bed for an early night.