2. Friendship
As middle school approached I was getting nervous. I didn't like the spot light, as I hated to be the center of attention, but I was going to a different school than my friends. The district lines were changed so I got to be the new girl, something I could do without. My mom dropped me off and I could already feel people starring at me. I was not really pretty or interesting, very plain in fact, but I was new. A couple guys came up to me and started babbling about how they were one the football team or they would like to show me around. I gave them a perfect 'thank you so much' smile that would have fooled no one.
Luckily I meet a nice girl, Brenda, in my first class, Math, and we had just about the same schedule, so at least I knew one person. However, my second class was gym. I am not sure what genius in the school system thought it was a good idea to put the uncoordinated klutz in a class with dangerous weapons. All through elementary school I was on a first name bases with the school nurse, mostly due to gym related incidences. It would seem I would soon see the middle school nurse or worse send someone to see her for me. I was more of a threat to others when handed a deadly weapon: racket, bat, hokey stick, volleyball, soccer ball, basketball, the list goes on and on. Since Brenda was in my gym class I decided to warn her about my inabilities.
She giggled, "I am sure it isn't that bad, just take it slow and aim".
I tried what she said and hit the football player that offered to show me around in the back of the head with the volleyball. Naturally I blushed from embarrassment, I hated this reaction. Ever since I was little it happened, but now some boys seemed to take notice and liked it, which was worse. I was sure he thought I did it to get his attention, even with the apologetic look on my face.
He came over and handed me the ball "Bella, you know you could have just called my name, I would have come over to say hi again" he said with a huge smile.
"I am so sorry, I tried to tell them I am to uncoordinated to be in gym, but it seems that someone gets a big kick out of me messing things up." I was mortified, really don't remember this guy's name, not that I would like to.
"Well if you need me to teach you how to play, I have some free time after school before football practice." I had to think quickly to get out of this.
"Thanks, but I am grounded and my mom is picking me up, right after school." I so hope that works.
"Another time then," still the huge grin plastered on his face as he strutted off back to the others.
"You really are a klutz." Brenda giggled.
"I tried to warn you. I can't believe I did that, that guy was talking to me this morning, and I really don't know what to do. HELP." I pleaded.
"Don't worry, that is Shane, he is more of a player than anything, or thinks he is. He thinks all girls like him and you are just another one of his delusions. When you don't show any interest, he stops talking to you." She grinned with a knowing wink.
"So he thought you were head over heels for him." I said more of a statement then a question and she just nodded. After that little incident gym was just about over, much to my relief, and we went to change.
Third period was English, my favorite subject, seeing as how I read a lot. As such I have already read most of the books that we would cover this year. After class I was heading to the lunch room and meet up with Brenda and one of her friends Susan. We got our food and went to a table with a couple other girls, they introduced themselves, but I am so bad with names I pretty much forgot them after they told me. Luckily it hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be, not many people seemed to notice me and more importantly I haven't tripped over anything, yet.
The girls were chatting about what they did over the summer, when some spoke to me. "So Bella, what was your big adventure this summer?"
"My parents are divorced so I spend part of the summer in Forks, Washington. It is overcast and wet pretty much the whole year, and the beach they have is cold year round. My summer, not so much fun," I admitted.
I explained that I have been spending one month in Forks every summer. My mom has me stay there so I could spend time with Charlie, my dad. I would hang out with Jacob, Rachel, and Rebecca, they were dad's best friend's children. Jacob was a couple years younger and Rachel and Rebecca, twins, are just a little over a year older. We got along well enough, I think because it was temporary, but I never really had much in common with them. We were all too shy to progress very far in the friendship area. So we never kept in touch and only spoke when I was doing my time there.
"That has to be the worst place in the world to live!" Someone said.
"You have no idea. Everyone knows everyone else and they all went to school together." I was beginning to feel a change in my travel plans was fast approaching, I hoped.
The rest of the day was thankfully uneventful. As I waited for my mom the stalker guy, Shane I think, not that I cared, was staring at me. I subtly let my hair fall down as I looked at my feet so I would have a nice curtain blocking his view. I was really hoping it would not take long for him to move on. Fortunately my mom pulled up and I hopped in as fast as I dared so as not to get hurt.
"How was your day sweetie?"
"Not bad, meet some really nice people, I have already read the books we are doing in English and I almost took off someone's head in gym with a volleyball." My mom thought I would grow out of my clumsiness phase, guess not.
She laughed at me and smiled. "So what would you like for dinner?" She inquired.
"Oh no, I am doing the cooking remember. By the way the power bill and water bill are due by the end of the week." I stated. In the last few months my mom's cooking has gone from experimental to inhumane. Charlie and I always joked about the things she would come up with and call it edible. When I went to see him we ate out most every meal, except breakfast.
"OK your right, so what are you making for dinner?"
"Not sure mom, I'll see what we have when I get home."
The rest of the week passed in much the same way. I could tell that my stalker was losing interest, finally and luckily there was no one else taking his place. I like boys, don't get me wrong, it is just the ones I meet are childish and immature. I really didn't like having them all over me the way they were with Susan. I am sure I will meet the perfect man sooner or later.
Poor Susan would have at least two guys around her all the time vying for her attention. She liked it, always smiling and flirting and caring on. They both acted more like loyal dogs than boyfriends. They were always doing things for her, asking her to go to the movies or something after school.
Susan was nice enough though. I really started to like her. She was comfortable with who she was and didn't need to talk about random things to fill the silence. During lunch, sometimes, we would sit beside each other in silence. I was always good with silence if nothing needed to be said. I did like Charlie for that as well. He wouldn't talk for the sake of noise like my mom seemed to do. Like Charlie, Susan was easy to get along with, she didn't have a clear cut view on the world since we were still young, but took it for what she saw, heard, and learned, on her own. I suppose I was much the same way. I was more observant though so I picked up on more of what was going on than she did.
I got along with Brenda well enough, but honestly speaking she is a cup is full kind of person. No matter what, everything was going to be OK. Susan was the type to ask 'does it really matter if it is half full or half empty'. I always saw it as a puzzle, something to figure out. What was in the cup? Why was there only half the amount of liquid in it? Did someone drink it? Was it that way for a reason? I would sometimes irritate myself with trying to figure things out.
Brenda and Susan would always go through the day without looking at the small things. My Grandma Marie would notice everything about my mother when she was young. She would tell me stories about how my mom would try and lie about things but Gran would always catch her. My mom, not the brightest, never quit trying to get away with things: smoking, drinking, and sneaking out at night. I got along with Gran, she was easy going, I don't know if I saw the world the same as others, but I was sure we would see the same things.
By the end of the month I was in a good place in my life. I was doing well in school, I hadn't injured anyone in gym and I only visited the nurse's office twice, the last time I had caught my shoe one the edge of gym floor and got carpet burn on my hands and knees. The best thing so far was that no one paid me any attention any more when I did it. Someone close would help me up while the rest of the class kept going. I actually like being plain and not being noticed. I hoped it would continue.