“Hey Michael.”
Looking down, I focused hard on my lunch.
“Michael!”
My hands balling into involuntary fists, I closed my eyes, taking deep breaths.
“Michael?”
“Hey dumb ass, that is your name isn’t it?”
“Michael!”
Suddenly I felt a hand wrap around the back of my neck, slamming my forehead down on the table. All around, laughter echoed, as I reached up and massaged my throbbing head.
“I was talking to you freak.” Zayn spat.
“I didn’t hear you.” I mumbled.
“What?” Zayn demanded, while Louis dumped my lunch on the floor.
“I said, I didn’t hear you.” I muttered.
“I said I didn’t hear you.” Zayn mimicked in a childish voice.
“What do you want?” I asked, well aware that I was the star of the show Zayn was putting on for the entire cafeteria.
“I have a funny story to tell you.” He laughed.
Biting my lower lip, until I drew blood I waited for him to continue.
“Last night.” Zayn said loudly, “I went out for a little drive, when I took a wrong turn and ended up in down town Gothem.”
Feeling sick, I looked down.
“And guess who I saw shaking her fat ass on the corner?” Zayn continued.
Shaking with furry, I suppressed the raw rage building inside me.
“I think I know who it was.” Calum said with a smirk.
“Does anyone have any guesses?” Zayn asked, addressing the cafeteria at large.
“Please don’t.” I whispered.
“What’s that Michael?” Zayn asked, “Do you know who it was?”
Closing my eyes, I remained silent.
“It was your Mommy.” Zayn laughed, loudly.
The entire cafeteria gasped before bursting into peals of laughter.
“Oh it gets better!” Zayn chuckled, “I thought I’d be polite and say hello, so I pulled over.”
“Don’t.” I pleaded.
“And even though you Mommy is fat and ugly and wrinkly and disgusting and looks like something my Dad hacks up into the toilet in the morning….”
“Don’t.” I whispered, blinking back tears.
“She blew me away.” Zayn finished, slamming me forward onto the table once again.
Not bothering to lift my head, I let my tears leak out onto the table, my ears pounding with the jackal like laughter of my classmates as they guffawed around me.
And then I felt hands on my, small, gentle hands, grabbing me by the arm and pulling me to my feet.
“Come on.” A girl’s voice mumbled sympathetically, “They’re ass holes, all of them, let’s get out of here.”
Keeping my head bowed I rose to my feet, and let her pull me through the busy room, their laughter, following me, through the large metal doors and outside, where a light rain was falling.
Sniffing I rubbed at my eyes with my sleeve.
“Are you okay?” the girl asked gently, finally releasing me.
“Fine.” I said quickly.
“You don’t have to lie.” She whispered, “It’s okay not to be okay.”
Licking my lips nervously I looked up and found a startlingly attractive girl standing infront of me, the kind of girl that never wanted anything to do with me. She was petite, with rosy cheeks, large brown eyes and brown hair which fell in loose curls around her slender shoulders.
“Are you okay?” she repeated.
“I don’t know.” I admitted.
Surprising me, she took a hesitant step forward, before wrapping her arms around my waste, resting her cheek on my chest. Afraid that she would hear my rapid heartbeat I stood unmoving, as I stared down at her stunned.
After a moment she pulled away, and rummaging around in her pocket pulled out a tissue.
“It’s clean.” She said gently, holding it out to me.
Smiling at her gratefully, I dabbed at my leaking eyes.
“I’m Rachel.” She said pleasantly.
“Michael.” I muttered in response.
“I know.” She laughed, “I sit behind you in math.”
“Oh, sorry.” I mumbled, blushing, “I….”
“You keep your head down.” She interrupted, “Because you think everyone is out to get you, so you block them out. But doing that, you also block out the good people too.”
Frowning I watched as she reached into her pocket and pulled out two foil wrapped rectangles.
“Gum?” she offered.
I hesitated and smiling she placed one of the pieces in my hand before unwrapping the other and placing it on her tongue.
“Thanks.” I mumbled, unwrapping my piece and putting it in my mouth.
“Don’t mention it.” She replied, “It’s the least I could do after what those idiots did. Are you okay?”
Surprised that someone was actually asking, I just stared at her like a deer in headlights.
Biting her lower lip, she stood up on tiptoe and reaching up towards my face, used to being hit I winced, closing my eyes, however was pleasantly surprised when I felt her gently ran her soft fingertips over the spot on my forehead where I could feel a bruise forming.
“I’m not going to hurt you.” She whispered.
“Sorry.” I muttered.
“No I’m sorry.” She sighed, stepping away from me, and lowering her hand.
“For what?” I asked.
“That the world sucks.” She replied.
“The whole world doesn’t suck.” I said, “On a whole, it’s pretty great, we just can’t see it because we’re stuck in the filthy pit of humanity.”
“The pit?” she questioned.
“Gothem.” I muttered, “This city is shit. And one day I hope it burns.”
