These thoughts kept Kelly afloat throughout the remainder of the day. He would have his revenge.
When the sixth period bell rang, Kelly yearned to hit the track and start running, but his teacher kept the class behind to dole out an assignment. Kelly seethed during the delay and was first out the door when they were finally granted permission to leave. He headed straight to the locker room, got dressed, and walked outside. Halfway to the track, he stopped.
Jared was there. Kelly had been prepared for this possibility and had decided that it wouldn’t hold him back. But he hadn’t expected to see a girl with pink glasses in the bleachers, one who clapped happily when Jared sprinted past her. Kelly watched for a moment, noticing how well Jared was doing, but mostly taking in the smile plastered on Martha’s face. Did she have any idea how lucky she was? Probably, since Jared had steadfastly ignored her after getting her note. Now, all these months later, her wish had finally come true. That must be nice.
Sighing, Kelly turned and headed back to the locker room. Then he changed into his normal clothes. He was leaving when William appeared in the doorway.
“Hey! Sorry I’m late. Why do girls like to talk so much?”
Kelly just glanced at him, not wanting to hear about another happy heterosexual couple. Instead he moved forward, forcing William to step out of his way. This didn’t dissuade him from following Kelly down the hall.
“Aren’t you training today?” William asked. “Wait, don’t tell me you’re done already! You’re not that fast, are you?”
Kelly shook his head. “Not quite.”
“Then where are you going?”
Kelly considered his options. “I’m going to get in my car, find a really tall bridge, and drive off of it.”
“Awesome,” William said. “Mind if I tag along?”
Kelly glanced over at him. “You have a death wish?”
“Not really, but I was hoping you could give me a ride home on your way. I’ve been biking to school every day, and honestly, my legs are still sore from the run yesterday and everything else.”
“You need to take a break,” Kelly said. “Give your muscles time to heal and build up.” He glanced over at William. “Not that you need to get any bigger. You really want a ride?”
William adjusted the pack hanging off one shoulder. “If you don’t mind. There aren’t any bridges on the way to my house, so we should be okay.”
“I thought you had an after-school job.”
“I started a lawn mowing business when I was twelve. Most of my clients have moved away or now have kids old enough to do it themselves, but some still depend on me. I’m not busy every day, leaving my afternoons free to beg strangers for rides.”
Kelly allowed himself to feel amused. Was William always so chipper? If so, being around him could be nice. Kelly had promised himself not to get too friendly, but then again, he needed a new best friend. He had Bonnie, but she went to a different school. As they reached the car, he considered William over the top of it and felt less certain. Preferably his new friend would be someone impossible for him to develop a crush on. Like a girl. He wasn’t eager to experience another Jared. A cool breeze blew across the parking lot, so he pulled the light jacket he wore closer to his body.
William, still waiting by the passenger door, raised his eyebrows. “You all right?”
“Yeah,” Kelly said, shaking his head. “I thought I forgot something, that’s all.”
He pushed the button on the keychain to unlock the car, and once buckled up, asked where William lived. He knew the area, and needed little prompting to get headed in the right direction. As they pulled into the neighborhood, lone drops of water splattered against the windshield, followed by a steady patter of rain.
William leaned forward in his seat to consider the sky. “Now I’m glad we bailed on training. Looks like a bad storm blowing
When the sixth period bell rang, Kelly yearned to hit the track and start running, but his teacher kept the class behind to dole out an assignment. Kelly seethed during the delay and was first out the door when they were finally granted permission to leave. He headed straight to the locker room, got dressed, and walked outside. Halfway to the track, he stopped.
Jared was there. Kelly had been prepared for this possibility and had decided that it wouldn’t hold him back. But he hadn’t expected to see a girl with pink glasses in the bleachers, one who clapped happily when Jared sprinted past her. Kelly watched for a moment, noticing how well Jared was doing, but mostly taking in the smile plastered on Martha’s face. Did she have any idea how lucky she was? Probably, since Jared had steadfastly ignored her after getting her note. Now, all these months later, her wish had finally come true. That must be nice.
Sighing, Kelly turned and headed back to the locker room. Then he changed into his normal clothes. He was leaving when William appeared in the doorway.
“Hey! Sorry I’m late. Why do girls like to talk so much?”
Kelly just glanced at him, not wanting to hear about another happy heterosexual couple. Instead he moved forward, forcing William to step out of his way. This didn’t dissuade him from following Kelly down the hall.
“Aren’t you training today?” William asked. “Wait, don’t tell me you’re done already! You’re not that fast, are you?”
Kelly shook his head. “Not quite.”
“Then where are you going?”
Kelly considered his options. “I’m going to get in my car, find a really tall bridge, and drive off of it.”
“Awesome,” William said. “Mind if I tag along?”
Kelly glanced over at him. “You have a death wish?”
“Not really, but I was hoping you could give me a ride home on your way. I’ve been biking to school every day, and honestly, my legs are still sore from the run yesterday and everything else.”
“You need to take a break,” Kelly said. “Give your muscles time to heal and build up.” He glanced over at William. “Not that you need to get any bigger. You really want a ride?”
William adjusted the pack hanging off one shoulder. “If you don’t mind. There aren’t any bridges on the way to my house, so we should be okay.”
“I thought you had an after-school job.”
“I started a lawn mowing business when I was twelve. Most of my clients have moved away or now have kids old enough to do it themselves, but some still depend on me. I’m not busy every day, leaving my afternoons free to beg strangers for rides.”
Kelly allowed himself to feel amused. Was William always so chipper? If so, being around him could be nice. Kelly had promised himself not to get too friendly, but then again, he needed a new best friend. He had Bonnie, but she went to a different school. As they reached the car, he considered William over the top of it and felt less certain. Preferably his new friend would be someone impossible for him to develop a crush on. Like a girl. He wasn’t eager to experience another Jared. A cool breeze blew across the parking lot, so he pulled the light jacket he wore closer to his body.
William, still waiting by the passenger door, raised his eyebrows. “You all right?”
“Yeah,” Kelly said, shaking his head. “I thought I forgot something, that’s all.”
He pushed the button on the keychain to unlock the car, and once buckled up, asked where William lived. He knew the area, and needed little prompting to get headed in the right direction. As they pulled into the neighborhood, lone drops of water splattered against the windshield, followed by a steady patter of rain.
William leaned forward in his seat to consider the sky. “Now I’m glad we bailed on training. Looks like a bad storm blowing
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