Gym

I sit at my desk in the second row waiting for the gym teacher to come in. Of course gymnastics in the first two hours of the morning is not ideal for someone, but for me it is indifferent. I have played sports since I was little and now I go to the gym regularly. The teacher is a young man, tall and thin, although gym teachers are usually short and fat. Most of the girls drool at him, and, yes, he's a handsome man, but there are some girls who really overreact and they soon faint when the teacher says something.

While the girls mumble and gossip about the different gossips, I rest my head on the desk thinking that gymnastics can help me dispose of everything I ate yesterday and yes, I know it's wrong to think in that way but I can't help it.

The teacher comes in and starts taking roll call and then we go to the gym. We usually do volleyball, my favourite sport, football or basketball. I'm good at all three, but especially at volleyball, having played it for seven years. Obviously there is the classic VIP group who exclude themselves by saying every time they have their period, and they make me laugh because it is impossible to have period every week and I think the teacher knows that.

The men go to the men's locker room while we go to the women's and we change. I only change my shoes because I already come to school with leggings and a T-shirt. I'm quite a sporty girl, I don't like jeans, in fact I hate them. In my opinion they're uncomfortable , and I don't like the way they look on me. If it were up to me I would only wear sweats and sweatshirts even to parties, but I make an effort and I put on a dress sometimes.

We go to the gym floor where the teacher is waiting for us. We usually do a little run to warm up and when he turns around we walk, while when he looks at us we pretend to run. It's not that I don't like running, but I don't want to be the one to brag either, so I follow what the class is doing, also because nobody cares about my opinion. The only ones who run are the boys and in particular there is one called Brandon who usually comes with tank tops and thinks he knows everything and exaggerates sometimes, but by now everyone is used to him after four years.

"Alright guys, today we're going to have basketball but first I wanted to do some running and stretching as a warm up." Says the prof as we all listen to him.

"How hot is the prof today, isn't he?" I hear whispering behind me.

"It's not just today Violet, it's every day.... You don't know what I'd give to caress that goodness he's hiding under his shirt," Brianna tells her.

Brianna and Violet are best friends and the leaders of the VIP group in the class and they usually kiss the ass of every teacher they see. I'm a little annoyed by that, in fact I can't stand it but I don't say anything because it's better that way, also because I'd draw attention and I hate having eyes on me.

We start to run or walk, it depends on where the teacher is looking. The professor is talking to the teacher of another class as the gym is quite big and it can hold at least two other classes besides mine. We share the gym with a fifth and a fourth that are made up mostly of boys. In fact when we do teams there are more boy teams than girl teams. Mixed teams are rare and usually if they are mixed the boys have some limits, like in football they are put in goal.

"Noah and Nathan. Do you want to go to the locker room?" the teacher scolds them as they have started using the ball without his permission. Although the teacher may seem kind and sweet, he is not; on the contrary, he is strict and he does not give anything to anyone.

"Good! Let's make the teams."

I am with some girls who are not bad and they are nice unlike those in the VIP group and sometimes I even talk to them in class. We exchange opinions or compare tasks. Some of them are really good and they've got practically all nine (B) and ten (A) and they're the favourite of the teachers who wouldn't give them less than an eight (C) even if they didn't speak. They didn't want to be the favourite, they just happened to have it and above all they deserve it. While we're talking about maths and Italian homework, which we don't know whether or not she's questioning since it's never clear, I get a ball in the face and I have to say it was pretty hard. I feel my cheek burn from the hit and I can feel it swelling.

"Does it hurt?" asks Giulia as the professor gives me permission to go to the nurse's office to put on ice.

"Not so much, when I was playing volleyball I happened to get some balls in my face and more" I answer her.

"I'll walk with her, it's my fault after all" I hear someone say as I'm walking.

I hear his footsteps getting closer and when he's close I realize it's Nathan. I stay silent hoping to get to the nurse's office quickly given the silence and embarrassment I feel.

"I'm sorry for hitting you, it wasn't my intention" he tells me at one point.

"It's okay" I reply as I continue to look ahead.

"I'd like to make it up to you so if you want we can ... " He starts to say but I interrupt him before he finishes his sentence

"That's okay, you didn't even have to come with me."

"I know, but you understand that I never turn down a fuck," he says making me roll my eyes.

Idiot ( I say in my mind)

"I know Nathan, I've put up with you for four years," I tell him.

"You've put up with me? I'm sure if you spend one night with me you'll see how you'll follow me like a puppy dog and fall at my feet."

Nathan is really an arrogant guy and I'm starting not to stand him.

"That's what you think Nathan, only you. I honestly don't want to follow you around like everyone else does, because there's nothing that exceptional about you."

This repartee isn't like me, but when a person starts to say stupid things or nonsense about me, my control, despite being shy and all, goes away slowly and I don't have any kind of problem to say what's in my mind.

"And tell me Rebeca, is that what you tell yourself every time you see me? You know damn well that's a lie."

"No Nathan. What I tell myself every time I see you is: God help me put up with this idiot who spouts nonsense every second. And now, if you'll allow me, I'm going to put the ice on the cheek where you hit me" and said that I go into the infirmary leaving him alone.