Chapter 6 : Jock

"Watch where you're going urchin!" Nicole glared.She stood back folding her arms across her chest and staring at me in disgust.I looked at my sauce stained top and sighed.My yellow sweater now was a rainbow of colours;pink,yellow,and brown.I felt wet and sticky all over.Ignoring the desire in my chest to lunge a punch at her,I sighed and loosened my grip on the food tray.

It was obviously the girl's fault we bumped into each other.

No one asked her not to watch where she was going by engaging in unproductive conversation with her friends.

Anyway,I'am sure she did it intentionally since she saw me and walked right into me.

Ignoring her nasty stare,I scooped up my messed up lunch of fries,frozen yogurt with strawberries and a burger off my top.It was all a mushy mess now.

Her friends Audrey and Claire just looked at me with naked contempt.

"Sure."I replied trying my possible best to keep calm and not shove my messed up lunch down their bitchy throats.

Deciding to get away quickly before they created more havoc than usual,I headed for the girls locker room.It was nearly time for gym anyway.

I was a bit relieved knowing that I'd get a clean change of clothing into my stain free phys ed kit.

After a refreshing shower,I came out of the showers fresh, wearing my jeans which somehow had survived the clash and my jacket .

Walking to my locker ,I opened it and dumped in the stained clothes.I drifted my gaze to my open bag by my feet and hurriedly picked it up,my heart thumping in my chest.

I searched through the bag once again and finally dropped it in despair.Running a wet hand through my hair in distress I sighed,my Phys Ed kit was nowhere to be found.

Grabbing Rachel by the arm,I pulled her from her place by the sink tying her braids in a ponytail.I explained my ordeal to her and her eyes flashed with anger.

"You know,I saw those plastic girls or whatever those girlsin here wandering about but I thought they were just minding their business you see.Oh,there are going to regret it."Rachel lashed hinting that the Plastics had something to do with this.

Gym class consisted 10% our annual grade and missing a class without an early permit could lead to detention and a massive impact on your total score.The Plastics were obviously hitting at the latter.

I looked in every possible place I could think of trying to find my clothes.I searched in laundry baskets, on drying bars... literally everywhere.

Then ,Rachel suggested we'd go to the Lost and found to see if we could get something decent for me to change into.

We were descending down our last flight of stairs to get to the Lost and found , which was near the boy's locker room when the door flung open and a mascular figure made his way out the door.

He caught sight of us and waited by the door for us to come over.

"Are you guys okay? What are you guys doing here?"Jay asked clearly amused.

"Lost and found."Rachel snapped glancing at me for us to keep moving.

"You're dripping wet! Jeez!"He exclaimed moving close and fingering a strand of my hair .A tinge of excitement rushed through me by his touch.

" You got baptized in the Jordan?"He added looking down at me,his eyes containing a twinkle of mischief.

"No,I just had a shower."I answered cutting the whole story short.

"Oh,"Jay nodded removing his hand from my hair and making it drop beside him.He looked to his side quickly and was that a crimson colouring I saw creeping up his cheeks?

'"And that's because one of your girl's stole her clothes."Rachel reported before I could cover her big mouth with my palms .I gave her a glare instead since I couldn't meet that need.

He swivelled his gaze back at me and worry pooled over his features tugging at something in me.

"It's okay, she's just being a drama queen."I waved wanting to wipe the stressed look of his face.

His face brightened a little and he tugged at the hem of his shirt in swift action to pull it over his head.

This time,I swivelled my gaze away to act decent,a light blush creeping up by cheeks.

"You can look now." He said into my ear taking my palm in his and dropping his shirt in it.

I turned my gaze away from nothingness and looked at his face which had a smirk at the corner of his lips.

I was a bit disappointed for some reason finding out that he wasn't shirtless.But the plain white body hugging shirt he wore, satisfied my curiosity.Oh yes,he was awfully ripped.

"I've got a spare."He explained standing back to study me carefully.

"And yeah,I think it will fit."He nodded.

I stood there trying to think of the appropriate thing to say being occasionally distracted by the shirt he wore.

" T-thank you."I finally mumbled.

"Sure ,just don't get yourself wet this time Belle." he teased walking into the boy's locker room.

OhmyGodohmyGodOhmyGodohmyGodOhmyGodohmyGodOhmyGodohmyGod oh my God did I hear right?

Did he just called me Belle,as in beautiful in French?"Did he think that I was pretty?"I asked myself.

It wasn't that I had low self worth or something,it was just that it felt good being complimented.And if it was from a boy half the student populace admired ,then you are considered spec.

Anyway ,it might just be a casual compliment he gave out to random girls to make them better,me included.Or even a nickname to my name middle name Annabelle,the inner voice in my head reasoned as I tried shaking it off.

I also tried to shake out of my head unsuccessfully the many times that same inner voice had told me not to get in too deep since I'd fall hard for a guy everyone wanted.I mean everyone knew how challenging it was being friends with a jock and harbouring feelings for him typical hysteria.

I zoned back to present time slipping his shirt over my head and being engulfed in a sweet masculine scent, not the intoxicating men's perfume trending on the market.It smelt of honey and lavender with a hint of cinnamon and moist earth.

I inhaled it deeply as my thought's engulfed me .I didn't like it one bit since it was pointing at something I knew too well.Something which held the reason to my unease when Jessica mentioned that she had feelings for Jay,my nervousness around him,how few hours without communication with him leave me empty and the way he still manages to arouse this sense of unspoken desire and excitement in me when we casually made physical contact from the way he handed me edits or I passed him a note or pen in class.

The evidence was compelling and the facts were clear.I was suddenly hit with the hard truth,I had a crush on Jake Greene.

"Um,um.*Rachel cleared her throat bringing me out of my thoughts.I pulled the shirt over my tummy and inspected my outfit.

I had slipped on some shorts Rachel had lended me and folded the shirt a bit up at the sleeves since it was longer than normal on my arms.Being wrapped in Jay'ss clothes brought a newfound sense of hope and security to me .I proudly walked out of the girl's locker room ,my arms linked in Rachel's who was wearing a grin right from the start I put the shirt on.I wondered what she was getting at.

Almost the whole of the entire phys ed class had their eyes on me as I walked into the gym,pride in every step.Some exchanged a few words and others just stared at me.

There were a few girls in the washroom who witnessed my fallout with the Plastics the previous week and I'm sure word had got around that I was in a feud with them by now , which explained the stares and silent whispers.

Thinking about it ,the kids at my school ought to start standing up for themselves for the Plastics weren't any better than they.They were just a bunch of stuck up conceited busy bodies having no other way to waste their senior year.

Anyway,they hadn't managed to make me miss gym like they plotted and that brought a satisfactory smile to my face.About !y Phys Ed kit, I'd just pull out some dollars from my babysitting money and request a new pair.

After my warm smile and acknowledgements,I walked over to Harry at the other side of the gym with Rachel in tow.

We settled beside her and stretched out our limbs.Sensing presence near her,she heaved her self up from the mat and added another number to her abdominal crunches count.

She studied me for a while before commenting,"What took you guys so long? And Camilla,what's up with the shirt?"

She lay back on the mat to continue with her stretches soon after stating her points.I tried to hide the smile which tugged at my lips by joining her on the mat and doing a cobra stretch while Rachel proceeded to gist her stretching her shoulders.

"So you're wearing ..."Harriet said leaning in closer.Momentarily forgetting her stretches,she tugged at my shirt sleeve and squinted to give it a one on one examination.

"Jake's shirt."She completed her face losing the scrunches from squinting.

My mind went blur and my hands suddenly became sweaty.My eyes widened in surprise on the realisation that Jay was a jock and their sports kits were a bit different from ours. Theirs even had their names engraved on them with golden ink .

I cringed knowing the confusion that could bring.At our school,only the girlfriends of jocks had the rights to their shirts and I was wearing a jock's shirt.No wonder everyone had their eyes on me.

"Someone's telling them its official." Rachel teased literally poking my ribs out with her hurting fingers.She looked at me,a sense of pride taking over her soul.

"No she isn't."Harry defended slapping her face.

"She was basically clueless about it's implications until up to now...how can you say she's showing off?"Harry added point blankly.

"Whatever,I just know she is.You should have seen the cute blush and that appeared on her face when Jake handed the shirt over.She even forgot how to say thank you.And if not ,can you explain why she gave Jessica that victorious smile on our way in here?"Rachel reasoned , poking me more.

Harry looked on at her , gradually digesting what Rachel was saying.I knew it was only a matter of minutes before Harry would succumb to Rachel and join in so I decided to put a stop to it quickly.

"I can't believe you've been brainwashed like those shallow minds that we are involved.Like I mean, you even witnessed what happened."

"Ha!I don't believe that story."she teased more earning a smile from Harry.

I ignored her , rubbing my sides since it was sour from all of Rachel's poking.

Quickly rising to the sound of the gym teacher's whistle,I escaped from their teasing and the teacher started with his drill.

***

It was with a more than happy soul I changed out of his shirt to my jacket and jeans after gym was over.

I was even more embarrassed at free period when I was packing my books in my locker and two bold freshmen walked up to me to clarify if we were dating.

"Hi,"the bolder of the two,fair with raven black hair greeted.The other girl stood beside her looking up at me with glassy brown eyes.

"Oh,hey there."I smiled at them.

"Are you Jake's girlfriend?"The other girl asked twiddling her fingers at her back.

My smile fell a tad bit,"No I'm not."I responded turning my attention back to my locker.

"It's just that you're so pretty, thanks."The fair one smiled pulling her friend away.

"Sure."I nodded looking at their retreating figures.

I heard a snatch of their conversation as they walked away,"I told you he didn't like her, it's the other blonde."The one with glassy brown eyes commented.

I turned my attention away from them,a certain hurt and sadness filling my heart.

Yes,I was pretty, but not enough for my crush to like me back.I silently thought heading out for my next class.

"Camilla,"Chad called walking up to me.

"Hi Chad."I smiled putting on my most brave face.He looked at me with worry pooled eyes fidgeting with a bunch of keys.

"Are we really friends?''he asked with difficulty.

"Yeah we are. "I answered with a smile.What was eating Chad up?He'd been fidgeting most of the time we were speaking.

"But you never told me that you had a boyfriend."He finally spilled.

I let out a long sigh and my features clouded with worry

I didn't think Chad would bring that up.

"I don't.I had a little accident and got myself wet that's all.Nothing more nothing less." I explained.

"But if you ever did I'd be the one to know first hand right?"He asked.

"Not quite.Harry,Rachel and my brother would have squeezed it out of me before."I laughed.

Author's note

Phew,Camilla has actually dropped the bomb now.

Okay so,the ship train is back and I'd like to reintroduce the ships. Shout out to all

1.Camille fans (Chad and Camilla)

2.CJ fans(Camilla and Jake)

Hope you guys comment,vote ,share and add to your reading lists.