Chapter 12: Kelsey's Point of View

We meet a new main character. Kelsey and David bond a lot :)

Chapter 11: Kelsey’s Point of View

 

                I went to lunch nervously, feeling that things would be awkward between me and Emmy. But luckily, we had a guest at the table. I smiled as I sat down next to Emmy.

                “Hey guys.” I said casually.

                Emmy stopped talking to the girl who had joined us. “Oh Kelsey! Hey, meet Cassie Davis. She’s in my history class and I just found out we have the same lunch.”

                “Oh. Hi Cassie.” I said, smiling politely.

                Cassie smiled back. “Hi Kelsey. Nice to meet you.”

                Just then, Brendan came over with Allen. “Hello ladies.”

                Emmy grinned at them. “Brendan, Allen…this is Cassie.”

                Brendan bowed to her before sitting down. “My pleasure. Greetings Cassie.”

                She was grinning. “Oh, hi there.”

                The boys went back to talking, and so did Emmy and Cassie.

                “So.” Emmy continued. “Did you see Alex in history today? He was totally checking you out!”

                Cassie started giggling. “Oh I don’t think so…”

                I leaned in. “Wait, who’s Alex?”

                Cassie looked at me, surprised. “Alex Sheppard? You’ve never met Alex?”

                I shook my head hesitantly.

                “She went to a private school before this year.” Emmy explained. “She doesn’t know anyone.”

                “Oh, that’s cool.” Cassie turned back to Emmy. “So…who do you think is the cutest guy in our history class?”           

                Emmy leaned back. “Hm…I’d have to say Alex. But Josh is up there too.”

                I watched them giggle over guys, and began to feel lonely. “Emmy, do I know Josh?”

                She turned to me, and her smile faded slightly. “Um…I don’t think so.” Then she went back to talking to Cassie.

                I sighed and ate my sandwich. At that moment, I felt so alone even though I was surrounded by a whole schoolful of students. I looked over to David’s table longingly, wishing I had someone to talk to. I wonder if they’d let me sit at their table. The rest of the lunch hour I spent eating my lunch and thinking to myself. It was like Emmy had totally forgotten about me now that her new friend was at the table. Was I that boring?

                Time went slow, but the bell finally rang. I headed off to gym, feeling as lonely as I had on the first day. As I was sitting in the gym, Mr. Brown came over to me.

                “So, Miss Shipley.  Have you been practicing your swings?”

                I felt torn between lying and getting yelled at. “I…uh…” I shrugged weakly.

                He frowned. “You better get working on that if you want to keep an A in this class.”

                As he walked away, I sighed. Nothing seemed to be going right.

                “Hey, you okay?”

                I looked up to see David looking down at me.

                I blinked. “…What?”

                He shrugged. “You looked sad. I was just wondering if everything was okay.”

                “Yeah…” I lied, then hesitated. I needed to talk to someone. Anyone. “Actually, no.”

                “Uh oh.” He sat down next to me. “Am I allowed to hear?”

                I shrugged. “Sure, why not.” I took in a breath and looked at him. “You remember Emmy? I brought her to your little party?”

                He nodded.

                “Well, it’s not anything big, it’s just…she brought a friend to the table today. And the whole time she was there, it was like I didn’t even exist. Emmy just talked to her the whole time during lunch.”

                He started tracing the blue lines on the floor as he talked. “So you feel left out then?”

                I nodded. “I’m sure she didn’t mean to…but yeah.”

                “Well…maybe you should try talking to her about it.”

                “I could…” I sighed. “Sometimes I just feel so left out being here. I know it’s only been a few weeks, but I haven’t made any close friends. Everyone has someone else they’d rather hang out with. I just…I really want to be someone’s top choice. Someone that people respect, and enjoy hanging out with.”

                “Well, maybe you are someone’s top choice and you just don’t know it.” He replied, looking up at me.

                “I guess so. But…the only friends I’ve made are you and Emmy. Emmy has Cassie, and you have Rick. I don’t have anyone.”

                He looked into my eyes for a minute, then answered slowly. “Rick…I wouldn’t say he’s my first option. Sure, we’re good friends now that we’re in football together, but I wouldn’t say we’re best friends or anything.” He shrugged. “Honestly, I think everyone feels that way sometimes.”

                I nodded. “I guess you’re right. Thanks.”

                He smiled warmly at me as Rick ran over. “Hey, tennis partner! Ready for me to kick your butt?”

                David laughed and turned to me. “Yeah, top choice. Definitely.”

                I laughed too. “Hey, it’s better than Mr. Brown.”

                Smiling, he nodded. “I’ll see you later then.”

                I nodded back. “Thanks David.”

                Just then, Mr. Brown came over and tossed me the ball. And just like that, my smile went away.

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

                Two days later, Cassie was still hanging out with Emmy, pushing me out of the picture. On Wednesday morning, I walked slowly down the freshman hallway, wishing I was invisible. I didn’t want anyone to have to see me looking like such an outcast, looking so distant. Everyone around me was standing in a circle with their friends, laughing over something insignificant like what shoes they were wearing to homecoming.

                I had almost reached the end of the hallway and was ready to turn around when David was rounding the same corner I had approached. We almost collided before I stopped myself.

                “Oh, hey!” He greeted me. “Sorry, I didn’t know you’d be there.”

                I shrugged, smiling. “It’s fine. I’m not doing anything anyways…”

                His smile faded. “Still alone, huh?”

                I looked down and nodded. “It’s okay though. Just a part of high school I guess.”

                He shrugged. “It doesn’t have to be like that. Come on, you can walk with me.”

                I felt my face growing red. “Don’t you have friends to hang out with or something?”

                “Nah.” He replied, shrugging again. “My football friends are so boring, and my newer friends never get here until right before the bell rings. So…I guess I’m alone for now.”

                I smiled. “Well, then I guess I can hang around with you.”

                We went back down the freshman hallway, watching everyone else silently. Then he spoke. “It’s crazy how wild freshman are sometimes.”

                “Oh man, don’t even get me started.” I replied, laughing. “When I first came here…I almost wondered if I had wandered into the middle school.”

                He laughed. “They’ll mature. They’re still in their crazy stage right now.”

                I nodded. “I always feel so serious compared to all of them. Am I just too boring?”

                “I don’t think you’re boring. You’re just more mature than all of them.”

                “Yeah…” I walked for another minute, then moaned. “Ugh…I’m starting to really dread lunch now.”

                “Hey, why don’t you come sit at my table?” he suggested.

                I looked up to see if he was serious. “Wait…you’re not joking, right?”

                “Of course not! But, if you don’t want to…”

                “No, I do.” I laughed to myself. “Actually, I was kind of hoping you’d ask that.”

                He looked embarrassed. “Well…if you want to, it’s fine by me.”

                “Okay. I’ll see if I can.” Just then, the bell rang. “See you at lunch?”

                “Alright.” He smiled and started walking away. “See you then.”

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

                 My day flew by as I waited for lunch time. I felt silly feeling so excited over nothing, but I was too happy to care. As the bell rang after third hour, I zoomed out of class to go to lunch.

                I was at my locker putting away my books when David came up beside me.

                I smiled as I grabbed my lunch. “Hey.”

                He smiled back. “Hey, I was just coming back from my locker, and I saw you here so…mind if I walk you to lunch?”

                I could feel myself blushing. It almost seemed too perfect, like a date. I nodded, and we walked towards the lunch room together.

                “So.” He said as we approached the lunch room. “I should warn you. My friends…they’re a little bit different from the people you normally hang out with. Rick sits there, but other than that, I doubt you’ll know anyone. So just smile and be yourself.”

                I smiled. “That’s not so hard.”

                We got to his table, and as he sat, I noticed everyone’s eyes on me. And even worse, there wasn’t a spot open. I stood awkwardly for a minute, before saying, “I should…probably get a chair…”

                David stood up. “No, I’ll get you one. You can sit here.”

                Smiling, I sat down in his spot as David went to get a chair. I noticed Rick staring at me, with a slight smile on his face.

                “What?” I exclaimed, smiling.

                He shook his head, laughing to himself. “Ah, you guys are too cute.”

                I looked to see if David was close by before leaning in. “You don’t think he likes me, do you?”

                Rick shrugged. “Hard to say. David’s a man of mystery sometimes. Why? Do you like him?”

                Before I could answer, David came back with a chair for himself. I looked down to keep from having to answer Rick, since I knew he was most likely staring at me waiting to give me eye signals.

                One of David’s friends was staring at me too. “So David, who’s the girl?”

                “Oh, sorry…where are my manners? Sean, this is Kelsey…a friend from gym. Kelsey, this is Sean…and a bunch of other people.”

                I smiled politely. “Hi Sean.”

                He didn’t smile, only stared at me while chewing slowly.

                “So…yeah.” David continued, turning back to me. “This is our crazy table of kids.”

                I smiled and nodded.

                “Hm…so about the Emmy stuff. Do you have any classes with her?”

                I nodded. “I have 6^th hour English with her. What should I say?”

                He shrugged. “Just say you were hanging out with me. She’s met me, so it’s not like I’m a stranger now.”

                I knew this wouldn’t work. Since Emmy liked David too, I would have to be really private about anything David related. It’ll be no fun keeping guy secrets from my possible new best friend.