MY COCKY BASKETBALL PLAYER

Chapter 5

I woke up Sunday still thinking about him.

That moment when he almost answered. The way his mouth opened, then closed. The tired look in his eyes before the wall went back up. I replayed it over and over.

I told myself it didn't matter. He was still arrogant. Still difficult. Still just a job.

But I caught myself wondering. What was underneath all that armor?

I pushed the thought away. I didn't want to care.

***

Monday morning. I was walking to my locker when something hit my shoulder.

Hard.

My books went flying. Papers scattered across the floor. I stumbled, barely catching myself.

"Oops."

I looked up. Derek was standing there with his friends. Grinning.

"My bad," he said. Not sorry at all.

I didn't say anything. I dropped to my knees and started gathering my things.

"Clumsy tutor," one of his friends said.

"She's always like that," Derek added. "Can barely hold a pencil."

They laughed. I kept my head down. My hands were shaking as I picked up my papers.

I heard their footsteps fade. I stayed on the ground until they were gone.

Then I stood up. Brushed myself off. Walked to class without looking back.

***

Wednesday. I was coming out of English class when I saw her.

Maya. I didn't know her well, but I knew she was always around Derek's and his friends. Always laughing at their jokes. Always looking at me like I was beneath her.

She was standing by the water fountain with two other girls. They were watching me.

I kept walking. Tried to ignore them.

Then I felt it. Cold. Wet. Splashing down my chest.

I gasped. Looked down. My shirt was soaked. Water dripping onto my books.

I looked up. Maya was holding an empty water bottle. Smiling.

"Oops," she said. "Did I get you?"

"You did that on purpose."

"Did I?" She tilted her head. "Sorry. I was aiming for the trash can. You were just in the way."

Her friends laughed.

I stared at her. My face was burning. My shirt was sticking to my skin.

"Don't you have something better to do?" I asked.

"Than what? Watching you? Not really. You're pretty entertaining."

"Leave me alone."

"Or what? You'll run to your books? Cry in the library?"

I felt my eyes sting. I pushed it down.

I walked away. I heard them laughing behind me.

I didn't stop until I reached the bathroom. I leaned against the sink. I took deep breaths. I looked at my reflection. My shirt was soaked. My eyes were red.

I didn't cry. I wouldn't give them that satisfaction.

But my hands were shaking.

***

Friday. The worst day.

I walked into school early. I wanted to get to my locker before anyone else. Before Derek. Before Maya. Before any of them.

I turned the corner.

And I stopped.

My locker was covered. Sticky. Brown. Something dripped down the metal.

I stepped closer. My stomach turned.

Mud. Someone had smeared mud all over my locker. And taped to the front was a piece of paper with one word written in thick marker:

"NERD."

I stood there. Frozen.

Then I heard it. Laughter. Behind me.

I turned around. Derek and his friends were standing at the end of the hall. Maya was with them. They were all laughing.

Derek was leaning against the wall. Arms crossed. Watching me.

He didn't look sorry this time. He looked amused.

"Nice locker," he called out. "Really suits you."

My hands were shaking. My face was burning. I felt tears prick my eyes and I hated myself for it.

"Who did this?" I asked. My voice was quiet. Shaky.

No one answered. They just laughed.

I looked at Derek. He was still watching me. That smirk on his face.

I opened my mouth. Nothing came out.

Then I turned around. I walked away. I didn't look back. I didn't stop.

I heard someone yell, "Where are you going, tutor?" from behind me. Then more laughter.

I didn't stop.

I walked faster. Through the halls. Past the classrooms. Past everyone staring at me.

I found the bathroom. I pushed the door open. I leaned against the sink.

The tears came then. Hot. Fast. I couldn't stop them.

I cried for what felt like forever.

I thought about quitting. I should quit. This wasn't worth it. The money wasn't worth this. None of it was worth this.

Why did I keep coming back? Why did I let them do this to me?

I looked at myself in the mirror. Red eyes. Puffy face. A mess.

I didn't know how long I stood there.

Eventually, I pulled myself together. I washed my face. I took a breath.

I went home.

***

That evening. Around 8 PM.

I was sitting on my bed, staring at the wall. My phone was next to me. Silent.

I replayed everything. Monday. Wednesday. Friday. The books. The water. The mud.

I should quit. I knew I should quit.

But something stopped me. I didn't know what. Pride? Stubbornness? The money?

Maybe all of it.

My phone buzzed.

I picked it up. His number.

"Saturday. Don't bother coming. I don't need a tutor."

I stared at the screen.

He'd spent all week humiliating me. Dropping my books. Maya with the water. Mud on my locker. All of it. And now he was telling me not to come.

I should have been relieved. I should have been happy.

Instead, I felt something snap inside me.

I typed back: "I'm coming."

His reply was instant: "Why?"

I stared at the word. Why was I going back? He didn't want me there. They all hated me. This was a nightmare.

But I had one thing he didn't expect.

"Because you don't get to decide that for me."

Three dots appeared. Then disappeared. Then appeared again.

"Fine. Don't say I didn't warn you."

I put my phone down.

I sat there on my bed. My eyes were still red. My locker was still covered in mud somewhere at school.

But something in me had hardened.

I wasn't going to quit.

I was going to show him. I was going to show all of them.