Someone Else

Chapter 9

I take a nap in the middle of History, knowing the teacher won't wake me up and give me detention. The bell wakes me up and I dash to my next class.

Every day is the same, it's so boring. I want some action!

Alas, my prayers have been answered.

When I get to the cafeteria, there's a fight just breaking out. Oh hell yes. I rush to see who it is and see two guys on the football team. Chase and Derrick, the co-captains.

Fuck! Chase is on probation and Derrick is so close to being suspended from the team.

Shit, I have to do something don't I? The other players don't want to get mixed up in this, since they will be punished too.

Fuck! f**k! f**k! Fine, I'll do something.

I drop my bookbag and kick Derrick behind the knee and sweep Chase's leg out. They fall with a satisfying thud and I smack both if them upside the head.

"This is a f*****g school! Go fight in an empty parking lot or something!" I yell. "And you guys! Shame on you! f*****g scatter!"

Thankfully, I don't see any phones videotaping, and lunch period had just begun so no teachers are here yet. The lunch ladies won't blab right?

"He f*****g started it!" Derrick exclaimed like a f*****g child.

"Shut the hell up you wanker!" Chase fired back.

These guys are testosterone filled children, I swear.

"Both of you shut the f**k up!" I yelled loudly. "If I see anything like this happen again, I'm going to talk to the coach myself to get both kicked off the team."

"You can't do that!" Derrick said.

I laugh. "You want to test me, Covinski? Huh? You're gonna push my buttons?" I get all up in his face and stomp on his foot.

He doubles over in pain and I dig my nails into his bicep, hard enough to draw blood. "Do you have a death wish, Covinski?" I whispered in his ear. "You two will make up and you will watch yourselves next time. Can you do that?"

"Yes." He mumbled.

I let go and throw Chase a glare before getting my things and leaving the cafeteria. My appetite is gone anyways.

I go to the library and text Liam about what just happened.

"You shouldn't have gotten involved."

"Are you kidding me? Should I have let them be kicked off the team?"

"You could have gotten seriously hurt."

I snort. "Have you forgotten who I am?"

"Baby, I'm being serious. Don't get in the middle of fights next time."

I turn my phone off, not bothering to reply. How can everyone be so f*****g brainwashed? If you sit by and let bad s**t happen, it'll never stop happening and at that point it'll be your fault too.

The day I stop doing things about the s**t going on is the day I die. They helped the team, we might actually win matches with them leading this year. If they were kicked off, the school would never see a trophy ever.

I wonder if Matteo would've done the same in my situation. Giovanni would've bet who would win, definitely.

Damn that asshole for burning bridges with me.

+ + +

Someone passes a note to my desk and I rip it up immediately.

Then another one comes but this time there's a smiley face on it. Yeah, like that makes a difference. Eh, what the hell, I'm bored anyways.

Thank you. I forgot to say that.

-Chase

How gentlemanly. Sending me a thank you note in class.

I doodle a hand sticking up a middle finger and pass it back to him.

He laughs and the teacher pauses for a second but continues educating us about the economy.

Another note is passed to me.

Let me buy you dinner? As a friend.

Hmm, I don't see why that'd be a problem.

Alright. But I want Burger King. After practice at 4:20 exactly, you're driving me there and back home.

I crumble the note up and throw it at him. His hits him square in the forehead and I snort. Mr quarterback can't even catch a wad of paper.

After econ I have a free period until practice so I change into my practice clothes and lay down on the grass.

Ah yes, the sun feels nice. I close my eyes and enjoy the moment before it's ruined.

I hear someone walking toward me and pout. Well that lasted a whole 5 seconds.

I see Chase standing above me. "You're blocking the sun." I said.

"Careful, white chocolate. I wouldn't want you to melt."

I laugh as he sits down next to me. "What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be in class or something?"

"Nah, I have a free period too, though I usually go home."

So why did he feel the need to come out here? "Follow me around much?"

"Nah, just today." He said, grinning. "Thank you again, for stopping me. I really need this spot on the team."

Right, he has an athletic scholarship lined up. "Why did you fight Derrick anyways?"

"He was saying some s**t about a girl, I told him to stop and he got defensive."

So, Chase Gibson McCall is really a gentleman. Who would have thought? He wasn't known as a player or a delinquent or anything like that, he mostly just kept to himself and on the field. The last time he got in a fight and got suspended for a week was with the guy his girlfriend cheated on him with.

But Derrick was always a douche. "So why today?" I asked.

"No particular reason, I was just tired of his bullshit." He said.

Interesting.

"What would you do with a million dollars if you only had a day to spend it?" I asked.

"Probably buy stocks and s**t like that." He answered.

Oh wow, this boy is a different breed. "You wouldn't buy a Ferrari?"

"They use up too much gas, I couldn't afford it after that one day anyways."

I blink at him but then burst out laughing.

"What?" He asked innocently.

"Nothing. What stocks would you buy?"

"Apple, Microsoft, Tesla, Bitcoin,... You know." He said.

Smart investing. Smart boy. "You, sir, have earned my respect."

"It's that easy?"

"It's that easy."

___________________________________

I go to Liam's dorm and play Halo with Tanner for a bit.

When Liam comes back from class he gets his labs done so I can't bother him yet. After two hours he finally puts his books away and I climb up to his bed.

"Is it me time yet?" I asked, snuggling up against him.

He smiles tiredly and puts his nose in my hair. I yawn, causing him to yawn and we fall asleep.

My alarm wakes me up at 7 and I silently climb down and go home.

No black cars, no Russians, no troubles. How nice.

On the drive I think about how my life would have been if that accident didn't happen.

Would I have spent the next few years of my life doing the same meaningless tasks until I take my own life? Probably.

I wonder if anyone else gets this chance. Do they wish to go back? Do they take their new identity for granted?

And if they went at it the way I am, do they ever tell anyone? Do they adopt this new face, new name, new family and completely delete their past life like I did?

I eat dinner with my family and fall asleep on the couch. Someone, probably my dad, picks me up and carries is to my room. I'm tucked into bed and I swing my leg over Toothless.

"Good dragon." I mumble before going unconscious again.

Thank you, Amelia.