Evening after football practice, as I walk back to my dorm, I feel kind of relieved and happy. Today was actually a nice day. A really good day I must say, without my friends. Kevin and Tony didn't get back for football practice and coach asked me about them. I told Tony is sick and Kevin took him to the hospital. Coach somewhat believed it.
Everything's good until now. But I don't really know what is awaiting me. They, especially Amelia will be furious. Not only did I not join them but also switched off my phone. I can't find a proper excuse to tell them. Maybe I'd say Coach found me climbing the fence or something.
I reach my room and twist the door open. Gavin hasn't arrived. I think basketballers have extra half an hour practice since they have a match coming next week. I throw my bag to the floor and take off my shoes. Then I strip out of my jersey and walk towards the bathroom to take a shower.
When I'm about to step into the bathroom, the room door thuds open. I turn to see a really furious looking Amelia. She walks towards me furrowing her eyebrows. Her eyes burn holes into my face before they travel down and lingers on my chest and down my abs. I'm just in my jersy shorts.
" Why didn't you come ?", She asks looking intimidatingly into my eyes as she reaches really close to me.
" Coach found me climbing the back gate.", I reply.
" Crap ! Then what happened to your phone ?"
" It was with coach. I just got it back after practice.", I lie efficiently.
" Damn the coach ! He ruined it. I'll soon do something to him!", Amelia says exasperated. She then sighs and places her hands on my bare chest.
" You shouldn't be here in the boys dorm, Amelia. You must go home.", I say trying to discreetly peel her hands off of my body.
" C'mon Ethan..Coach already ruined what I had planned for you.", She says in a slimy voice which she obviously thinks seductive, sliding her hands down to my waist and grazing her dairy fingers over my abs.
" You must leave.", I say trying to keep myself calm and under control, willing not to call her a name or curse at her.
" Why Ethan ?", She asks biting seductively on the side of her lips, pulling herself a little more closer, exposing her full cleavage to me.
" I'm all sweaty.", I blurt out, looking away.
" So ?", she asks. " I like it.", she giggles.
" Stop it Amelia. Just leave. I've lot of works.", I say.
" What works ? C'mon Ethan, you know you want me. What is pulling you back ?", she asks tugging on the waiste band of my jersy shorts. I let out a frustrated sigh.
" Is it because I hang out with others ? I can stop it if you say. ", She says and inches forward to kiss me. I turn my face and right then the door slams open revealing Gavin in his basketball jersey. He is a bit surprised on seeing Amelia and me in this state.
" Why are you here ?", Amelia turns and asks, glaring at him furiously.
" Because this is my room. So you please get out of here.", Gavin says sternly, causing Amelia's glare to harden.
So Gavin is not actually a guy like I thought. He despise this girl and she too seems to not like him.
" Is he your roommate?", Amelia turns and asks me.
" Yes.", I nod. " You better leave now."
" I'm not leaving. Tell him to leave.", Amelia grunts.
" You guys better get out of this room now, if you don't want me to report about this to the warden.", Gavin says annoyed.
" Leave Amelia.", I say. She stomps her feet and finally backs away from me. Then she turn and walks out of the room furiously, not forgetting to glare at Gavin on her way.
" This isn't happening here Ethan. You must find some other place for this.", Gavin scoff once Amelia leaves.
" I wasn't the one who brought her here.", I say.
" Whatever. You can't have girls here. And I too won't bring any girls. First of all it's against the rule and we can even get a suspension. ", Gavin says.
" Hmm..okay.", I nod and step into the bathroom, shutting the bathroom door behind a little harshly. I'm now sure I and Gavin aren't gonna get along. Either me or him will soon change this room.
Gavin doesn't talk to me after that. When I come out of bathroom, he is sitting at the desk and writing something. After sometime he finish whatever he was doing and goes to the back balcony attached to our room, taking his tab. He is still sitting there watching something, when I turn off the lights and lie down to sleep.
The next day at history class, Mr Jacob announces the marks we got for our last assignment. I and Michael gets a zero as he was absent last Tuesday and I also didn't submit my assignment.
" Ethan and Michael.", Mr Jacob calls once he announces everyone's marks. We both stand up from our seats. Michael is in the third row near the window and I am in the center of the last row. He was already in the class when I arrived and there was no seat beside, let me add matter of factly.
"Why didn't you both submit the assignment ?", Mr Jacob asks.
" I was absent. I was s..sick.", Michael says.
" And I was his partner in assignment. So I also didn't submit. ", I say from the back. Shit ! I actually shouldn't have said that. Now I need to work together with Michael again when Mr Jacob finishes the current chapter. I'm sure Michael too is mad at me right now for saying that. But a big part of me actually wants to work with him.
" I see. Why didn't you guys then submit it the next day ?", Mr Jacob asks.
" S..sorry sir.", Michael mumbles.
" Sitdown. And submit your assignment today. ", Mr Jacob sighs. We both nod and sit down.
" From next class onwards I want assignment partners to sit together.", he says opening the text book and everyone nods. I wish he told us to rearrange our seats and sit together now itself.
However my eyes never leave the distant side profile of Michael the whole hour. It's even interesting to look at his silky brown hair fluttering ever so slightly in the gentle wind blowing in through the window near him.
The period ends too quickly and as soon as the bell rings, Michael jumps up and rushes out of the class. I walk to the cafeteria and meet with the four for lunch at our usual table.
I have a hard time explaining why I didn't join them yesterday. Amelia is still so pissed from yesterday evening's incident. Right now they are making plans to somehow get Gavin out of my room. The Planning continues whole through the lunch. But I just ignore them and have my lunch. None of their plans are gonna work with Gavin.
Evening, I am sitting relaxed at the back of the arts class in front of my easel waiting for the arts teacher Miss Anderson to arrive. Suddenly someone walk in through the door and I randomly look up. My heart skips a beat as the person is none else than Michael.
So Michael took Arts as his elective subject?
Michael soon notice me and his eyes goes a little wide. He might not be very happy to see me here.
I don't know what got into my head but I raise my hand and wave at Michael, motioning him to come to me. But soon I realize what I'm doing and I quickly drop my hand placing it on my thighs. Luckily no one saw me calling him as I'm in the extreme back.
I was sure Michael won't come to me. But to my surprise, he actually walks to me and occupies the easel near me.
" I didn't expect your elective subject to be arts.", I say.
" Me too.", he responds.
" Uhm...how are you doing Michael?", I ask.
" G..good.", he reply. " Did you s..submit your assignment?"
I nod. " You ??"
He also nods. " First chapter is finished. For n..next week we need to work on s..second chapter."
" I'm sorry, I said you are my partner.", I say
" Ahm..I will write it and g..give you to copy. I don't want you to c..come.", he says.
" Let's better work in half-half. You find questions from first half of the chapter. I'll do with the latter half. Then we can exchange our notebooks to copy. How about that ?"
He nods after a moment. Then he turns his face and sit staring at the canvas in front of him while I again sit and stare at his side profile. I'm grateful he never turns his head and catch me staring at him. Don't know whether he is watching me through side eyes.