Jerome's POV

"You're late!" a very loud voice greets Lexi and I after we pass through the gym doors.

"Sorry Coach Lavenski, we got caught up." Lexi tries to apologize to our pissed off gym coach.

"No excuses. You're lucky I don't write you up, you would've spent your afternoon with me, in detention." she shouts pointing her finger at us and narrowing her eyebrows.

"Won't happen again coach." I assure her, with artificial confidence.

"You bet it won't." she nods seriously and walks to the middle of the gym as Lexi and I separate to change in the locker rooms.

I push past the guys locker room door and notice that it's empty, thank gosh. Unluckily, it still smells like sweaty pungent socks that haven't been washed in months, the usual. I jog over to my assigned locker in the back of the room, throwing off my t-shirt up as I do. As I open my locker I hear another kind of door swing open, I look to my right. The door out to the gym was swinging back and forth, some was is in here with me. I crane my neck over out to the other set of lockers, hm, no one.

I continue to swap out my regular clothes for some basketball shorts, another random shirt, and some running sneakers. My normal everyday gym outfit basically. As I chuck the clothes that I just had taken off in my open locker I hear footsteps approaching the main area of this locker room, which is where I am now....

I quickly stuff the clothes in and push the locker door closed, wanting to rush out. I turn.

"Oh hey." someone greets me as I turn rapidly.

"Hi." I say without recognition yet. "Oh hey, Mitch."

"You late or something?" he laughs a bit.

"Actually yeah, I've got to go." I look down.....Trying not to focus on the fact that he is shirtless....

"Alright then...see you round.." he waves as I don't turn back fast-walking out the door, like the awkward person I am.

When I reach outside of the locker room I see Lexi already outside, waiting for me. I jog over to her and sit on the bleachers.

"Hey," she says. "Are you okay?"

"Fine, why you ask?" I pant, oh.

"Well first of all, it looks like you've just ran a marathon. Second of all, you're mad red. Need me to continue?" she concerns, playfully.

"Oh uh, you know, boys locker room...my locker is all the way in the back...and uh it's a big room..." I lie pathetically.

"Yeah okay..." she narrows her eyebrows confused.

"Okay class! Today, as you know, is Wednesday. You all know what Wednesday means, dodgeball!" she cheers.

"We will play with captains." she announces and several people cheer.

Just then, I see Mitch, again. Luckily though, he had a shirt on this time. He runs out next to coach and she smiles.

"Mitch is captain of team one, and hm... Shane will be captain of team two." Miss Lavenski announces.

One of the older students, who was seated at the top row of the bleachers, jumps down row from row to end up alongside the other side of Miss L.

"Alright boys, pick your teams. Decide who gets first pick." she steps back and walks a little away to lean against the bleacher frame.

Great . . . can't wait to be last picked, like always.

"You can have first pick." Mitch nods to Shane.

"Alright, Chad." Shane points to his friend who plays football with him.

"Jerome." Mitch chooses.

I turn my head in such a quick manner I hear a small crack and express my confusion through a very odd expression on my face. As I can see through the corner out of my eyes the people behind me are just as confused as I am.

I slowly stand up and don't pick up my feet as I walk, then stand sort of close to Mitch's right side.

"Rob."

"Eli."

"Joey."

"Kyle."

"McKendra."

"Louis."

"Hailey."

"Lexi." Shane calls and Lexi quietly groans.

"Mel."

"Cameron."

"Kevin." Mitch says.

"Last choices!" Miss. L exclaims.

"Alivia."

"And Mitch you get Vicky," Miss Lavenski announces. "Shane you can take left court and Mitch the right."

Everyone goes to their assigned sides and coach blew her whistle, very obnoxiously loud.

Everyone, but me, ran towards the center dividing line to try and take a dodgeball. And then, it was a normal dodgeball game. Except for a couple things.... For one, people were actually giving me the ball to throw and, I was one of the last players on my team still not out. Those still up including Joey, Rob, Mitch, Vicky and Me. I honestly wasn't really doing anything but slightly shuffling over to avoid getting hit with the ball, it was working really well apparently. The players who are the bench from my team were actually cheering me on, like me, cheering, for me. Which actually made me smile and gave me some confidence, (I guess you could say that.)

After Vicky got out on our team the ammount of players were even for both teams. Rob, Mitch, Joey, and Me from out team and Cameron, Louis, Kyle, and Eli. Eli and Kyle were easy to get out once we all went for them at the same time but Louis and Cameron are a different story. Cam caught one of Rob's and another of Joey's throw, getting them two out, leaving me and Mitch. My benched team was shouting even louder now, hopefully I don't let them down....

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"JEROME'S TEAM WINS!" Miss Lavenski announces but not before blowing her whistle.

The rest of my team comes running out onto my side of the court and cheers. They start to cheer my name. Joey and Rob perch me on top of their shoulders while still cheering. Lexi looks at me from across the room and gives me the weirdest, most cheekiest smile ever, but that's just her. I laugh and smile as they finally put me down.

I recieve some pats on the back from my teammates. Cameron and Louis come to join us and start to talk, to me.

"Hey your'e pretty cool, why don't you come to the party I'm having at my house this weekend." Cam invites.

"You mean me? Come to your party?" I ask in utter shock but in total excitement,

"Yeah sure, from what it looks like, you'd be awesome to have at a party." Louis answers me.

"Oh well, yeah thanks! See you then guys." I say the first sentence a little too happy so I try to tone down the second.

They start to walk away and head off to the locker rooms, as does most everyone else. Mitch kinda stays behind so after all my luck I try to be normal and start a conversation, maybe actually have a friend who goes to parties regularly.

"Hey." I kinda jog up next to him.

"Hey. That was an impressive catch you pulled off there in the end, won us the game." he nudges me, smiling,

"Thanks, ha, that usually doesn't happen with me." What does that even mean Jerome, you're such an awkward weirdo. "So, uh, are you going to Cameron's party?" I try to change the subject before he can say anything about my previous comment.

"Actually I can't, I have to---" he pauses. "Do something..."

"Oh," I say confused. I didn't want to intrude so I left the conversation there. But, he started up another one.

"So," he says kind of quiet. "When did you want me to help you out with Chemistry?" he says under his breath just so I can hear him.

I look at him, and nervously start to crack my knuckles. "I don't know, I'll have to figure that out I guess." I sort of stutter, feeling my heart speed up and palms become sweaty, for reasons I don't know why.

"Well, come with me to the locker room, I'll give you my number." he offers plainly.

"U-m s-sure." I nod slightly and walk tensely behind him.

Just be a normal human being Jerome, you can do this....Ha I'm hilarious.

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Hi everybody reading, I am super sorry and I know you are all mad/annoyed at me for being a terrible author. I tried to make this as long as possible because of the literal two month absence we have had... Really honestly sorry about that, I had all my electronics taken away and literally couldn't even write drafts. I have been really busy with sports and projects, sometimes it's hard to fit in time to write. Please know I am trying to update as much as possible. Yes, I know, two months is a long time so I would be mad too, you guys have every right to be. I will try to write more in every book, not just one. Sorry again, hope you all can forgive me! :]

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~Nicole <3