The Boy across the Street

Jayson Bradshaw glared at me with a clenched jaw. I'm sure if he were a cartoon, steam would have been pouring out of his ears by now.

“I- I'm sorry”, I stammered

He didn't say a word, he just kept on staring at me with eyes that could bore a hole right through my head.

After what seemed like a century but in actual fact was a minute, he tipped the soda can over my head emptying its contents all over my hair. Droplets of the drink found their way into my shirt and trickled down my back. I could literally feel the lukewarmness.

Satisfied with himself, he just walked past me, again without a word.

The entire school was gawking at me, some with their mouths wide open and some with their hands over their mouths. The rest were obviously laughing at me.

This would be the perfect time for the ground to just open up and swallow me.

“Oh my God. Kayra,are you okay? Are you crying?”

I didn't even realise that tears had filled my eyes.

“Kay, I am so sorry. This is all my fault”. Of course, Gale witnessed it too.

Why wasn't I saying anything? Or was I too embarrassed to speak?

“Kay”, Steph nudged me

“Don't worry guys, I'm okay. And I have an extra shirt. It's fine”.

“You sure?”

“He just poured soda on my hair. It wasn't that embarrassing. It's not like he stripped me naked or something," I said more to myself than to them.

“Okay, then go change quickly, I think we still have about ten minutes before lunch ends, your fries are still waiting for you”. That made me smile, I had totally forgotten about them.

Just when I thought that was the end of it,” Miss I-dont-know-how-to-mind-my-business" showed up.

“I didn't know we were having a party here. What's up with the soda?” She teased.

“Audrey, must you display your stupidity each and every time? No one needs you here. Please learn to mind your own beeswax. If you haven't noticed, I'm being really polite so fuck off.”

Is it just me or Stephanie Cole just said beeswax

I would have laughed if not for the situation at hand. Let's see if Audrey is as good at coming up with good comebacks as she is in being a witch.

“Look, Stephanie”, she spoke her name with so much disgust, it could make a person change her name, "Thanks, but I function better with unsolicited advice.”

Damn! She didn't just say that to my best friend

“Hey hey hey, it's not her fault you can't shut up. If I were you, I would just leave while I still have a bit of dignity left”, I defended her.

“Oh I'm sorry,but I didn't order a glass of your opinion”, she shot back

“Cool story sis, but in what chapter do you SHUT UP." I wasn't done with her yet.

“Okay okay, ladies, I see this is getting heated. Audrey, can you please leave? Or you know what, Kay, go freshen up before the bell rings”, Gale spoke up.

“Whatever, I don't have time for your games anyway”. Then she turned and left.

Kayra 1, Audrey 0

*****

“Why the hell isn't it coming out?!”

I was getting exasperated as I continued rubbing a wet face towel on my hair to get the soda out, but it just wasn't coming out!

Steph, there's a problem. My hair is stained and it's not coming out. I texted her and she replied almost immediately.

I'll be there in three minutes.

True to her word, she was in the ladies' washroom in less than three minutes.

“Kay, what happened?”

“It's the soda, it stained my hair.” I still couldn't understand how the stain was visible because I had brown hair.

“Gosh!”

“Is it that visible?”

“Yes, yes it is. But don't worry, I know what to do.”

She pulled a scarf out of her pocket and started wrapping it around my head. By the time she was done, it looked like it was the newest trend in town. You wouldn't even know there was a problem with my hair.

“Oh Steph, you're a lifesaver!” I exclaimed.

“Well, I don't mean to brag, but I guess I am”, she flipped her hair to one side and I rolled my eyes before we both burst into laughter.

“Shhh! Now let's get out of here before Mr. Jefferson sends someone looking for me.”

She was right. She probably excused herself to go to the washroom or something.

“Oh yeah. Let's go”.

“Wait, I'll go first, then you follow two minutes. I told him you went to the Nurse's office.”

“Smart”

“I know I know. See you in class.”

“Mmmhmm”

********

“Dad, I'm going for a run, I'll be back soon” I shouted to my dad who was in the kitchen presumably preparing dinner.

“Okay dear. Hurry back and don't run into a tree”.

I shook my head.

"Sure thing", I replied before heading out.

I plugged my earphones into my ears and curved down the street.

As I was running, my mind drifted to what happened in school today: Jayson Bradshaw and the soda incident, the Audrey drama and of course, my untouched fries.

I still couldn't believe he actually poured soda on me just because I accidentally bumped into him. I guess his lack of manners had more to it than his loathe for saying thank you.

The fact that he even gave Audrey an opportunity to make fun of me irked me all the more.

And speaking of Audrey, who does she think she is? Talking to me and by best friend like that! If Gale hadn't stopped us, I swear, I would have really given her what she deserved. That girl needed a really good lesson one of these days.

Oh, my fries! My tasty tasty fries!

This was the second time I had to relinquish my food because of her, and that definitely did not put her even on the back page of my good book. As far as I'm concerned, her name is first on my go-to-hell list.

As a matter of fact, Jayson Bradshaw's little stunt this afternoon put him at risk of being on that list.

The little crush I had developed after the library incident had totally disappeared the moment I found out my hair was stained. On the contrary, I started to hate him. No, hate is a strong word; I started to dislike him.

Oh and I didn't forget about Gale. I made him buy me two large-sized ice cream cones because technically this was all his fault. If he hadn't stolen my fry, I wouldn't have chased him.

Lost in my thoughts and in the music that was blasting in my ears, I couldn't hear the bicycle honk that was supposed to be directed at me.

“Move out of the way!”

Before I could register what was happening, someone gripped my arm and pulled me off the sidewalk

“Are you okay?” A guy about Gale's age asked me.

“Yeah, yeah...um thanks”,I looked up.

His green eyes were beautiful.

“No problem. But next time, take care when running.”

I just smiled, maybe a fake one, I don't even know.

“By the way, I'm Kingsley.”

I guess I'm supposed to introduce myself as well. Ugh

“Kayra, I'm Kayra.”

“Nice name”

"Thanks"

“Wait, I think I know you. You're the soda girl in school today”

The soda girl?

They've nicknamed me already?

“You go to North Hills?”

“Yeah”

How come I've never seen him before?

“Then I guess I am”

“I personally think what happened to you was unfair. I mean, you bumped into him by accident.”

I didn't know what to say, so I just shrugged.

“Anyway, you stay around?” He asked, perhaps sensing I didn't want to talk about it.

“Um, yeah, just a few blocks from here”

“Oh okay. I stay around too.”

I nodded

“So maybe I'll see you again”

Or maybe not

“I guess”

“Okay, run carefully”,then he smiled and crossed the road.

It's not my fault I wasn't being interactive, I just don't like meeting new people. He's even lucky I was polite.

'Kayra,he just saved you', my conscience reprimanded

It was just a bicycle, what could have happened?

I'm sure my conscience would have rolled its eyes if it were standing beside me

Ah well, I better head home before my dad begins to think I actually ran into a tree.

No one needs to tell him it was a bike.