Page 45 of A Scandal in Homeroom
Iwatched Locke avoid all contact with everyone else on his team. Everyone else on the basketball court, for that matter. We’d moved beyond waltzing and were now on to team sports. Co-ed basketball to be precise. With a bench of students that rotated in and out of the game. Right now, he was in, and I was out, which gave me the chance to watch him without him noticing.
It was strange, because while he had absolutely no interest in participating in the game, he wasn’t out of shape. He easily ran up and down the court in constant motion so as to avoid being passed the ball. I guess all his vaping didn’t wreak too much damage on his lungs. He needed to quit that shit, though.
No, it wasn’t that hecouldn’tplay. It’s that he didn’t want to.
The coach blew his whistle, and five students came off the bench to replace the five that were now jogging toward where I was sitting. One of them being Locke.
He sat down next to me and I could feel the heat radiating off him. Turning, I could see the sweat dripping down his neck into his shirt. It should have disgusted me, the smell of male sweat always did, but his didn’t register on my senses negatively.
“Are we speaking now?” he asked me, even as he caught out of the air the towel the coach had tossed to him.
We hadn’t since I’d been to his house the other night, but only because I’d made an effort to avoid him.
Not speaking to him hadn’t been nearly as much fun as speaking to him. Since it was probably a better idea to know what he was thinking rather than not, I relented any stubbornness I had over the issue.
“We’re speaking,” I said, over the cacophony of sneakers squeaking on the gym floor and the rhythmic banging of a ball constantly in motion.
“Excellent, then can I ask how you keep avoiding playing in this infernal game?”
“I told the coach I had cramps and asked if I could sit this one out.”
“I see. And how often are you afflicted with cramps during gym class?”
I smiled. “Wouldn’t you know it? I seem to have my period every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, which happens to be when we have gym class. Very strange cycle, but what’s a girl to do?”
He finished wiping his face and neck off, and I had this strange urge to ask for his towel. I wanted to press my nose against it and get a good, strong sniff. Surely I would be so turned off, I would never be tempted by him again.
“And the teacher lets you get away with this because you’re you?”
I shrugged. “One of the perks.”
“But it’s not as if you’re not athletic. I’ve seen you kick…and whatnot.”
“That’s different,” I explained. “That’s performing for a crowd. There’s a purpose to it.”
“There’s a purpose to leading the cheer?” he drawled.
“It’s not about the cheerleading,” I said, as if he was dense. “It’s about the status it provides. I’m a Have-not, but I’m one of the best on the squad. I keep it up and I’ll replace Star as captain next year. Being Head Cheerleader in this school brings me clout despite my financial status. Clout means power, and power equals opportunities for advancement.”
“The way your mind works scares me,” he said.
“Because it’s so much like yours.”
“Precisely.”
There was a comfortable pause when I decided to turn the question back on him.
“What about you? You’re not out of shape or lacking in physical coordination. Why not just play?”
“Physical contests hold no interest for me, unless, like you said, there is a purpose to it. I find I can think better while I’m running if I don’t have to worry about catching and or dribbling a ball.”
“So you would consider something like track?”
“Sorry?”
“Track,” I repeated. “You could try out for the track team.”
Now he was looking at me like I was dense. “Have you met me? Do I look like the type of person who cares about winning some high school foot race? You cheer for power. I don’t need it.”
