The whistle for PE shrieked, a sound that usually filled me with a familiar dread. Chloe and I, with practiced synchronicity, gravitated towards our usual spot on the sidelines, an unspoken agreement passing between us. The distant thud of a basketball against the court, the excited shouts of players, all faded into background noise as Ashley and Shawna, in their element, began to absolutely rock the basketball game. They moved with a fluid grace I could only dream of, their effortless athleticism making them the center of attention.
As Chloe and I settled into our quiet corner, chatting about the latest school gossip, my eyes drifted across the vast expanse of the gym. And then I saw her. Hannah. She was sitting by herself on the opposite side of the court, her masked face turned slightly away from the action. So, she was also one of the 'sit-down-and-watch' ones? A tiny spark of recognition, a shared common ground, flickered within me.
"Come on," I whispered to Chloe, pulling at her arm. "Let's go say hi."
Chloe, ever hesitant with new people, followed me with a sigh, but her curiosity was evident in her quick glances towards Hannah. We approached her cautiously. "You also don't like sports?" I asked, my voice echoing slightly in the vast gym, my question probably a little too direct. Chloe, standing slightly behind me, looked equally curious.
Hannah turned, a slight surprise in her eyes. "Uhm, yeah," she murmured, her voice soft. "Not really interested."
"Right?" I beamed, feeling a connection. "Me neither!" Hannah's gaze flickered to Chloe, and I quickly stepped in. "Oh, she's my best friend!" I cheered, genuinely happy to bridge the gap between two people I cared about.
Chloe gave a small, timid wave. "Hi, myself Chloe." My best friend really needed a crash course in how to talk to new people.
"Hello," Hannah replied, her response as concise as always. Just as I was searching for another topic to extend the conversation, the blessed clang of the bell echoed through the gym. Finally. Period over.
Ashley and Shawna, flushed and energized from their basketball prowess, caught up with us on the path back to class. Their eyes, bright with post-game adrenaline, landed on Hannah. Introductions were quickly made, a brief exchange of names and polite smiles. As we walked, a line of Section B students, clearly on their way to their PE period, began to file past us in the opposite direction.
Suddenly, a light thwack landed on the back of my head. Not hard enough to hurt, but definitely intentional. My head snapped around instantly, a flicker of irritation sparking in my eyes. But as soon as I recognized the familiar face, my annoyance evaporated, replaced by a surge of unexpected brightness.
"Hey!" My enthusiastic voice was tinged with a mock-offended tone from the hit, but the wide smile stretching beneath my mask said otherwise.
It was Sawyer. He grinned back, sticking out his tongue childishly as he walked past. "Hi, Vivi!"
Vivi. Only my family, and he, ever called me that. The nickname, a relic from a time when our families were intertwined, sent a sudden warmth through me. I felt a blush creep up my neck, even though it was hidden by my mask. I just smiled, a soft, private smile, as he continued past with his Section B friends.
Quite obviously, my friends were intrigued. Chloe, who had witnessed my history with Sawyer countless times, just rolled her eyes good-naturedly and offered a small smile.
"You know Sawyer as well?" Ashley was the first to ask, her voice laced with surprise. Does she know him aswell?
"Uh, yes! We were childhood friends!" I announced, a hint of pride in my voice. "Ask Chloe, she witnessed everything!" I looked at Chloe for confirmation, and she nodded, a slight smirk on her face. "But how do you know him?" I asked Ashley, genuinely curious.
"Um, my father is friends with his dad, so we've visited each other quite a few times," Ashley explained, shrugging lightly.
A small, almost inaudible "Oh," escaped my lips. For some reason, I didn't like this. The thought of Ashley having an easy, current connection with Sawyer, while my own felt like a distant memory, pricked at me.
"And what about the name 'Vivi'?" Shawna and Ashley asked in unison, their expressions mirroring each other's curiosity.
"Well, my family calls me that," I explained, trying to sound casual, but feeling a strange urge to emphasize our past. "And you see, we both used to live in the same house!" I boosted, almost without realizing it, a burst of happiness infusing my voice. Their expressions shifted to one of clear shock.
"Right!" I continued, suddenly blabbering, the words tumbling out. "He used to live on the second floor while we were on the first, our families were so close – "
"We see, we see, very close, we see," Chloe interrupted, her voice dripping with playful sarcasm. I glanced at my friends. They were all smirking. And then I realized what they were implying.
"Hey!" I protested, my face flushing even hotter. "D-don't think like that!" I shouldn't be blushing!
They all just snickered, their laughter echoing in the hallway. "You must have had much fun with him then," Shawna teased, a knowing glint in her eyes.
"Fun… yeah, fun…" My voice trailed off, the word catching in my throat. They didn't know. They all seemed oblivious to the sudden change in my expression, their smiles intact as they walked forward, leaving me slightly behind. I wished it was that simple. I wished it was just "fun." But now, who could change the past? Though, oh, how I wished to.