Josh stood his ground. "You playing soccer. It's a joke!"
"I don't think it's any of your business." Sawyer spat back.
"I am on this school's soccer team. I believe I would know an idiot in cleeks if I saw one."
Sawyer went for Josh. He swung his fist high in the air at Josh's face, but Josh dodged it. Sawyer was just about ready to go for him again when Ethan rushed him and stopped him from trying. "Take it easy Sawyer! He ain't worth it!"
Sawyer shook Ethan off of him and marched back in the direction of the gymnasium. Ethan went tailing after him. Josh and his two friends watched in amazement.
"If I hadn't had these damn cleeks on, I would've gotten him," Sawyer spat, jerking the cleek from his foot and throwing it across the locker room.
Ethan was right behind him. "Sawyer, you don't want to fight anyone before graduation. It could interfere with your studies."
"That's why I don't put myself in situations like that Ethan! I stay away from brainless freaks like Josh Lyner."
"I do my very best to avoid any and all people whenever I hit you up Sawyer. I know more than anyone how these people are."
"Well I'm tired of doing it. I can't even concentrate anymore."
"What does that mean?"
"People look at me as if I have the plague. Apparently people around school have seen us hang out and have developed some sort of opinion about it. I went from being ignored and left alone to being looked at and seen as a wort on someone's nose. It's not how I want to live out my senior year or my school life."
By then Sawyer had changed clothes and was now wearing what he had on before.
"Period." Sawyer walked out of the locker room, slamming the door in the process. Ethan just watched him leave, afraid he'd make matters worse if he followed.
Ethan thought about what Sawyer said all the way home from school. He had no idea Sawyer had been going through stuff on account of him. He knew Sawyer wasn't the most popular guy in school, but he had no idea people would hate the idea of him hanging out with Sawyer. Whats worse is how people hadn't even mentioned it to Ethan. Sawyer was the one going through it all.
He was so surprised about it he didn't even know what to think.
Ethan went by Sawyer's class curious about his mood. The day before he was very angry at the world, mostly at Josh Lyner, but deep down, wondered if his anger stemmed from hanging out with him.
He saw Sawyer talking to one of his teachers. Apparently it was about something important, because Sawyer had a serious look on his face. To Ethan's relief, it wasn't filled with rage like the day before.
"My essay projected the photo with complete accuracy. I don't understand why you marked off incorrect marks here,"
he exclaimed to his English professor.
Ethan backed away from the door feeling a tad bit better. He felt good enough to leave a little note in Sawyer's locker. "Meet me under the bleachers of the football field at 12:45pm. Ethan."
Then he ran off before Sawyer saw him.
Ethan was about to leave upset at 12:50pm when he saw Sawyer popped up out of nowhere.
"Sorry I'm late," he said. "Got held up with my teachers. I swear it's like they've smoked an ounce of weed today or something. None of them are acting right."
Ethan laughed. "It's ok."
Sawyer sat down on a rock and made himself comfortable.
"Mr. Faires gave me some time to rewrite this essay I got a low grade on and I need to get that done as soon as possible so let's make this quick."
Ethan was completely thrown by this.
"I'm sorry? Are you still mad over yesterday or something? You've never dissed me over an excuse for schoolwork before."
"No. It's not that at all. I'm serious. I'm in a time tornado right now."
"I'm familiar with school work Sawyer. I know how the routine works. I'm an elite scholar here to believe it or not. You've never been this blunt with me before. That's all I'm saying. And it just so happened to have been the day after you and Josh had gotten into it, which by chance, was not my fault. So don't take your frustration out on me."
Sawyer jumped up and into Ethan's face. "I'm not taking my frustration out on you Ethan. I'm just saying I don't want to do this anymore. You're more trouble than you're worth and I'm tired of playing the part. The first day you even spoke to me I thought I was gonna get hit by a fucking car. You've tried to drag me to parties where people get shit-faced drunk at. Because of you people are looking at me like I am from another planet, and also because of you I have been in almost two fights. You aren't exactly a good luck charm. If anything, you are a big ass nuisance and I wish you would just leave me the hell alone."
Sawyer was about to run away when Ethan caught him by his arm. "What are you gonna do Sawyer? Run away again? That's your answer for everything, isn't it? Have you ever thought that maybe the problem here is you? Why do you think everyone hates you so much? It's because you are an awful person that hates relationships and yourself. That's why you run away from everything. So don't take your frustration and anger out on me. You have only yourself to blame." Then Ethan forced him into a hug. "But your my good friend and I'm not giving up on you."
Sawyer hadn't put up a fight since his arm had been taken, but now that Ethan had put him into a hug, he started to squirm. "I have to go. Let go of me."
